It’s Now or Never!
The Cortes Island Museum & Archives is launching a collecting initiative, Now or Never, to gather materials relating to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has changed our lives, disrupted our daily routines and sparked unexpected shifts in community life. To document this time of change we are inviting the Cortes community to submit stories, drawings, poems, journal entries, blog and social media posts, letters, music, photos, videos, or whatever else has supported, challenged or inspired you. Now or Never reflects the evolving nature of museums from repositories of history to spaces for reflection – and commentary – about current social and environmental changes.
Sometimes we believe our stories are “not important” or “too boring.” IT IS NOT TRUE! What we do need is your honesty about what it is like to try to work from home while homeschooling your six-year-old; be a teenager isolated from friends; feel the anxiety you may have around going to the grocery store or the hopefulness when you see stories of encouragement on social media. What you are doing in your garden this year? What new projects or forgotten hobbies have you restarted? How would you express the emotional challenges or innovative solutions around physical distancing? All this may be fascinating and helpful information in the future.
Each submission will go through the same process as all donations to the museum collection. Please include information about a photograph (or other imagery) you are donating – what is going on, who is in the photo, and how the photo relates to the COVID-19 pandemic experience. Digital content can be submitted by email to cimas@twincomm.ca at any time using Now or Never as the email subject. Original copies of photographs, written accounts and artwork can also be submitted. Email or call the museum at 250-935-6340 to arrange an appointment.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
