It was another undeniably busy year for the City of Humboldt’s Cultural Services Department. The Department operates the downtown museum and gallery, and it supports numerous programs throughout the city like the Arts Council concert series, public art, displays on historical walks and much more.
Board of Directors Chair Carol McLaren outlined the many activities of the staff and volunteers through 2024. Among the displays appearing was Surface All the Way Through, a travelling exhibit by Alberta artist Arianna Richardson, featuring reused or upcycled items.
In conjunction with the Humboldt and District Sports Hall of Fame, the Museum hosted Home Grown, a celebration with memorabilia from four outstanding contributors to the athletic world – Olympians Lyndon Rush and Brianne Theisen-Eaton, coach and athlete Michael Suchan, wrestling supporters Jocelyn Moe and Ryan Schedlosky. Each shared stories of their love of sport and recollected some of the inspirations and mentors, many local, who brought them to their level of success.
Humboldt on Ice looked at Humboldt’s strong affiliation with ice sports in the area with a focus on featured clubs and outstanding participants.
The collections committee saw to the continued growth and curation of the artifacts in the museum. McLaren reported that approximately 275 items were approved by the committee for addition, bringing the entire collection to a stunning 25,650 items.
When it came to community engagement, the Museum and Gallery were both at the forefront of activities throughout the year. Rag wreath making, foraging for herbal teas, and friendship bracelet crafts were just a few of the demonstration opportunities. Summer youth programs proved popular once again, and the first ever Trivia Night drew a full slate of teams. The second annual Trivia Night is coming up at the Museum this Friday.
Of course, the many exhibits at both the Gallery and Museum took centre stage. Highlights included Tepakohp/7 which featured the artwork of seven indigenous women. They Didn’t Know They Were Seeds brought Carol Wylie’s vision of the Holocaust in WWII and the survivors of residential schools into juxtaposition. The Meacham Elevator by Bonnie Gilmour and Charley Farrero had patrons talking about bygone days when elevators, often called prairie sentinels, dotted the landscape.
Local artists were also featured in displays such as Inspired by the Land and the annual members art show. Local writers' nights featured both adult writers and youth scribes sharing their latest works. As a bonus, the concert series returned with outstanding performances by the likes of The Wardens, who are travelling through the prairies on an OSAC sponsored tour.
“We are extremely proud of all that was accomplished over the year 2024 by the Director of Cultural Services and her talented staff,” Carol McLaren submitted. “The photos chosen for the report demonstrate the many ways the community has been engaged in workshops, training, exhibits and creative activities through arts, culture and heritage programs offered by the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery.”
You can take a look at all the wonderful photos in the complete report available at humboldt.ca.