BC Museums Association 2017 Advocacy Survey

Share your feedback on advocacy priorities for the museums, gallery and heritage sector

We are looking for feedback from BC Museums Association members and stakeholders about priority areas for advocacy. Please share your thoughts on the areas most important to you. We are interested in hearing from both individuals and organizations. If you are not responding on behalf of an organization, please feel skip any questions that apply to organizations.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts!

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* 1. Members have told us that they want BC Museums Association to advocate on behalf of museums, galleries and heritage organizations, and to reach out to influencers, such as elected officials and policymakers. What are the areas you think BCMA should focus on?

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not important	Not sure
Increasing awareness about value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and culture sector among decision-makers like elected officials	Increasing awareness about value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and culture sector among decision-makers like elected officials Very important	Increasing awareness about value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and culture sector among decision-makers like elected officials Somewhat important	Increasing awareness about value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and culture sector among decision-makers like elected officials Not important	Increasing awareness about value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and culture sector among decision-makers like elected officials Not sure
Building relationships with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials and policymakers	Building relationships with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials and policymakers Very important	Building relationships with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials and policymakers Somewhat important	Building relationships with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials and policymakers Not important	Building relationships with municipal, provincial and federal elected officials and policymakers Not sure
Lobbying governments to increase funding to museums, galleries and heritage institutions	Lobbying governments to increase funding to museums, galleries and heritage institutions Very important	Lobbying governments to increase funding to museums, galleries and heritage institutions Somewhat important	Lobbying governments to increase funding to museums, galleries and heritage institutions Not important	Lobbying governments to increase funding to museums, galleries and heritage institutions Not sure
Working with governments on policy and legislative changes to help strengthen the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector	Working with governments on policy and legislative changes to help strengthen the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector Very important	Working with governments on policy and legislative changes to help strengthen the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector Somewhat important	Working with governments on policy and legislative changes to help strengthen the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector Not important	Working with governments on policy and legislative changes to help strengthen the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector Not sure
Working with governments and stakeholders to increase training and professional development opportunities for the sector	Working with governments and stakeholders to increase training and professional development opportunities for the sector Very important	Working with governments and stakeholders to increase training and professional development opportunities for the sector Somewhat important	Working with governments and stakeholders to increase training and professional development opportunities for the sector Not important	Working with governments and stakeholders to increase training and professional development opportunities for the sector Not sure
Building coalitions with other organizations (e.g. BCMA members, arts, culture and heritage stakeholders) to advocate on shared issues.	Building coalitions with other organizations (e.g. BCMA members, arts, culture and heritage stakeholders) to advocate on shared issues. Very important	Building coalitions with other organizations (e.g. BCMA members, arts, culture and heritage stakeholders) to advocate on shared issues. Somewhat important	Building coalitions with other organizations (e.g. BCMA members, arts, culture and heritage stakeholders) to advocate on shared issues. Not important	Building coalitions with other organizations (e.g. BCMA members, arts, culture and heritage stakeholders) to advocate on shared issues. Not sure
Generate awareness and support for our sector among members of the general public	Generate awareness and support for our sector among members of the general public Very important	Generate awareness and support for our sector among members of the general public Somewhat important	Generate awareness and support for our sector among members of the general public Not important	Generate awareness and support for our sector among members of the general public Not sure
Providing training and resources to help the museums community engage in advocacy activities on a local level	Providing training and resources to help the museums community engage in advocacy activities on a local level Very important	Providing training and resources to help the museums community engage in advocacy activities on a local level Somewhat important	Providing training and resources to help the museums community engage in advocacy activities on a local level Not important	Providing training and resources to help the museums community engage in advocacy activities on a local level Not sure

Are there any other advocacy activities not mentioned above that you think BCMA should pursue? Please share your thoughts and ideas below.

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* 2. What are the top issues and challenges facing museums, galleries and heritage organizations?

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not important	Not sure
Funding for core operations and programming	Funding for core operations and programming Very important	Funding for core operations and programming Somewhat important	Funding for core operations and programming Not important	Funding for core operations and programming Not sure
Funding for capital projects and/or facility improvements	Funding for capital projects and/or facility improvements Very important	Funding for capital projects and/or facility improvements Somewhat important	Funding for capital projects and/or facility improvements Not important	Funding for capital projects and/or facility improvements Not sure
Lack of human resources (staff, volunteers, etc)	Lack of human resources (staff, volunteers, etc) Very important	Lack of human resources (staff, volunteers, etc) Somewhat important	Lack of human resources (staff, volunteers, etc) Not important	Lack of human resources (staff, volunteers, etc) Not sure
Lack of training / professional development opportunities	Lack of training / professional development opportunities Very important	Lack of training / professional development opportunities Somewhat important	Lack of training / professional development opportunities Not important	Lack of training / professional development opportunities Not sure
Collections management	Collections management Very important	Collections management Somewhat important	Collections management Not important	Collections management Not sure
Reaching new audiences, growing attendance and membership	Reaching new audiences, growing attendance and membership Very important	Reaching new audiences, growing attendance and membership Somewhat important	Reaching new audiences, growing attendance and membership Not important	Reaching new audiences, growing attendance and membership Not sure
Lack of value / awareness about the benefits museums, galleries and heritage institutions bring to communities	Lack of value / awareness about the benefits museums, galleries and heritage institutions bring to communities Very important	Lack of value / awareness about the benefits museums, galleries and heritage institutions bring to communities Somewhat important	Lack of value / awareness about the benefits museums, galleries and heritage institutions bring to communities Not important	Lack of value / awareness about the benefits museums, galleries and heritage institutions bring to communities Not sure

Please share any additional issues/challenges not included above and feel free to provide additional details on specific challenges facing your organization.

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* 3. Do you or does your organization engage in any advocacy activities (e.g. lobbying for increased funding or funding for specific projects, lobbying for policy changes, raising awareness about the value of arts and culture)?

Yes

Not sure

If you answered yes above, please provide details on your current or past advocacy activities.

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* 4. Do you or does your organization have existing relationships with municipal, provincial or federal elected officials?

Municipal (e.g. Mayor, Council members)

Provincial (MLAs)

Federal (Members of Parliament)

Not sure

Please share details such as the nature of the relationship(s) or the names of elected officials if you feel comfortable doing so. This information will be treated confidentially by the BC Museums Association.

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* 5. Does your organization currently receive government funding?

Municipal funding (e.g. grants from your municipality and/or regional district)

Provincial funding (e.g. BC Arts Council grants, Community Gaming Grants, Jobs Creation Partnership funding)

Federal funding (e.g. Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Young Canada Works)

We do not receive any government funding

Not sure

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How would you describe the benefits and positive impacts of museums, galleries and heritage organizations make in our communities? Why is it important for taxpayers and governments to invest in the sector?

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* 7. The next set of questions is about your organization and will help us compile statistics on the economic and community impacts of museums, galleries and heritage organizations.

How many paid employees does your organization have?

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* 8. How many volunteers do you have?

Please feel free to share additional details about your organization's volunteers.

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* 9. What is your annual attendance (total number of visitors each year)?

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* 10. Do you offer education or outreach programs for audiences such as children and youth, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, culturally diverse communities, low-income populations or other groups? If so, please provide details in the comment box below.

Yes

Not sure

Please share details on your programs

Question Title

* 1. Members have told us that they want BC Museums Association to advocate on behalf of museums, galleries and heritage organizations, and to reach out to influencers, such as elected officials and policymakers. What are the areas you think BCMA should focus on?

Question Title

* 2. What are the top issues and challenges facing museums, galleries and heritage organizations?

Question Title

* 3. Do you or does your organization engage in any advocacy activities (e.g. lobbying for increased funding or funding for specific projects, lobbying for policy changes, raising awareness about the value of arts and culture)?

Question Title

* 4. Do you or does your organization have existing relationships with municipal, provincial or federal elected officials?

Question Title

* 5. Does your organization currently receive government funding?

Question Title

* 6. How would you describe the benefits and positive impacts of museums, galleries and heritage organizations make in our communities? Why is it important for taxpayers and governments to invest in the sector?

Question Title

* 7. The next set of questions is about your organization and will help us compile statistics on the economic and community impacts of museums, galleries and heritage organizations. How many paid employees does your organization have?

Question Title

* 8. How many volunteers do you have?

Question Title

* 9. What is your annual attendance (total number of visitors each year)?

Question Title

* 10. Do you offer education or outreach programs for audiences such as children and youth, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, culturally diverse communities, low-income populations or other groups? If so, please provide details in the comment box below.

* 7. The next set of questions is about your organization and will help us compile statistics on the economic and community impacts of museums, galleries and heritage organizations.

How many paid employees does your organization have?