[BCMA] BCMA Statement - February 12, 2021

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Trust is central to the very concept of what a museum is and it is
something that our sector can easily take for granted.

The Canadian Museums Act
<https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/m-13.4/index.html> of 1990 states
that museums “hold [items] in trust” for the public, and nearly nine out of
ten
<https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/public-trust-in-science-news-is-dangerously-low-new-ontario-science-centre-study-reveals-645328533.html>
Canadians (89%) say they trust museums, galleries, and science centres as
sources of information. Trust is something that is not given lightly and,
if abused, is not easy to recover.

Over the past year, museum and cultural professionals across the country
have courageously spoken out against institutionalized racism, toxic work
environments, and discrimination in the museum sector, illuminating an ugly
truth about our sector that has for too long been shrouded in darkness:
that racism exists in the museum sector. While this is certainly not news,
especially for racialized and marginalized Canadians who have long been
underrepresented and misrepresented by museums, these voices show that the
trust that is central to the very concept of what a museum is, has not
been, and is not currently, experienced equally by all Canadians.

The main office of the BC Museums Association (BCMA) is located inside the
Royal BC Museum, on the unceded lands of the Lekwungen (Songhees and
Xwsepsum Nations). As a provincial organization, the Royal BC Museum plays
a critical leadership role, both within BC’s museum sector and in
furthering reconciliation and repatriation in the province. The Royal BC
Museum is undergoing a significant reassessment of leadership and internal
practices after Lucy Bell and others have spoken out against
institutionalized racism within the organization. It is our most sincere
hope that the Royal BC Museum uses this opportunity to embrace change and
to take an active role in helping to lead our sector to a brighter, more
inclusive future.

It is imperative that museums recognize that our work is not neutral and
commit to working harder than ever to build, and rebuild, our communities’
trust. To do this, we must first acknowledge that the history of museums is
directly tied to colonial systems of oppression and then we must commit to
structural change to address this legacy. Structural change involves
ensuring that room is made for diverse voices at all levels of our sector,
especially in leadership roles, ensuring that people are fairly compensated
for their ideas and time, ensuring that reconciliation is a foundational
principle in our practices, ensuring that our programs and spaces are
inclusive and accessible to all, and critically, ensuring that every single
person is respected and valued.

Building trust is slow and difficult, but absolutely essential. The BC
Museums Association is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and
inclusion in the museum sector and in our own organizational practices.
With our members, partners, and supporters we pledge to do the work needed
to ensure that the public's trust is valued, respected, and earned.

_________

Honesty and transparency are a critical part of this work and we welcome
our members’ feedback on how we can continue to grow and improve. To share
our journey in supporting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our
own organizational practices, we are publishing quarterly updates
<http://museumsassn.bc.ca/update-ongoing-commitment-to-justice-equity-diversity-and-inclusion/>.
If you have questions, comments, or thoughts, please contact us
<bcma at museumsassn.bc.ca> at any time. Alternatively, if you would like to
discuss how the BCMA can support your organization’s own justice, equity,
diversity, and inclusion work, we would be happy to hear from you.

__________

The BC Museums Association Secretariat is located on the traditional lands
of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. We are grateful for the
opportunity to live and learn here in mutual respect and appreciation.

BC Museums Association || 675 Belleville Street  || Victoria, BC || V8W 9W2

www.museumsassn.bc.ca

www.museumsassn.bc.ca/bcma-statement-february-12-2021
<http://museumsassn.bc.ca/bcma-statement-february-12-2021>
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