Submitted by Esther Rzeplinski
From October 22-25 I attended the annual conference of the BC Museums Association in Penticton, BC. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Third Space — Re-imagining our Cultural Landscape.” According to Michael Hickey, “‘Third space’ isn’t home, and isn’t work – it’s more like the living room of society at large.” For three days we discussed how museums are and can be third spaces; this manifested in sessions on exhibits, public programming, and a particularly enjoyable afternoon spent sharing stories and bannock at the En’owkin Centre.
The conference was also an opportunity to share what we have been doing on the Landscapes of Injustice project. On Thursday evening I presented my “Tale from the Trenches”: A Rookie in the Archives: My First Four Months with Landscapes of Injustice. This five-minute talk allowed me to share my experiences as a new graduate student settling into work at the BC Archives, learning more about the dispossession, and spending countless hours reading old government records and newspapers. In addition to a healthy dose of self-deprecation (and the resulting laughter), it also took place in a third space — the historic SS Sicamous sternwheeler!
Overall, the conference was integral to both my professional development and in getting the word out to local museums and museum professionals across the province. If you would like to get in contact with Landscapes of Injustice, please email: landscapesofinjustice@gmail.com
