Annual Gathering & Innovation Lab

Museums, galleries, and cultural heritage spaces play a crucial role in shaping public perception, contributing to resilient communities, fostering dialogue and sparking creativity. The BC Museums Association works to ensure the long-term viability and vibrancy of our sector, and we invite our members to join us in co-creating the future they want to see.

The 2024 BCMA Conference will center sustainability in all its facets; environmental, economic, social and institutional. Attendees will consider climate action and emergency preparedness, but also discuss topics such as financial sustainability, community engagement or contingency planning.  The broad term “sustainability” encompasses many aspects of the work in our sector.

As a response to our community’s desire for more innovative, hands-on, immersive learning experiences, for dedicated time spent with colleagues to form relationships across the province, for actionable outcomes and takeaways, and for the focus on a bright future of our sector, this year’s event will pilot a different format. The conference will feature two parallel tracks: the annual sector gathering and the brand-new innovation lab. 

The gathering track will follow a conference model with a variety of workshops, skill-sharing sessions, knowledge exchanges, many networking opportunities, a healthy dose of local arts and culture, and keynotes. It will be open to about 200 attendees, plus sponsors, funders, and partners from across BC and beyond.

The innovation lab aims to serve as a collaborative space to develop innovative ideas and practices and to redefine the way museums, arts, and cultural institutions approach sustainability. This dynamic workshop model will bring together a diverse group of about 50 arts and culture workers from across the province to engage, connect, play, experiment, create, prototype, and present their solutions for a more sustainable cultural sector.