[Bcma-l] Funding issues revisited again and again
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:29:34 -0700
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--Boundary_(ID_RHXLKTcuvIF3HpG0DU1oIw)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-transfer-encoding: 8BIT
I sympathize entirely with what you are saying.
We do need guides [this year we got three excellent ones] but if we did
not get them, we would still open and keep the same hours. Other people
[like myself] would do all the work.
I have also had good potential candidates accept jobs elsewhere because
they received first offers.
When we were paying minimum wage, some excellent candidates took McJobs
because they made money on tips and needed the cash for schooling.
Right now we are subsidizing the minimum wage and paying $10.00 per hour.
Maybe that helped us get the funding.
I don't question that reform is needed, I am just pessimistic about it
happening.
The general priority of funding for museums, just as for all social
programs, is that it is getting lower and lower.
I don't know what the answer is, but if one doesn't appear soon I can
see many small museums biting the dust, the volunteers just can't
sustain them anymore, and the new generation[s] is not into volunteering.
I have also seen many excellent workers such as myself finally give it
all up and take a walk, because it is just too thankless and too demanding.
When there is a possibility of reform I will be the first to approve and
agitate for it, however, you have seen their answer so far.
--
Larry A. Ewashen
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
112 Heritage Way
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5
www.Doukhobor-Museum.org <http://www.Doukhobor-Museum.org>
250-365-5327
2008/6/26 <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>>:
June 26, 2008
Larry:
That is the point – they are not going to change it for us – that is
why we need to change the ground. So long as we depend on 'them',
we will continue to suffer.
It is nice to know that you do not need 'guides'. With Wells
Historical Society (of which I am President), the Museum would not
open without the assistance. However, my major problem is that I
spend a good deal of time writing the proposals, interviewing
potential workers, hiring upon obtaining a grant, only to find that
there are no students left. I recruited three different times. The
first in March – I had plenty of applicants – but each 'hire' found
other things to do while I was waiting for the 'approval'. I
recruited again and again and got one applicant. I have been
playing this 'game' for 19 years as an 'employer' and another 10 as
an 'employee'. Over that time there are less and less students to
go around and major time is spent in the grant writing/recruitment
process, along with more recent non-funded/questionable distribution
situations. There is no true rhyme or reason to the situation.
Arts are a feather in the cap, an social affectation, something that
is not really important – unless someone wants to pay a million
dollars for it or it is the nail clippings of some media goddess,
then you get some attention. Apathy - what a brutal opponent.
W. (Bill) G. Quackenbush, Curator
Barkerville Historic Town,
Box 19, Barkerville, B.C. V0K 1B0
Telephone: 1-888-994-3332; ex. 25
Fax: 1-250-994-3435
bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca
<mailto:bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca>
visit - www.barkerville.ca <http://www.barkerville.ca/> for general
information
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
[mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>]
*Sent:* June 12, 2008 3:46 PM
*To:* bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca <mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
*Subject:* Re: [Bcma-l] Funding issues revisited
They are not going to change it for us.
Of course it could be improved but I think museums must have a built
in survival mode that is not going to depend of whether we get one
or two guides.
We are happy to have received three guides this year, however, if we
hadn't we would still be open and would essentially be doing the
same things as we are now.
Having said that, we all need proper help that is not simply funding
for one student a year.
Our needs and the lack of government support for historical
institutions is far more endemic that that.
2008/6/11 <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>>:
June 11, 2008
Larry:
One of the main issues has been "the vote on the budget" which is
not timely and the fact that there have been issues brought forward
about who gets what funding (I seem to remember someone mentioning
this in one of their notes to the list serve), as well as what is
more important to the funding body at any given time. A Foundation,
or other type of potential funding group, is only as strong as it
members, constitutions and governing rules provide.
I take your comment to mean that we should stick with a group that
votes on the budget every April 1^st and I can chalk one up one vote
for keeping the status quo – possibly with support for the position
paper of the BCMA (which was not explicit in your response).
W. (Bill) G. Quackenbush, Curator
Barkerville Historic Town,
Box 19, Barkerville, B.C. V0K 1B0
Telephone: 1-888-994-3332; ex. 25
Fax: 1-250-994-3435
bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca
<mailto:bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca>
visit - www.barkerville.ca <http://www.barkerville.ca/> for general
information
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
[mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
<mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>]
*Sent:* June 11, 2008 3:01 PM
*To:* bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca <mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
*Subject:* Re: [Bcma-l] Funding issues revisited
In my experience, these other non-government adjudicating agencies
are not necessarily any more competent than the government in
assigning grants.
In the final analysis it is an application process subject to past
successes, popularity, needs and sometimes connections.
Larry A. Ewashen
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
112 Heritage Way
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5
www.Doukhobor-Museum.org <http://www.doukhobor-museum.org/>
250-365-5327
--
Larry A. Ewashen
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
112 Heritage Way
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5
www.Doukhobor-Museum.org <http://www.doukhobor-museum.org/>
250-365-5327
--Boundary_(ID_RHXLKTcuvIF3HpG0DU1oIw)
Content-type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Content-transfer-encoding: 8BIT
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
I sympathize entirely with what you are saying.
<div>We do need guides [this year we got three excellent ones] but if
we did not get them, we would still open and keep the same hours. Other
people [like myself] would do all the work.</div>
<div>I have also had good potential candidates accept jobs elsewhere
because they received first offers.</div>
<div>When we were paying minimum wage, some excellent candidates took
McJobs because they made money on tips and needed the cash for
schooling.</div>
<div>Right now we are subsidizing the minimum wage and paying $10.00
per hour.</div>
<div>Maybe that helped us get the funding.</div>
<div>I don't question that reform is needed, I am just pessimistic
about it happening.</div>
<div>The general priority of funding for museums, just as for all
social programs, is that it is getting lower and lower.</div>
<div>I don't know what the answer is, but if one doesn't appear soon I
can see many small museums biting the dust, the volunteers just can't
sustain them anymore, and the new generation[s] is not into
volunteering.</div>
<div>I have also seen many excellent workers such as myself finally
give it all up and take a walk, because it is just too thankless and
too demanding.</div>
<div>When there is a possibility of reform I will be the first to
approve and agitate for it, however, you have seen their answer so far.<br>
-- <br>
Larry A. Ewashen<br>
Doukhobor Discovery Centre<br>
112 Heritage Way<br>
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.Doukhobor-Museum.org">www.Doukhobor-Museum.org</a><br>
250-365-5327<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">2008/6/26 <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a>>:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div vlink="blue" link="blue" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">June 26, 2008 </span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">Larry:</span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">That is the point – they are not
going to change it for us – that is why we need to change the ground.
So long as we depend on 'them', we will continue to suffer.</span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">It is nice to know that you do
not need 'guides'. With Wells Historical Society (of which I am
President), the Museum would not open without the assistance. However,
my major problem is that I spend a good deal of time writing the
proposals, interviewing potential workers, hiring upon obtaining a
grant, only to find that there are no students left. I recruited three
different times. The first in March – I had plenty of applicants – but
each 'hire' found other things to do while I was waiting for the
'approval'. I recruited again and again and got one applicant. I have
been playing this 'game' for 19 years as an 'employer' and another 10
as an 'employee'. Over that time there are less and less students to
go around and major time is spent in the grant writing/recruitment
process, along with more recent non-funded/questionable distribution
situations. There is no true rhyme or reason to the situation. Arts
are a feather in the cap, an social affectation, something that is not
really important – unless someone wants to pay a million dollars for it
or it is the nail clippings of some media goddess, then you get some
attention. Apathy - what a brutal opponent.</span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">W. (Bill) G. Quackenbush,
Curator <br>
Barkerville Historic Town, <br>
Box 19, Barkerville, B.C. V0K 1B0 <br>
Telephone: 1-888-994-3332; ex. 25 <br>
Fax: 1-250-994-3435 <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca" target="_blank">bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca</a>
<br>
visit - <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.barkerville.ca/"
target="_blank">www.barkerville.ca</a> for general information </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: center;" align="center"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"></span></font></div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;">From:</span></font></b><font
face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;"> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a> [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a>] <br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> June 12, 2008
3:46 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Bcma-l]
Funding issues revisited</span></font></p>
</div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">They are not going to change it for us.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">Of course it could be improved but I think
museums must have a built in survival mode that is not going to depend
of whether we get one or two guides.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">We are happy to have received three guides
this year, however, if we hadn't we would still be open and would
essentially be doing the same things as we are now.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">Having said that, we all need proper help
that is not simply funding for one student a year.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm;"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our
needs and the lack of government support for historical institutions is
far more endemic that that.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">2008/6/11 <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca" target="_blank">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a>>:</span></font></p>
<div vlink="blue" link="blue">
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">June 11, 2008</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">Larry:</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">One of the main issues has been
"the vote on the budget" which is not timely and the fact that there
have been issues brought forward about who gets what funding (I seem to
remember someone mentioning this in one of their notes to the list
serve), as well as what is more important to the funding body at any
given time. A Foundation, or other type of potential funding group, is
only as strong as it members, constitutions and governing rules
provide. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">I take your comment to mean that
we should stick with a group that votes on the budget every April 1<sup>st</sup>
and I can chalk one up one vote for keeping the status quo – possibly
with support for the position paper of the BCMA (which was not explicit
in your response).</span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font color="blue"
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">W. (Bill) G. Quackenbush,
Curator <br>
Barkerville Historic Town, <br>
Box 19, Barkerville, B.C. V0K 1B0 <br>
Telephone: 1-888-994-3332; ex. 25 <br>
Fax: 1-250-994-3435 <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca" target="_blank">bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca</a>
<br>
visit - <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.barkerville.ca/"
target="_blank">www.barkerville.ca</a> for general information </span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: center;" align="center"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"></span></font></div>
</div>
<p style="margin-left: 72pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;">From:</span></font></b><font
face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;"> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a> [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca</a>] <br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> June 11, 2008
3:01 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca"
target="_blank">bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Bcma-l]
Funding issues revisited</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 72pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 72pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">In my experience, these other non-government
adjudicating agencies are not necessarily any more competent than the
government in assigning grants.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0cm;"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the
final analysis it is an application process subject to past successes,
popularity, needs and sometimes connections.</span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<p style="margin-left: 72pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">Larry A. Ewashen </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><br>
Doukhobor Discovery Centre<br>
112 Heritage Way<br>
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.doukhobor-museum.org/"
target="_blank">www.Doukhobor-Museum.org</a><br>
250-365-5327 </span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p style="margin-left: 36pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><br>
<font color="#888888"><br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Larry A. Ewashen<br>
Doukhobor Discovery Centre<br>
112 Heritage Way<br>
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.doukhobor-museum.org/"
target="_blank">www.Doukhobor-Museum.org</a><br>
250-365-5327 </font></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</body>
</html>
--Boundary_(ID_RHXLKTcuvIF3HpG0DU1oIw)--