COLLECTIONS Over 700 items were moved between May and December to Studio Bell and NMC’s offsite storage facility. NMC did not incur any artifact loss or damage during this massive move!
The BIG Move The first part of 2016 focused on the details around the move of the National Music Centre’s Collections into the new exhibition spaces at Studio Bell. Dimensions for the new instrument corrals were marked in tape at our old building (Customs House) to show floor layout and large foam core cutouts of artifacts were made to practice the navigation of tight corners and stairwells. For the collections team, the push to meet a July 1 public opening created a compressed move-in schedule. Through planning, research and
teamwork, they completed a 45-day move-in for public display items. Rehousing was an important aspect of the move. Rehousing is the practice of crating artifacts securely, both for transport and storage. The collections team and volunteers took rehousing training to prepare for the packing process. To prepare artifacts for their new home inside Studio Bell or for long-term storage in NMC’s offsite facility, the collections department completed specific mount training for public display and long-term storage.
Capturing Stories Capturing and preserving oral histories are a critical stream of the collections work, and something that will only grow in the future. These recordings are viewed as artifacts and in 2016, NMC captured 41 oral histories and 30 performances, which include traditional Métis and Francophone songs. Some of the 2016 Oral Histories include, Tom Cochrane, Bob Ezrin (above), Natalie MacMaster, Garth Richardson, Bob Rock, Tegan and Sara, and many more! ATB Storytellers Oral Histories Project, funded by ATP Financial, largely supports NMC’s oral histories stream and this program was in full swing in 2016. With this support, NMC gathered critical oral histories from Albertan music pioneers, influencers and superstars alike.
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National Music Centre | Annual Report 2016