BARBARA A. TYLER AWARD IN MUSEUM LEADERSHIP

This award recognizes the exceptional contribution of the late Barbara A. Tyler to the Canadian museum community. Created at her request, supported by her personal generosity and supplemented by generous donations from many friends and admirers, this bi-annual award will celebrate--- in her own words--- “the best leadership in museum management in Canada”.

BARBARA TYLER

Barbara Tyler spent over 30 years in areas of growing responsibility within the museum community, starting with the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art in Fort Worth, Texas in 1961. She moved to Canada in 1969 and worked in senior positions at National Historic Sites, the National Museum of Man (now the Canadian Museum of Civilization), the National Museums Corporation, the Glenbow Museum, and in 1986 became the Director of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg.

Barbara Tyler inspired a generation of museum professionals with her expertise, vision, warmth, leadership and strong will. She was an active supporter of the Canadian Museums Association and served as President from 1987-89. During her term she strengthened the CMA’s advocacy role at an earlier challenging time, contributed to the restructuring of the national museums, lobbied for an updated national museums policy, inspired strong governance in museums, fought censorship legislation, and took strong positions on copyright issues, and on many other issues central to the effective practice of our profession and to the effective service and benefit of our museums to society.
In 1996 she was appointed a Fellow of the CMA. She also taught an annual course on museum management at the Banff Centre, and served as an advisor to many museums and young professionals across Canada.  Barbara Tyler passed away in March 2007, following an all-too-short period of retirement.

Eligibility

The Award is open to all museum directors or senior managers, salaried or volunteer, in a CMA member institution in good standing.

Recognition

The winner will receive a certificate and a $1000 gift to help further support the recipient’s leadership activities or to be presented to a protégé chosen by the Award winner, as a contribution to their training--to the skills and knowledge transmission essential to building leadership capacity.

Criteria

The Barbara Tyler Award will recognize an individual who has demonstrated leadership in taking his or her museum to a new level of contribution to Canadian society.  The specific criteria capture the many different ways there are to demonstrate leadership as a manager:

• Positive impact upon the well being of the institution through development and adoption of a sustainable business model which has been proven to be effective;
• Encouragement of creative innovation in the context of achieving positive operating outcomes;
• Demonstration of powerful community engagement that has advanced the institution and its interests;
  Enhancement of the institution’s pursuit of the highest ethical standards;
  Capital projects will be considered from the perspective of transformational change, taking a museum to new level of contribution to Canadian society;
  Other appropriate leadership criteria such as vision, dedication, integrity etc…

Nomination Instructions and Process

• Self nominations are not accepted.
• Nominations must be made by a third party with individual or institutional membership in the CMA
• The Award is open to all museum directors and senior managers, salaried and volunteer, at museums in Canada which are CMA members in good standing.
• Members of the jury are not eligible, nor are their institutions.
• Fill out Application form.
• An Advisory Committee has been established to assist by seeking out proposals.

Adjudication and Administration

• Adjudication is carried out by the Advisory Committee.
• All materials submitted will become the property of the CMA and will be held in confidence by the Association.
• All applications will be processed and researched by CMA staff to identify accuracy, and secure outside validation of the achievement. 
• The Award will be presented at the CMA National Conference at a suitable time, ideally with the other CMA Awards.  Emphasis will be placed on publicizing the award in the media.
  

 Complete Canadian Museums Association Awards Package

Nomination Form for the Barbara A. Tyler Award for Museum Leadership;

Mail your application to:

CMA Awards of Outstanding Achievement
Canadian Museums Association
280 Metcalfe Street, Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1R7

Questions? Contact

awards@museums.ca
613-567-0099

Deadline

November 15 (every two years starting with 2009)