Future Coalition Summit

The Alberta Museums Association would like to thank all of our delegates, speakers, and partners for making the Future Coalition Summit a success. It was an exhilarating day of spirited conversation, thought-provoking sessions, and new connections. Stay tuned for information about the Future Coalition’s ongoing work and the impact of the Community Engagement Initiative in Alberta’s communities.

Multi-Sector Engagement

By Paul Born, President, Tamarack,  An Institute for Community Engagement

Example:

A small regional museum reached out to their community to develop an exhibit and also a speaker series commemorating the year of the refugee. They engaged local agencies that supported refugees, business leaders who identified as coming to Canada as refugees, as well as politicians and bureaucrats. Most importantly, they engaged recent refugees to their community.

These individuals formed an advisory group of about 25 people. Together, they raised the money for the exhibit and gave input into the exhibit design. Many of them also donated their time and stories to the workshops held during the six month exhibit.

Engagements to Deepen Relationships

By Paul Born, President, Tamarack,  An Institute for Community Engagement

A museum has the ability to attract many visitors each year. Most of these visitors purchase a ticket, enjoy the museum collection, and leave.

What would it look like if we created a more robust approach, becoming more deliberate in deepening our client relationships?

Example:

Lucy shared with me the story of her museum. When the museum developed a loyalty program, everything changed. Not only were members recognized for their involvement, staff started to notice and think differently about those members who were most involved. The loyalty program made all those who were involved more loyal. Firs, members were recognized for the number of years they had been involved. Those that had been members for ten years or more were given a gold card. Members were also given credit for the number of visits they made each year, by simply placing a sticker on their seasons pas each time they came. Lastly the museum has an annual reception for those in the loyalty program, with awards and gifts. Deepening relationships is so often about doing the small things really well.