Galt Museum receives award for social responsibility

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 7, 2022.

The Galt Museum and Archives has been awarded the 2022 Robert R. Janes Award for Social Responsibility for its work towards community, change, and meaningful social duty.

Awarded on Sept. 17 at the Alberta Museums Association annual conference, the awards committee recognized the Galt’s approach to public programming with community partners and also its work towards long lasting relationships with Treaty 7 Nations.

“For the Galt to receive this award is surreal in a lot of ways. It is an award we never applied for, or sought out for the work that we have been doing. This award has been given to us by our peer group from around the province. They have been looking at the work that we have been doing over the last number of years,” said Darrin Martens, CEO and executive director of the Galt. “It is also reaffirming to know that we are on a really good path. It also sets the bar for us to keep doing this work.”

Martens says the award is not for any one individual but everyone at the Galt, congratulating their efforts.

“It is about the work that the team has been doing. This is by far the best team I have ever worked with in my 30-year career. Everybody I work with is dedicated, passionate, and resolute in the work that they are doing,” said Martens. “That public service is the highest form of giving back, and that is what they do everyday.”

The museum has been working hard to curate Indigenous-led initiatives and projects, which were also credited to the award.

“Our new pillars of our new strategic plan that we are working through over the next five years facilitate and elevate Indigenous voices, but also Metis and Inuit. So that they can be heard and recognized,” said Martens. “What is wonderful about the Indigenous work that we are doing is essentially getting out of the way as an institution and working with the community to determine what they want. Allowing community members, elders, and knowledge keepers to reclaim their voice and to speak with an authentic voice.”

Martens says the museum already has plans with what to do with the money they received with the award, saying it will contribute back into the very nature of social responsibility.

“It does come with a $3,000 contribution, and with that money what we will be doing is in the spring of 2023 we will host a workshop around best practices for community engagement,” said Martens. “Building stable and long-lasting relationships. We take social responsibility and weave it through not only corporate responsibility as an organization, but also a community responsibility. Right now, we are in the planning stages, but are looking to have a panel discussion as well as different workshops so the community can get practical ideas.”

Working hard to show its commitment, the Galt will continue this social responsibility to the community, looking to continue and improve.

“It sets the bar even higher for us, which is wonderful because we love a challenge,” said Martens.