Museum hosting OAC consultant

The Fort Frances Museum will be hosting Marilyn McIntosh, Northwestern consultant with the Ontario Arts Council, this Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 5-6).
She will be meeting with artists and arts organizations to discuss draft OAC applications and/or questions about grant eligibility, the grant application process, deadlines, support material, how to draft clear, concise grant applications, how grant decisions are made, and how juries are selected.
(Visits with McIntosh are by appointment only, with the deadline to make one being Nov. 27).
While there, feel free to tell museum curator Pam Hawley about any idea you may have for an exhibit.
The Fort Frances Museum has just been granted status to make recommendations to the Ontario Arts Council for exhibition assistance for visual artists, and Hawley will be able to discuss with you the details of that assistance.
The museum also is facilitating the co-ordination of the Community Arts and Heritage Education Project’s (CAHEP) province-wide roll out of their best practices models in arts education.
Established in 2003 in Thunder Bay, CAHEP has worked with schools, organizations, and community groups to develop arts and heritage programming.
With community commitment, CAHEP will provide site visits, assessment, and resources for development of projects in our community.
All interested artists, educators, social service organizations, youth workers, children, youth and seniors groups, and arts and heritage groups are invited to express their interest and find out more at the Fort Frances Museum.
Hawley noted CAHEP’s definition of arts goes beyond visual arts, and includes dance, poetry, and music.
She also said artists can get in touch with her regarding what public art is out there in Fort Frances (whether it be murals or even art within local churches), and what sites could possibly be used for future public art projects.
“As we develop public art spaces, we need to inventory existing art and identify potential sites,” noted Hawley.
“Public art celebrates a community, creates an identity, and promotes creative and diverse expression,” she added. “Assist us in creating the inventory and provide community input.”
For more information, contact the Fort Frances Museum at 274-7891 or e-mail phawley@fort-frances.com
The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.