Curator (from Latin cura, care), means manager, overseer.
Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution (e.g., gallery, museum or archive) is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections. The object of a traditional curator's concern necessarily involves tangible objects of some sort, whether it be artwork, collectibles, historic items or scientific collections. More recently, new kinds of curators are emerging: curators of digital data objects.
Thanks to funding fromDecoda Literacy Solutions and the support of the Bowen Literacy Task Group, theBICS Youth Curator program is running again this year to promote connections between youth and local history through this community outreach initiative program. The program is facilitated by Sarah Haxby, Community School Coordinator, in partnership with the Bowen Island Museum's curator, archivist and board members.
The program, now in its fifth year at BICS, gives youth the experience of visiting the museum and archives and learning how to be curators of their own exhibition. Youth Curators select a topic that interests them that is inspired by the BC Heritage Week's theme. This year's theme, Heritage Afloat!, is a very inspiring topic for the youth curators who are researching the history of our ferries, how they get named, canoes, and how many people have swum from Bowen Island to the mainland as well as stories about their grandparents and relatives' experiences on the water. Youth curators create an exhibit based on their research which celebrates BC Heritage Week by looking through their own community's lens to explore, research and share Bowen Island history.
New to the program this year is the use ofiPads to create a more dynamic, contemporary display, as well as infusing elements of The Critical Thinking Consortium's Critical Thinking skills into the Youth Curator Program to create a dynamic and inspiring program that engages youth in looking at historic photos, looking for evidence and facts, and learning how to assess and share information.
The curators have a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes in the museum and are getting ready to create their displays which feature the true stories that bring local history to life. This hands-on, interactive curator program is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Bowen Island Museum and Archives, as well as the museum's curator and archivist, Georgina Farah and Cathy Bayly.
During Heritage Week drop by theBICS upper foyer to see some of what the Youth Curators have learned, and experience the stories and history that they are excited to share with you! TheBICS youth curator exhibit will be displayed in theBICS glass display case Feb. 19-March 15, just in time to celebrate BC Heritage Week!
