More than 80 per cent of the museum's staff, 83 of the organization's 100 employees, were temporarily laid off in March because more than half of its operating budget comes from admissions. “It’s such a strange experience that we’re all going through at the same time and yet it’s having different impacts on different people. We're launching a collecting initiative. © 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Glenbow Museum creates virtual session to enjoy at home during facility closure due to COVID-19. The Glenbow Museum, still crippled by damage from COVID-19, announced the permanent layoff of 27 staff. “We are navigating a significant challenge,” said Bell. ... ’ Calgary photographer capturing family moments during COVID-19. 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Glenbow Museum asks for letters documenting Calgarians’ experiences amid COVID-19 pandemic. "Glenbow is undertaking a major restructuring to facilitate how the museum will operate going forward," Bell said in the Thursday release. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. In April they offered a voluntary retirement package and in May a voluntary resignation package. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with the health and safety of our guests as our main priority, all in-house, outreach and Museokit bookings for the 2020-2021 school year are currently on hold and we are shifting to deliver all of our school programming virtually. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. The laid-off staff will get severance packages based on how long they worked there. Permanently laid-off staff will receive severance packages based on tenure. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. It was conditional on additional fundraising and fund matching from other sources. It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. "It is disheartening," CEO Nicholas Bell said. "Many of these colleagues are long-term employees at Glenbow, and the loss of their skills and institutional knowledge is a tremendous blow.". Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. A previous version of this story did not make clear the $40 million in provincial funding has not yet been received, it remains a pledge at this time. Written letters are encouraged by the museum, but digital submissions, including emails and social media messages will also be accepted. “We’re hoping that people will just tell us anything that they want about life right now,” communications director with the museum, Jenny Conway Fisher, said in an interview with 770 CHQR. “Many of these colleagues are long-term employees at Glenbow, and the loss of their skills and institutional knowledge is a tremendous blow.”. “We’re definitely hoping people will write us physical letters because that opening of a letter is really incredible and special,” Fisher said. We really want this project to be an active living project,” Fisher said. Plans to revitalize Glenbow’s building also remains on track. Alberta museum looks to document COVID-19 pandemic for future generations. Learn how your comment data is processed. Comments are welcome while open. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. The museum is closed to the public, but they do have plans to re-open this summer. This exhibition of 55 photographs, taken by local photographer Neil Zeller during the pandemic lockdown, is a selection from the more than 650 families he photographed. Glenbow is undertaking a major restructuring to facilitate how the museum will operate going forward.”, Wide load: Sidewalk space to grow as Main Streets project hits Bowness Road, Calgary multi-use parkade, Platform innovation centre closes up top; on target for spring 2021 opening. On Wednesday, the museum put the call out to the public, asking for letters, postcards, stories and photographs to document the historic time period through their “Dear Glenbow” initiative. The Glenbow Museum is permanently laying off 27 staff members due to financial hardships created by the coronavirus pandemic, it announced Thursday afternoon. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Please read our Commenting Policy first. "It is disheartening," CEO Nicholas Bell said. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday.