NEWS
International Achievement Award Nominations 2026 Now Open!
We are pleased to announce that nominations for the ICOM Canada International Achievement Award are now open until March 20, 2026. We look forward to honoring a distinguished member from our Canadian ICOM community for their persistent and successful globally-engaged career. This award honours a Canadian museum professional who has demonstrated and promoted excellence in Canadian museology on an international scale. This award recognizes the outstanding contribution of knowledge and expertise towards the advancement and support of museology worldwide. If you would like to nominate someone, please go ahead and fill out the nomination form here. Make sure to upload your nomination statement and nominee curriculum vitae. Nomination Statement Criteria below: Played a significant role in putting Canadian museums on the world stage. Developed and supported international cooperation, collaboration and partnerships. Contributed to the expansion of links between Canadian and international museums. Fostered and promoted Canadian museology internationally. Both Nomination [...]
CAMOC Review: Unsettling the City: Decolonial Approaches to Urban Memory and Museums FALL-WINTER 2025
CAMOC Review, the magazine for museums of cities The CAMOC Museums of Cities Review (CAMOC Review) is a space to advance knowledge in our field and to allow contributors to share their experience in depth. Unsettling the City: Decolonial Approaches to Urban Memory and Museums FALL-WINTER 2025 CAMOC MUSEUMS OF CITIES REVIEW decolonising museums of cities + the potential and the reality + challenges and lessons learned + re-thinking colonial buildings and monuments + legacies for Indigenous and enslaved people + disability justice + control of historical narratives In this edition, board member, Christine Conciatori has an interesting article focused on Exhibition Reviews: Costume Balls: Dressing Up History, 1870-1927. A temporary exhibition at the McCord Steward Museum (Montreal, Canada): An Approach to Decolonisation through a Historical Collection The McCord Stewart Museum defines itself as Montreal’s social history museum. As a teaching and research museum, the McCord Stewart has a rich collection of over [...]
Global Engagement Series – Register Now
ICOM Canada invites museum professionals, academics, students, and cultural practitioners to participate in a new five-part webinar series, Shaping Museums for a Connected World, taking place weekly from January to February 2026. Open to both ICOM members and non-members, this online training series explores how museums of all sizes and types can build meaningful international connections, navigate global challenges, and strengthen their capacity for impactful cross-border work. Across five themed sessions, expert speakers and panellists from across Canada and beyond will examine the global dimensions of museum practice—from ethical collection stewardship and international exhibitions to professional development, networks, and sector-wide challenges such as Indigeneity, migration, and climate change. Each 60-minute webinar invites dialogue and reflection, offering practical tools and insights that participants can apply to their own institutional and professional contexts. Designed to foster learning, collaboration, and sector-wide capacity building, this series supports museum workers in developing the skills and [...]
Catherine C. Cole Elected to Executive Board of International Council of Museums (ICOM)
The International Council of Museums (ICOM), the world’s largest global association of museum professionals, has elected Catherine C. Cole, FCMA, to its Executive Board during the recent ICOM General Conference held in Dubai, November 11–16, 2025. This prestigious position places Canada at the forefront of international museology and cultural diplomacy. ICOM represents 64,410 members across 139 countries, including about 1,000 Canadian members, and operates through 120 National Committees, including ICOM Canada. The organization sets professional ethics and standards, advocates for cultural heritage, promotes capacity building, and advances knowledge through global networks and cooperation programs. Catherine’s election provides a unique opportunity to amplify Canadian expertise and leadership on the international stage. Museum Diplomacy in Action Museums play a vital role in cultural diplomacy by building bridges across cultures through shared heritage and dialogue. By engaging in international partnerships, supporting inclusive narratives, and promoting ethical stewardship of collections, Canada contributes to a global exchange [...]
Winner of ICOM Canada travel bursary to Dubai recipient – Ms. Fadila Mehdi
Winner of ICOM Canada travel bursary to Dubai recipient As the ICOM General Conference will be held in Dubai in November this year, ICOM Canada is pleased to award a travel bursary to an emerging museum professional for participation in the conference. We are pleased to announce the bursary recipient, Ms. Fadila Mehdi. Ms. Mehdi embodies passion and commitment within the museum community. Currently a Master's student in Museology at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), she combines her studies with a key role as Coordinator of Educational, Civic, and Cultural Action at the McCord Stewart Museum in Montreal. With a solid background in business administration and the management of social and collective enterprises, Ms. Mehdi distinguishes herself through a versatile profile and an innovative vision. Her rigorous academic journey, enriched by professional experience and international exposure, makes her a natural ambassador for the values cherished by ICOM Canada.
Welcome New Board Member: Brian Groves
Welcome Brian! Brian brings over two decades of experience in the museum and heritage sector. Currently serving as Senior Manager, Heritage with the Yukon government’s Department of Tourism and Culture, he oversees key programs in archaeology, palaeontology, geographical place names, and funding for 19 Yukon First Nation cultural centres and museums. His career has included leadership of the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre and support for broader heritage initiatives across the territory. He is particularly interested in representing northern museums and First Nation cultural centres on the ICOM Canada Board and contributing to national and international efforts to protect, preserve, and interpret shared heritage. In addition to his professional work, Brian serves on the board of the Canadian Canoe Museum, where he chairs the collections committee, and has recently contributed to the ICOM Canada Awards Committee. Brian holds a degree in anthropology with a minor in political studies from Trent University [...]