The Friends of the B.C. Archives lecture for September 2007 will see History Professor William Morrison of the University of Northern BC talk about "The Sinking of the Princess Sophia."

His talk will take place on Sunday, September 16th, 2007, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. in the Newcombe Conference Hall, Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria

For more information about this event contact Ann ten Cate, Outreach Coordinator, BC Archives, 250-387-2970. This event is free for members of the Friends of the Archives, $5.00, payable at the door, for non-members. Call in advance for information about handicap access.

The Victoria Historical Society meeting on Thursday, September 27, 2007 will feature speak Tim Willis, the new director of exhibits at the Royal BC Museum, who will speak on "Museums in the 21st century." He will talk about new museums around the world, and the emergence of a new sense of what is needed to stay relevant.

The meeting is at the James Bay New Horizons Centre, 234 Menzies Street at 7:30 pm. Visitors are welcome.

For further information, contact:

Anne Moon
Victoria Historical Society
Phone: 480-1061

The British Columbia History Digitization Program, sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia, will be accepting applications for the 2007-2008 period. Application forms will be available in September 2007 and the deadline for funding is December 14, 2007.

Announcing the Fraser River War Symposium: The Fraser River War: Conflict, Compromise and Consequences

Where: Lytton, B.C.

When: September 21-23, 2007

What: The first major academic symposium on the Fraser River War of August, 1858, a critical but largely unexplored event in BC and Canadian history.

Why: A significant step in the aboriginal reconciliation process and the first major effort to shine light on this important part of BC history.

Who: Co-hosted by the Lytton First Nation and the New Pathways To Gold Society and its Universities Caucus (Chaired by Dr. Dan Marshall).

The New Pathways to Gold Society, formed in 2007, is a grassroots community-based vehicle dedicated to realize sustaining community legacies from the BC2008 sesqui-centenary activities, in terms of economic development, investment in heritage, and continued reconciliation with First Nations.

Presenters: Dr. R. Cole Harris (Professor Emeritus, Geography Department, University of B.C. )
Marianne Ignace (Simon Fraser University)
Dr. Keith Carlson (University of Saskatchewan)
Sonny McAlsie (Sto:lo First Nation)
Dr. Doug Harris (University of B.C. Law Faculty)
Ken Favrholdt (Thompson Rivers University)
Rick Blacklaws (Langara College)
Dr. Daniel Marshall (University of Victoria)

Please register by September 19, 2007

For registration help

Contact Peggy Chute, Lytton Chamber of Commerce, lyttoncc@telus.net

Or:

Don Hauka, Communications/Creative Director, NPTGS, ddclauka@shaw.ca.

VICTORIA, May 17, 2007 - A $350,000 grants program will be available to local museums and heritage organizations planning special exhibits and events commemorating BC2008, announced Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen today at historic Helmcken House in Victoria.

"Every corner of the province has a unique story to tell. Every community has helped make B.C. the great province it is today," said Hagen. "This funding will help local arts and heritage organizations create exhibits and events that highlight their history, people and achievements as we come together as a province to celebrate BC2008."

The BC2008 local heritage and museums program will be administered by the British Columbia Museums Association. Projects must align with the Province's five pillars for BC2008: heritage, communities, Aboriginals, multiculturalism, and arts and culture. Grants may match up to 50 per cent of project costs, to a maximum of $10,000.

"This program will enable B.C.'s museums, art galleries, historic sites and heritage institutions to play a central role in honouring their community's rich heritage and showcasing its unique sense of place as a major part of BC2008 celebrations." said British Columbia Museums Association executive director Jim Harding. "The BC Museums Association is honoured and grateful for the opportunity to deliver this special program."

BC2008 is a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia in 1858. Every community in B.C. is invited to participate in this year-long celebration of B.C.'s cultural diversity, community strength and widespread achievement.

B.C.'s 535 museums, art galleries and heritage institutions employ more than 2,600 staff and 8,000 volunteers, attracting more than seven million visitors every year. The provincial government invests more than $4 million annually in grants to museums across the province. In addition, government provides more than $12 million in annual funding to the Royal B.C. Museum.

The British Columbia Museums Association, celebrating its 50th Anniversary, provides a unified voice for the B.C. museum and gallery community and serves "to foster the preservation, interpretation and appreciation of, and access to, all aspects of British Columbia's heritage."

The BC2008 local heritage and museums program first intake applications are due July 15, 2007. For information on application criteria and to download an application, please visit www.museumsassn.bc.ca. For more information on this and other BC2008 events and programs, please visit www.bc2008.gov.bc.ca.

Media contact:
Don McDonald
Communications Director
Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts
250 356-9869