As the cultural and heritage industry struggles to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada is continuing its efforts to support organizations that have been significantly impacted and still face challenges and financial pressures.

That is why Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, on behalf of the Honourable  Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage is announcing funding to support the  Guelph Civic Museum and Art Gallery of Guelph as part of the COVID-19 Emergency  Support Fund for Heritage, Culture and Sport.  

“Guelph’s cultural stories help us to put today’s struggles into perspective. Knowing the challenges people before us have faced and overcome provides us with hope and inspiration. This is especially true with Guelph’s Black Heritage, as a terminus of the Underground Railway that gave people a pathway to freedom, but also highlighted a struggle against racism that exists to this day. Telling these stories can be part of our common goal for freedom and equity for all people, especially for those that face daily challenges.” - Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph  

Canadians understand the contribution of these sectors to their quality of life during this period of quarantine and self-isolation. They have turned cultural outlets like books, newspapers and magazines, film and television productions, digital media, recorded music, and diverse kinds of virtual access to the visual and performing arts, history and heritage, and the world of sport.

The Guelph Civic Museum and Art Gallery of Guelph have each received support in the amount of $100,000 through the Museum Assistance Program (MAP) COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund.

These funds have enabled the Art Gallery of Guelph to address a number of key areas  including heightened support for artists who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or Persons  of Colour (BIPOC) through new acquisitions, production of innovative educational and  artistic programs, and modification of the gallery’s space to support new health and safety  procedures and cleaning protocols.  

“We are grateful to the Government of Canada and Canadian Heritage for their recognition that exceptional times require exceptional measures. This funding is vital, allowing the gallery to support both artists and audiences in these unprecedented circumstances.”  -  Shauna McCabe, Director of the Art Gallery of Guelph  

The Guelph Museum will utilize the additional support to assemble COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter collections, develop online programming, and reopen and modify the museum experiences with enhanced cleaning and COVID-19 health and safety protocols.  

“We are grateful to the Department of Canadian Heritage for this funding, which will allow us to continue important community-based work to preserve and protect Guelph heritage at such a critical time.”  - Tammy Adkin, manager of Guelph Museums for the City of Guelph 

Much of the arts, culture, heritage and sports sectors have made significant investments in  events, projects and activities that are not taking place this year, leaving them unable to  recoup much of their annual revenues, and the Emergency Support fund is here to help.
 
“The fight against COVID-19 and the fight against systemic racism both require a collective, strong and coordinated response. The Guelph Civic Museum and the Art Gallery of Guelph are proof that art and culture can be part of that effort too. The support announced today will help them pursue their important work and maintain a space where people can share, reflect and grow. I join my colleague Lloyd Longfield in congratulating them for their continuous work towards a better Guelph and a better Canada.”  - Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Canadian Heritage 

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About Museums Assistance Program (MAP) - COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Heritage Organizations 

The Museums Assistance Program (MAP) - COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for  Heritage  Organizations provides financial assistance to organizations in order to allow  them to continue to care  for their heritage collections under these exceptional  circumstances so that they remain accessible to Canadians.
 
About Guelph Civic Museum

The Guelph Civic Museum showcases Guelph’s history through permanent and changing exhibits, a fun and interactive families gallery, and special events and activities. Located in the recently renovated Loretto Convent, atop the hill at Norfolk Street and beside the landmark Church of Our Lady, the museum is home to a collection of over 30,000 artifacts that bring Guelph’s past to life.

About Art Gallery of Guelph

The Art Gallery of Guelph (AGG) is one of Canada’s premier public art spaces, engaging audiences with innovative artists and ideas from around the world. Through a rigorous and collaborative artistic program that positions visual culture in an ever-changing cultural landscape, the gallery supports social exchange and shapes public discourse.