MAG 2013 Annual Report

Annual report Red Deer & District Museum Society

1911 Ross Stre et, P3 28, Red D eer &

Distr ict A rchives

OUR VISION: The MAG inspires passion for history and art in our community.

Contents: 3 Message from the E.D. & President

OUR MISSION: To represent the history, culture and art of Central Alberta for our community and the rest of the world.

4 It was a Remarkable Year!

5 Members, Donors & Funders 6 Hats O to our Volunteers!

7 Exhibition Highlights 8 Collection Highlights 9 Program Highlights 10 Event Highlights Looking Forward 11 (2014 Strategic Plan)

Lorna Johnson, Executive Director How exciting it is to achieve a long-term goal and explore all of the wonderful possibilities it opens!

In 2013, the MAG staff, assisted by Reich + Petch Design International and Expographiq, completed our new permanent exhibition about Red Deer’s history.

Remarkable Red Deer: Stories from the Heart of the Parkland engages visitors in learning about Red Deer’s unique beginnings, and it introduces some of the remarkable people who have built our community.

We are very grateful to the City of Red Deer and the many corporations and individuals who came together to sponsor the project. We are also grateful to all of the individuals who generously gave their time to tell their stories and review text and videos to make sure that it was correct. Remarkable Red Deer is now our cornerstone for presenting activities and events that will encourage members of our community to become passionate explorers of history.

The MAG’s mandate as a public art gallery is to research and showcase the art of Central Alberta artists. In 2013 we invited painter and teacher David More to curate a personal history of art in Red Deer. The result was Reflections from a Century, an eclectic and fascinating survey of artists who have pursued their creative practice right here in Red Deer.

James Agrell-Smith: A Broader Picture, curated by Mary-Beth LaViolette, was the first retrospective of a Red Deer artist who had achieved national recognition for his excellent wood engravings. Mary-Beth revealed a previously unknown dimension of Agrell-Smith’s artistic practice. The exhibition has since been shown at Lougheed House in Calgary.

The MAG helped Red Deer launch its Centennial Homecoming Weekend with Rock & Roll Reunion at the Rink, a celebration of some of the popular local bands from the 1970’s. The dinner and dance was a smash success – attracting over 1,000 guests who danced the night away and re-connected with old friends. Many thanks to ‘boys in the band’ who inspired us all to make it happen!

message from the presidenT The Board of Directors is proud of the MAG’s contribution to the success of Red Deer’s centennial year. We officially opened the Remarkable Red Deer: Stories from the Heart of the Parkland permanent history exhibition on March 25, 2013, the hundredth anniversary of Red Deer’s incorporation. With a selection of key artifacts, multi-media technology, and interactive spaces, the new exhibition tells the story of our city and surrounding area in a fresh and engaging way. It honours the First Nations people of this area, the early European settlers, and others who have built our community since, including the many recent newcomers. In this way, Remarkable Red Deer reflects us well: a rapidly growing city, proud of its heritage, and committed to weaving its past into the fabric of its present and future.

Dedicating a large amount of gallery space to addressing the priority need for a permanent history exhibition reduces the space available for other art and history feature exhibitions and events. MAG staff worked creatively in 2013 to maximize the remaining gallery space and to incorporate programming within the Remarkable Red Deer exhibit itself. Highlights included James Agrell Smith, Expedition Arctic, and Reflections of a Century: Artists of Central Alberta.

Further developing our community engagement and addressing our collection storage challenges are important priorities to ensure that the MAG remains a vital institution that can continue to enrich our community and telling its story for the next century and beyond.

We greatly appreciate the hard work of our staff, the encouragement and dedication of our members and volunteers, and the generous financial support from the City of Red Deer and the numerous donors who have supported Remarkable Red Deer so generously.

Sincerely, Torben Andersen President

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the MAG’s Board, volunteers and staff for their dedication, commitment and hard work in a very busy year. We now have an excellent foundation for engaging all members of our community in adventures that will bring them closer to our community’s art and heritage.

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to the MAG

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Hats off to our volunteers!

Red Deer & District Museum Society – Board of Directors Torben Andersen, President Sheila Bannerman, 1st Vice President Marguerite Watson, 2nd Vice President; Chair, Waskasoo Museum Foundation Ron Crossley, Treasurer (January through August) Chad Neilsen, Treasurer (as of September 2013) Partitosh Ghosh, Secretary

The MAG is very grateful to community members that volunteer their time to help the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery with our many activities and special events.

From helping to install art works, to serving cake and refreshments, we appreciate the hours you devote in support of the MAG.

Brett Speight Jeremy Moore Famida Martin (January through August) Paul Harris City Council Representative (outgoing October) Frank Wong City Council Representative (incoming November)

Connie Barnaby Katherine Colby-Hallman Vivian Delude Lois Dobbs Alysa DuMontier Jasper Lewis Jan Sirrs Michael Villasana Cassandra Wesbrod Vivian Willilamson Sheila Wright Courtney Ziegler

Administration

Programs

Lorna Johnson, Executive Director Christ Fletch, Finance & Grants Coordinator Karin Richardson-MacKenzie, Assistant ED; Marketing & Fund Development Karli Kendall, Executive Assistant Sharon L’Hirondelle, Administrative Assistant

Rod Trentham, Educational Programs Coordinator Carol Davies, Educator Janet Cole, MagSparks Coordinator Tanya Zuzak-Collard, Magnificent Saturdays Coordinator Malorie Montpetit, Young Canada Works Summer Student

Directors

Visitor Services Rosie Townsend Kimi Jann Leah Jackson Kate Maclean Mike Villasana Richard Cloutier, IT & Building Coordinator Candace Ross, Custodian

Collections & Exhibits Valerie Miller, Collections Coordinator Michael Dawe, Curator of History Kim Verrier, Exhibitions and Registration Coordinator Melanie Berndt, Preparator Peter Allen, Educator & Gallery Attendant Grant Woodcock, Educator & Gallery Attendant

Artists Erin Boake Carlene La Rue Kaleb Romano

Dawn Candy Maria Pors Shannon Woolgar

275 volunteers devoted 1700 hours 5

MEMBERS, DONORS & FUNDERS Red Deer & District Museum Society Members are an integral part of realizing the MAG’s vision. In 2013, Society members committed to our fund-raising efforts and helped us to realize the monies necessary to complete Remarkable Red Deer. We are very grateful for their contributions to the project.

Our long-standing ‘life time’ members have been strong supporters over the years. They faithfully attend exhibition openings and special events. Many generously donated to the Remarkable Red Deer fund-raising campaign.

Family Members tell us how that the MAG is a special place, one that offers a variety of unique hands-on experiences.

They follow us on Social Media and tell their friends about our special activities and programs every week.

2013 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN DONORS Inspire Level (Over $50,000) Government of Alberta – CFEP Grant

Ladies of the Royal Purple donate to the MAG

Lead Level ($10,000 - $24,999) Alberta Museums Association  BMO – Bank of Montreal

Build Level ($2,500 to $4,999) Red Deer Kiwanis Club  Red Deer Twilight Homes Foundation  Swainson Family & Southside Dodge Chrysler

Create Level ($1,000 to $2,499) John & Gayle Olson made the first $2,013 donation to the Centennial Club.

Richard & Marian Cloutier  Iron Horse Drilling Services

Believe Level ($500 to $999)

2013 Operating Revenues

George & Katherine Goruk Don & Joan Hepburn Justice J. K. Holmes Karli Kendall Karin Richardson & John MacKenzie Doris A. Vallée

The Centennial Club fund-raising initiative set a goal of 100 distinguished donors of $2,013 Red Deer Chinese Community Society Colleen Graham & Donald Graham & Family Anne Marie, Elizabeth Jane & Michael Watson Families Edward L. & Joan Gaetz Lorna Johnson Irene Wardill/Cole Family Mr. Kenneth Morton Lawrie Knight-Steinbach Barbara Swinton Rotary Club of Red Deer

Making History Club (Up to $500)  Diane Cingel  Red Deer Shrine Club

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Sheldon Code  Carol Turk

City of Red Deer Other Grants Admission & Programs Memberships & Donations Other Amortization

$877,562 $221,807 $28,572 $59,627 $63,413 $8,088

2013 Operating Expenses Administration $402,924 Marketing & Development $113,252 Collections $150,431 Exhibits & Programs $328,575 Building & Technology $239,056 Amortization $8279

486 supportive mag members

COLLECTION highlights The Red Deer & District Museum Society holds over 60,000 items in the collection. Each item tells a very unique story or demonstrates a particular period in Red Deer’s history.

The new history exhibition, Remarkable Red Deer, positions the MAG as the ‘hub of history’ in our community.

The four exhibit themes are the foundation that enables us to bring out objects from the collection to help tell the local and personal stories of the past 100 years. Early stories and recent stories, from the first early entrepreneurs through to the many newcomers in our community, all are part of Red Deer’s diversity heritage.

In the fall of 2013, a special package was delivered to the MAG. Inside were several objects of an early Red Deer family, the S. Miller family. Virginia Bordwell, a distance relative from Iowa, felt it important to return personal family items back to Red Deer and the Red Deer Museum.

Kendal Miller Former team members L to R: Diane Clark, Juanita Reid, Sue Swainson, Judy Poor, Sherry Jackson donate a team uniform.

Two Special Donations One of the remarkable sports teams in Red Deer in the 1970s was the Basebelle Angels, coached by Murray McLeod, a supervisor of athletics with the City’s Recreation Department and volunteer coach. In 1972 and 1973, the Angels won the provincial softball championships, and went on to represent Alberta at the Canada Summer Games in British Columbia.

The uniform is now displayed in the ‘community case’ in the Club Café section in the exhibition.

The Memorial Cross medal

Kendal Miller was born September 13, 1897. Like many of his generation during the First World War, he lied about his age and enlisted on May 3, 2916 in Red Deer. Sadly, Kendal was killed in action on June 25, 1917.

The items returned in the package included photographs and personal items belonging to Kendal, as well as the Memorial Cross, which was presented to his mother, Mrs. A. Miller, after his death.

Donors to the Collection We want to extend our sincere appreciation to the many community members that came forward to donate objects and archival material in 2013.

Vera Anderson Alfred Blore Allan Charles Edwin Gaetz Walter & Eileen Hanna Lynda Houseman Joe Lowis Preston Parks Leo Touchette Sue Swainson Doug Wood Red Deer Community Band Society

Ada Barg Jenna Baynes Virginia Bordwell Lissa & Wayde Braseth Michael Dawe Jeanne Depalme Rosemary Gerdts Jan Grant Sylvia Hayhoe Don Hepburn Sherry Jackson Barbara Jewell Lee Grant MacKay Marilyn Mann Judy Poor Duane Rollheiser Gordon & Alexis Skeels Judy Smith Gary Thompson Leo Touchette Mitchell & Jewell Marguerite & Eugene Watson Waskasoo Museum Foundation

Gordon Becker Mario Ceccato Morris Flewwelling Phil Hallet Joyce Herber Kibermanis Barry Lashman Jennifer O’Brien Denise Touchette Jim Sutherland Tom Tuck

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Curated by Mary-Beth Laviolette

Curated by Dave More

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Magnificent Saturdays Drop in program for the whole family. An innovative program lead by artists that connects our exhibits with art-making activities.

9293 participants took part in

1896 family members enjoyed art-making at 50 saturday programs

MagSparks Community Visual Art Program for adults with developmental disabilities.

• Accessible to everyone • Peaceful studio space • Great place to make friends

103 mag sparkers got creative in 2013 School Groups & Tours Vanessa, a MagSparks participant

2776

673

students & adults took part in 172 education programs

Reel Movie Mondays The 2013 Winter and Spring series were co-sponsored by the MAG and the RDC Motion Picture Arts Program. With the opening of the new City Centre Stage, the MAG and a small but enthusiastic group of volunteers presented the Fall series.

1931 avid fans viewed 18 films Cultural Access Pass A gift to each Canadian citizen during their first year of citizenship, the Cultural Access Pass provides complimentary admission to more than 1000 of Canada’s cultural treasures from coast-to-coast-tocoast. The MAG is pleased to be a partner so that Canada’s newest citizens can discover our rich cultural history.

Rod Trentham facilitating Rob Coumont’s Grade 5 Class from St. Patrick’s Community School

The Red Deer Public School Division celebrated 125 years by funding complimentary admission to schools that visited the MAG in 2013.

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ROCK & ROLL REUNION @ @THE RINK - JUNE 28, 2013 Bedford Page Dave Gauthier Guy Stenberg

Lorne Hallet Ted Hiscock

Six Pak Jack Westera Theresa Westera Jordan Westera John Westera Stu Krogman John Barthel Harvey Kelt Real Lamontagne Owen Martin Cliff Wheeler Leo Wheeler – 8hrs Wayne Russell – ‘classic car’ display organizer Danny Teed – M.C. William Stobbart – Video Production Rock & Rock Event Planning Committee. L to R: Richard Hayhoe, Gary Thompson, Harley Hay, Lorne Hallet, Phil Hallet, Valerie Miller

It all started with a donation of rock bank posters. As a teenager, Phil Hallet collected all sorts of concert posters that featured many local bands in the area. Through his efforts, a small but enthusiastic group of musicians met at the MAG every month for over two years to plan this special fund raising event. The result... the biggest live music concert of 2013!

The Rock & Roll Reunion @ the Rink event kicked off Red Deer’s Centennial Homecoming Weekend. Six bands, many with original band members, volunteered their time. Over 1100 people came to listen and dance to music of the 1960s to mid-1970s. The event raised $15,000 for the MAG.

The Drifters Glenn Chidlow Colleen Rudd

Dick Gehrke Kent Cadman

Stephen Pavlick Mariya Soetaert

SAM Harley Hay Ron Mah

Richard Harrow Paul Robinson

Easy Street John Carlyle Mike Hayhoe

Melanie Berndt Drena Burns Angela Carlyle Marian Cloutier Danah Cumming Lois Dobbs Ed Verrier Jennifer Glennie Edie Hiebert Lorna Johnson Trevor & Sherri Karll Jenna & Brian Klippert Carlene LaRue John MacKenzie Valerie Miller Jennifer Poor Candy Ross Amber Stonebridge Lawrence Toepher Rod Trentham Terry Vander Plogg Lee Weselak

Kim & Claude Berube Bill Cargill Richard & Marian Cloutier Janet Cole Josephine deBeaudrap Kristy Dunkle Annette Edmont Phil & Lorie Hallet Bruce Jacobson Curtis Johnson Karli Kendall Stephanie & Peter Lawson Gary L’Hirondelle Jayme Markus Teresa Neuman Karin Richardson Jan Sirrs Ken Stotz Rosie & Dave Townsend Susan Uiterwyk Kim Verrier Brent Wilton

Matt Cocks Richard Hayhoe Richard McCracken

Gaetz Avenue Dance Band Len Thompson Dave Parfett Harley Hay Gary Thompson Al Grondin Mike Gueffroy Dana Crawford

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Our sincere thanks to the fantastic group of staff and community volunteers that helped make the evening FAR OUT!

John Lacey Allan Garber Kevin Olson

34 special events held in 2013 3666 participants

LOOKING FORWARD - 2014 OPERATIONAL PLAN Goal 1: To develop and implement a sustainable strategy for the MAG’s collections which will establish the MAG as a centre of excellence for the history and art of Red Deer and the Central Alberta region.

The strategy will guide future planning for research, collections, programs and the facility requirements.

Develop a multi-year plan to determine the appropriate size and scope for the MAG’s collections, including documentation each artefact in the collection.

Secure funding to support the cost of additional staff to record and document the collection, as well as leasing of interim space, fitting it up and materials for packing.

Research • Develop curatorial expertise in the social and art history of Central Alberta within the broader contexts of Canadian history and art history.

• Identify collections-based research priorities.

• Begin to submit data to the Artifacts Canada website.

Collections Development • Define the aspects of the collection in which we want to be a centre of excellence and establish the research, collecting and de-accessioning plans that will achieve it.

Collections Management • Ensure that each artefact has a digital record in the museum’s collections database.

• Clear the backlog of accessions data entry.

• Undertake a complete collection inventory & assessment.

• Develop the collections database into a searchable tool.

• Develop plans for an interim solution for collections storage that will enable us to meet the requirements of Health and Safety for the employees and emergency requirements, and maintain good stewardship of the collection.

Community Involvement • Work with the City and local community groups to begin a public dialogue about the MAG’s collections and to develop the criteria and milestones for the long term plan for collections.

• Launch a recruitment and training program for volunteers to assist with documentation and data entry for the collection.

Goal 2: Position the MAG as Red Deer’s primary resource for learning about history.

• Encourage general interest and community engagement with our history by using the collections of the MAG and the Red Deer & District Archives for: • Developing a presenting innovative and engaging public programs that appeal to visitors of all ages • Research and the presentation of the research in exhibitions – physical and virtual • Present more collections-based research on our website

• Engaging the community in discussion and learning • Increase access to artefacts in the MAG’s collections through research, exhibit development (physical and virtual), website and social media content.

• Complete the organizational re-structuring that will facilitate the development and implementation of dynamic, responsive and innovative programming.

Goal 3: Ensure financial sustainability.

• Develop a 5-yr business plan which includes strategies for developing a diversified funding base for core programs.

• Continue to develop fund development plans • Continue to pursue opportunities for grants and other sources of operational and project funding.

• Develop a ‘signature’ event for fundraising purposes.

Goal 4: Enhance the visibility and reputation of the MAG locally, provincially and nationally.

• Increase attendance through effective use of conventional media, website and social media.

• Increase the number and type of inquiries and requests from the public.

• Increase the number of presentations by staff at conferences and meetings of local, provincial and national organizations.

• Increase the number of ‘scholarly’ papers written by staff and published in professional journals.

• Develop a well-rounded marketing plan that emphasizes a range of issues related to the MAG’s strategic direction.

Challenges 1. Funding • There is limited funding available for research and development of history-based projects.

• The AFA’s Public Galleries Grant Program is under review.

• In order to complete the digitization and assessment of the collection, estimates are an additional $1M is required over the next five years.

2. Collections Storage • A thorough inventory must be completed in order to obtain insurance quotations and storage space requirements.

• We currently do not have sufficient staff resources to complete the accessions backlog, including photographing and documenting the inventory of the collection.

• We will need to acquire additional space in order to the process, as well as store some of the collection so that we can address the safety considerations in the building.

3. Public Programs • Using Remarkable Red Deer exhibit, programs for various age and interest groups will be developed/tested. It will take time to establish responsive models for program development.

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OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, DONORS AND SPONSORS

What our visitors are saying...

"Our house guests have been enjoying the exhibits for 2 hours now. They range in age from 6 to 72. They have said many complimentary things but I think the length of time we have been here (and they are not finished yet!!) says it all. Thanks!"

4525 - 47A Avenue Red Deer, AB T4N 6Z6 Phone: 403.309.8405 Fax: 403.342.6644

"The photos are amazing! Loved the video interviews especially. Also the variety of art was delicious!"

"The Club CafĂŠ was awesome! We had so much fun! Very interactive and a great way of sharing information on Red Deer Citizens."

Email: museum@reddeer.ca www.reddeermuseum.com fb.com/RedDeerMuseumAndArtGallery @RedDeerMuseum