annual report 2024 single-page : simplebooklet.com

4 From the Chair of the Board This past year has been one of exciting transitions and progress for the Museum. The arrival of new directors, shortly before our last AGM, and my assumption of the Chair role marked a new chapter in the Board’s leadership, bringing a renewed focus to our governance and strategic oversight. Among our most signiﬁcant achievements was the successful negotiation of a Service Agreement with the City of Nelson. This agreement marks a milestone in the Museum’s development, providing stable and predictable funding that will support our ongoing operations and reaﬃrm our role as a key cultural institution within the community. Looking ahead, the Board is turning its focus to the future. In the coming year, we’ll be reviewing and refreshing the Museum’s long-term goals through the development of a new three-year strategic plan. This plan will guide our work across four key priorities: Sustainability and Consistency, Social Justice, Organizational Resilience, and Museum Redevelopment. These focus areas will inform our decision-making and ensure that the Museum remains responsive, inclusive, and resilient in the face of evolving community needs and global challenges. On the fundraising front, the Fundraising and Development Committee will be renewing its eﬀorts to strengthen the Museum’s Endowment Fund, held with the Osprey Community Foundation. Growth of this fund is essential to securing a sustainable future, as it generates a reliable source of annual income that supports our core activities. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to our Executive Director, Jennifer Dunkerson, for her exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment. I also extend my thanks to our dedicated staﬀ, whose professionalism and passion sustain the daily operations of the Museum, and to our many volunteers, whose generosity of time and spirit continues to be indispensable to our success. With gratitude, Peter Beug Chair of the Board

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Irish folklorist, Senan Lillis, said recently, “While the historian can give you the facts, our culture and heritage give you the feelings, allowing us not just to image how the past was, but what it felt like from the inside.” These words express for me the nature of what we accomplished in 2024 in this space—art and history felt from the inside. The year was a combination of exhibits, presentations, and programmes that evoked a number of diﬀerent feelings and expressions in an eﬀort to educate, inspire, and motivate understanding in our community’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusivity. From recognizing local cultural inﬂuences through the impact of the cannabis industry and communal societies, to the permanent installation of a Pride exhibit, to the privilege of hosting the travelling installation of the Witness Blanket, our museum continued to do our best to oﬀer a space for people, from all walks of life, to ﬁnd a source of true expression in their life. We continued to work with our Indigenous communities, the Sinixt, the Yaqan Nukiy (Ktunaxa), and members of the West Kootenay Métis Association to continue to develop our partnerships honoured through endorsed agreements. Recognizing that our understanding of Indigenous culture is an ever-evolving process, we look forward to the many ways we will continue to learn and grow through our collective experience. I would like to thank our dedicated and passionate staﬀ members for their commitment to providing the best quality experiences and opportunities for our community as well as the professional growth that each one has taken on over the past year. Many thanks to our creative curator, Arin Fay, our fearless team of JP Stienne and Tressa Ford in the Archives and the Bunker, our resourceful programme coordinator, Stephanie Myers, our volunteer wrangler and gift shop guru, Cindy Fillion, our decolonization inﬂuencer, Lesley Garlow, and our stalwart communications and membership coordinator, Stephanie Delnea, who helps keep us organized in more ways than she may even be aware! We were pleased to be able to permanently install Kalika Bowlby as Education Coordinator, in 2024, and added Environmental Lead to her role to help us achieve organizational goals in climate change education and mitigation. I am very fortunate to work with such an insightful and dynamic team! The Board of Directors has had a number of new faces since the AGM in 2024, as well as a new Chair. Peter Beug took over from long term chair, Sheila Achilles, and we are grateful for his interest, support, and guidance. Thank you also to Vice-Chair Rhiannon Barbour, Treasurer, Nick Kostiuk, and Secretary, Marjorie Simington. The Board has engaged in training and development and was also pleased to add the new position of Youth Director, our ﬁrst one being Elliot Wilson-Birks. I would like to thank all the Board directors for their support and willingness to serve. From the Executive Director A special thank you to all our members, volunteers, donors, community supporters, teachers, colleagues, and city staﬀ for the foundational support we receive for the work that we do as the Nelson region’s centre for arts, culture, and heritage. Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Neal Dunkerson April 2025

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6JANUARY Turret Series: Season 1 release Museum Selﬁe Day Give or Take a Few Million Years catalogue launch and artist talk with Carol Wallace Family Literacy Day storytime with Ginia Jmieﬀ Aprés FREE Thursdays FEBRUARY 2023 Donor Appreciation event DIY Valentine Workshop Pollination Pathways Speaker Series Family Day portraits Naomi Bourque fashion display and artist talk Aprés FREE Thursdays MARCH Corazon performance Spring Museum Mash! VisuAlchemy exhibition opening with Judy Wapp Spring Break art camp Spring Fling FREE Thursdays APRIL Faceless Dolls workshops PULP opening reception ‘New Echoes in the Staircase’ mural launch Lalin performance Black Bear Review magazine launch Grow Show publication launch Collage Journaling workshop with Fern Van Horn Spring Fling FREE Thursdays MAY Mother’s Day collage workshop NMAG Annual General Meeting ‘Anything Goes’ collage workshop with Michelle Oakley ‘Keepsake Collage’ workshop with Melissa Owen Spring Fling FREE Thursdays JUNE Book Launch: Big River ‘Dads and Grads’ cardmaking with Jenine Lillian Papier maché workshop with Myra Rasmussen We Love a Parade! staircase installation launch Summer Lovin’ FREE Thursdays Programming 2024 Naomi Bourque display (March). Photo by Bobbi Barbarich Grow Show book launch (April). Photo by Bobbi Barbarich

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JULY Canada Day @ Lakeside Park Utopia Unveiled exhibition opening Friendship bracelets in ArtLab City of Nelson Night Market PULP closing party and publication launch Seed Paper workshop with the Kootenay Native Plant Society ArtWalk second opening Summer Lovin’ FREE Thursdays AUGUST Macrame workshop with Celia Hayet Witness Blanket opening reception Rag rug workshop with Tracy Fillion City of Nelson Night Market Summer Lovin’ FREE Thursdays SEPTEMBER ‘Bundle dying with Plants’ workshop with Tracy Fillion Witness Blanket closing ceremony Utopia Unveiled closing party Fall into Fall FREE Thursdays OCTOBER Book Launch: Frank and the Elephant Lotus ﬂower garlands in ArtLab Fall Museum Mash! Within This Earthen Vessel exhibition opening A Crack in the Mirror exhibition opening Book Launch: Epiphany Bakes Trick or treating storytime War of the Worlds table reading in the Cold War Bunker Fall into Fall FREE Thursdays NOVEMBER Beading workshops Louis Riel Day Truth and Reconciliation case launch Annual NMAG members sale Fall into Fall FREE Thursdays DECEMBER Nelson & District Credit Union members sale Community Day Rangoli workshop with Surya Sameera Aprés FREE Thursdays War of the Worlds (October). Photo by Stephanie Myers Night Market (August). Photo by Stephanie Delnea

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The Galleries documented Judy’s work from art school in New York in the 1960’s to her most recent collages created at her home at Toad Rock. We installed a power pole (thanks to Fortis BC) at the entrance of the gallery festooned with neck ties, as an ode to Judy and David’s infamous guerrilla art actions that deﬁned one of the Kootenay corridors for many years Art belongs everywhere was Judy’s motto! The most memorable part of this exhibition was a massive opening event with many of those in attendance wearing neck ties, watching in emotional awe as Bessie (dressed as Elvis on stilts) serenaded her mother. The photos of this event, captured by photographer-in-residence Bobbi Barbarich, are some of the most amazing images captured in the gallery. Sadly, Judy passed away September of 2024; she will missed by all who had the privilege to know her, an important contributor to the arts and culture scene that we have inherited and continue to foster. VisuALchemy was a retrospective exhibition curated by Judy Wapp’s family (David Everest, and Bessie and Josh Wapp) and Arin Fay. The exhibition was an important opportunity for the community to celebrate this artist and her longstanding and impressive contributions to art and culture in the Kootenay region. The exhibition The Witness Blanket, toured by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, was a powerful touring rendition of the original work created by master carver Carey Newman. A heart-breaking monument that recognizes the atrocities of Indian Residential School history, symbolizing ongoing reconciliation. More than 800 items from 77 communities were gathered for this artwork, which include letters, photos, stories, books, clothing, art and fragments of buildings. PULP was a brilliant exploration of sculptural paper, showcasing artists from across Canada, including Nelson’s preeminent artist and poet Susan Andrews Grace, whose work was destined to be shown alongside that of Gathie Falk. Bringing these artists together and illustrating how our regional artists have an important place in expansive arts and culture conversations is just one of the many positive outcomes of these group exhibitions, in addition to expanding our scope, funding award legacy and connections to art, artists, and partnership organizations across Canada. In addition to very well attended opening and closing events with several of the artists in attendance, we produced an exhibition publication and also undertook a contemporary dance project with artist/choreographers Edward and Robin Poitras, dancer Krista Solheim, and ﬁlmed by Carlos Alcos and Brian Lye. These ancillary facets of exhibition production have been a part of most of this series of exhibitions, broadening the scope, audience and legacy of these projects, supporting the artists involved, and engaging many additional professionals who work and live in our region.

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A crack in the mirror, detail. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich The Witness Blanket installation was one of the most visited exhibitions that NMAG has ever hosted, seen by scores of tours delivered with sensitivity and support by Kalika Bowlby and Tressa Ford, as well as other staﬀ. The tours were booked via SD8, Selkirk College, UBC and other individuals and organizations, providing a unique and immersive experience, supported by not only staﬀ but the CMHR developed resources, including a documentary ﬁlm, teacher guide and interactive online resources. The Utopia Unveiled history exhibition provided a wonderful opportunity for members of the community to celebrate an important piece of our shared history, as we explored the history of intentional communities in the region. The opening and closing parties were well-attended by people throughout the region, and so many laughs and stories were shared, inspired by the artifacts and ephemera in the show. The ﬁlm lives on as an important legacy piece. | sheeshe ‘ch tharer | a crack in the mirror Within this Earthen Vessel: Stories of India and CommunityAnand’s practice, indebted to familial and cultural community, engages materials and concepts drawn from the histories of Punjab and its diasporas and explores these facets by way of material and tradition, from both a modern, critical and feminist perspective. The exhibition was visually opulent and culturally complex, illustrating a South Asian perspective never before presented at NMAG, making it an important ﬁrst, and reﬂecting the ever-changing community of Nelson and area. To best contextualize this exhibition, we curated the Within this Earthen Vessel art/history convergence exhibition to both educate and celebrate history and community. With the help of contributors such as Surya Sameera, Navjot Brar, KTK Masala Shop, Sarika Hogade, Albin v Jose, Alika and Amith Joy, and by digging into archives, we were able to present a narrative that included ﬁlm, artwork, dance, poetry, census records, stories and photographs. The archival photo entitled ‘An unidentiﬁed man standing in front of the Gerrard train station near Trout Lake, B.C.1910’ was reproduced in black and white almost life-size and paired with a modern 2024 rendition of the photo staged at the Nelson train station with Navjot Brar, a playful, impactful and creative way to illustrate past and present realities! ARIN FAY CURATOR

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‘Elvis’ (Bessie Wapp) serenades Judy on opening night, Friday, March 22. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich VisuAlchemy JUDY WAPP MARCH 23 TO JUNE 22, 2024 GALLERY A As an activist, visual artist, and radio personality for nearly 75 years, Judy Wapp has lived an incredible life. A teenaged encounter with Elvis Presley, participation in the art card/ mail-art scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and a decades-long involvement in Kootenay Coop Radio, when it was a ﬂedgling community station, have all helped to lay the groundwork for her intense interest in communication via mass media – the subject of her collage work for nearly 33 years. A thoughtful look at Judy’s art career spanning six decades, VisuAlchemy was a never-before exhibited retrospective showing at the Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery from March 23 to June 22, 2024. The show featured many of her collage pieces that have been held in private collections for years and not accessible to the public, as well as samples of art cards that Judy has traded around the globe throughout her storied career. “VisuAlchemy is the culmination of a proliﬁc career from a captivating artist,” says Nelson Museum Curator Arin Fay. “Judy’s work has inspired the lives and art of countless of people in the West Kootenay region throughout her career and has contributed so much to the community – we are honoured to host this incredible body of work at the Nelson Museum.” Judy passed away in September 2024 at 85 years old, but her work continues to inspire artists; the Wapp Award, established in 2024, is a scholarship funded by the sale of her vast collection of works, with the intention of funding a Kootenay-area artist to pursue their craft. The ﬁrst Wapp Award was awarded in 2025.

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PULP SUSAN ANDREWS GRACE, GATHIE FALK, MIA FEUER, EDWARD POITRAS, MIYA TURNBULL, BADANNA ZACK APRIL 6 TO JULY 27, 2024 | GALLERY A PULP installation view. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich Throughout the last 2,000 years, paper has played a crucial role in collecting and sharing information and ideas and has allowed us a window into the past. In the modern world, where digital information is consumed ad nauseam, the artists in PULP embrace the poetic simplicity of paper, and wield its unparalleled ability to capture emotion, texture, information, and imagination. PULP is the latest iteration in a series of group exhibitions focused on a common theme—in this case, paper—and each artist’s interpretation of the medium. In the hands of artists from across Canada, the artworks that embodied PULP speak to personal, regional, socio-political, and historic symbology; seen in the feminist forms of Gathie Falk and Badanna Zack, with an Indigenous perspective through the work of Edward Poitras, through the revolt and response of Mia Feuer, the masks of Miya Turnbull, and the poetic/historical approach of Susan Andrews Grace. “PULP uses the medium as both a galvanizing theme and a starting point for artists to celebrate, challenge, and explore the opportunities presented and the limitations imposed by the mediums in question,” says Nelson Museum Curator Arin Fay. “Paper carries complex cultural characteristics, from its origins in communication and record-keeping to modern day commerce, and we are so excited to explore these ideas through papier mâché and sculptural paper with such a renowned group of artists.” Artists Edward Poitras, Mia Feuer, and Susan Andrews Grace were in attendance at the opening party, and again at the closing reception in July, which was also the launch of the PULP catalogue, which featured six diﬀerent inside cover images (representing each of the six artists) overlaid with hand-torn textured cardstock.

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Utopia Unveiled: Intentional Living in the West Kootenay CURATED BY JEAN-PHILIPPE STIENNE JULY 6 TO SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 | GALLERY B Utopia Unveiled, installation view. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich. Utopia Unveiled, installation view. Photo by Bobbi BarbarichLong before it was a social media hashtag, ‘Keep Nelson Weird’ was a way of life. The back-to-the-land movement, ﬂourishing in the 60s and 70s throughout Canada and the US, swept hundreds of city-dwellers into the back woods of the Nelson area, to try their hand at rural living. However, they were not the ﬁrst group seeking an alternate way of life to settle in the Kootenays. In the early 1900s the Doukhobors near Castlegar and Grand Forks established self-suﬃcient communities, with orchards and brickyards and a ﬂourishing jam factory. In the 1950s the Quakers left the militarism they found in California and settled in Argenta. In 1963, the natural and spiritual retreat of the Yashodhara Ashram was founded. The history of communal living was the subject of the Nelson Museum’s history exhibition Utopia Unveiled: Intentional Communities in the Kootenays. Along with the archival images and ephemera from the archives and many community contributions, the exhibition featured a new documentary ﬁlm produced by the Museum, featuring interviews with people reﬂecting on their story. The ﬁlm can be viewed on the NMAG YouTube channel. The counterculture movement brought a wave of creativity to the Kootenays in areas such as theatre, ceramics, ﬁlmmaking, weaving, poetry, ﬁne art, and music. Utopia Unveiled explored how this community was supported and welcomed by many, but not by all – and how people, in their search for utopia, faced hardships and challenges that some struggled to overcome. The exhibition included a traditional Doukhobor spinning wheel, original artifacts from Kootenay communes, counterculture artwork of Robert Inwood, a communal table with documents related to the story, and more. Utopia Unveiled, detail. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich.

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The Witness Blanket CIRCULATED BY THE CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HUMAN RIGHTS (WINNIPEG, MB) JUNE 24 TO OCTOBER 21, 2023 | GALLERY A Witness Blanket opening reception. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich. Seemingly disconnected remnants of clothing, crumbling buildings, and fragmented cultures are woven together into a blanket, designed to shine light on the Indian Residential School system that connects them, and stand as a monument to the resiliency and strength of those who survived them. The Nelson Museum was honoured to exhibit a replicated portion of The Witness Blanket in the summer of 2024, on tour from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Inspired by a woven blanket, Witness Blanket is a large-scale work of art created by master carver Carey Newman, containing hundreds of items reclaimed from residential schools, churches, government buildings, and traditional and cultural structures from across Canada. “We ﬁnd our way to the understanding and empathy of unimaginable things through the lived experience of artists and the history they represent and reﬂect,” says Nelson Museum Curator Arin Fay. “Carey Newman’s Witness Blanket illustrates the ongoing impacts of genocide through the tangible and representative fallout – children’s shoes, door frames, language – it’s an assemblage of past and present pieces that tell a story of unspeakable sadness, told through the beauty and hope of artistic expression.” The Witness Blanket project oﬀered visitors the opportunity to learn about the legacy of Canada’s residential school system and Indigenous resiliency, and is a unique opportunity to discuss, understand, and experience complex issues through art. Through the duration of the exhibition, we hosted nearly 40 group tours. The original artwork is permanently installed at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights after embarking on an extensive three-year tour of the country in 2013-14.

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Within This Earthen Vessel GUEST CURATED BY LUCY CARVER-BRENNAN OCTOBER 19, 2024 TO FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | GALLERY B Within This Earthen Vessel detail. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich Within This Earthen Vessel was a celebration of the Indian diasporic community to the local region, weaving together stories of past and present, through historical photos from regional archives and beyond, personal stories, and work from local artists. Featuring an audio/video component as well as a sampling of fragrant Indian spices, Within This Earthen Vessel engaged all of the viewer’s senses. Guest curated by Lucy Carver-Brennan with support from local artist Surya Sameera and contributions from numerous artists and community members, Within This Earthen Vessel ran concurrently with | sheeshe ‘ch tharer | a crack in the mirror, by artist Simranpreet Anand with Conner Singh VanderBeek. Within This Earthen Vessel and Sheeshe ‘ch tharer complemented each other beautifully, as both exhibitions used many of the same iconographies and imagery, allowing local artists to bring these concepts home. “It has been an honour and a delight to reach out to and support the voices of this community for Within This Earthen Vessel,” says Carver-Brennan. “The dedicated and generous work of Surya during this process is much to thank for its success, and for the vibrant beauty and colour on display.” Lucy curated this exhibition while employed as a summer student at NMAG through the Young Canada Works employment program. We were very excited to learn that the summer employment position aligned so well with the research and curation of this community-focused exhibition, and that the Nelson Museum was able to provide a truly hands-on experience for a young, emerging professional in the arts and culture sector.

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| sheeshe ‘ch tharer | a crack in the mirror SIMRANPREET ANAND WITH CONNER SINGH VANDERBEEK OCTOBER 26, 2024 TO FEBRUARY 15, 2025 | GALLERY A | sheeshe ‘ch tharer | a crack in the mirror, installation view. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich It is easy to get swept up in the beauty of the brightly coloured, intricately patterned fabrics that create | sheeshe ‘ch tharer | a crack in the mirror, a visually satiating exhibition by Surrey artist Simranpreet Anand with Conner Singh VanderBeek, which toured to the Nelson Museum from the Reach Gallery in Abbotsford. Upon closer inspection, the viewer can see the hardened, curling edges of the fabric panels, proof of the melted plastics contained within. The title, Sheeshe ‘ch tharer, comes from the work of mid-century poet Shiv Kumar Bhatalvi, which tells the story of a newly married woman who contemplates how the path of married life starts to fracture her worldview, and thus a crack appears in her vanity mirror. “The crack in the mirror marks the apocalyptic-yet-ordinary when your way of thinking – your particular mindset – starts to fracture and is broken open by the force of experience,” explained guest curator Sajdeep Soomal in the 2017 exhibition catalogue produced by the Reach. Anand’s work explores the Sikh and Punjab diaspora, often through textiles, language, and photographs. It examines the traditional role of women in Indian culture and oﬀers a new perspective on the rigid conﬁnes of worship. “This exhibition investigates how materials can and do carry complex cultural connotations,” says Nelson Museum curator Arin Fay. “The conversation that Simranpreet Anand and Conner Singh VanderBeek are presenting within the gallery, which has been transformed into a layered, colourful and opulent space, speaks to these complexities and the manufacture, global shipping and usage of textiles, both decorative and profound, to grapple with the concept of diaspora, faith and community.”

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There was no pot in the brownies, but we celebrated anyways—the launch of the long-awaited Grow Show book, a publication overﬂowing with photos and stories shared by the community for the 2021 award-winning exhibition of the same name. Over 100 people gathered as local pot legends read excerpts from the book, including Holy Smoke legend Dustin Cantwell. The evening was an emotional celebration that perfectly wrapped up years of hard work and dedication on behalf of Curator Arin Fay, with thanks to Anne DeGrace for guiding us through the world of self-publishing. Grow Show makes a great gift and is available for purchase in the Shop! In the summer of 2021, the Nelson Museum launched the gallery exhibition Kootenay Pride: We Love a Parade! to celebrate the history of the West Kootenay Gays and Lesbians Society, which had been meticulously compiled by longtime Archives volunteer Michael Wicks. We didn’t know it at the time, but this exhibition would eventually inspire the permanent installation in the main stairwell that was launched in June 2024. The installation features archival images, exhibition photos, a localized timeline of important events, and curatorial statements. We also proudly announced our accreditation to the Rainbow Registered® program—a national designation granted by Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce that signiﬁes our commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQI+ community. NMAG is the ﬁrst Rainbow Registered® organization in the Kootenays! Art/history convergence exhibitions take a lot of planning, teamwork, and community participation, and it is always worth it; the impact is felt long after the last tour is ﬁnished, and the photos come oﬀ the walls. Special Projects The rainbow stairwell, part of the We Love a Parade installation. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich A full house at the Grow Show book launch on April 20. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich

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In 2024 we embarked on sustainability initiatives with an emphasis on climate adaptation and resiliency. We began a project to install sensor lighting in ﬁrst-ﬂoor exhibition spaces. Once completed, this will reduce our energy consumption, ensuring the space is only lit when occupied. Solar window ﬁlm was installed on the third-ﬂoor windows to reduce solar heat gain and energy use from air conditioning. Sustainability We became a gold-certiﬁed BC Green Business. We look forward to continuing these initiatives and building our climate resilience in 2025. This past year was ﬁlled with beautiful opportunities for connection. The annual Sinixt canoe journey stopped in Nelson on their way to ____ from Revelstoke, and we were able to assist with the salmon cookout on the beach at Lakeside Park. Thank you to the community and team in bringing together food, laughter, and camaraderie. In 2024 the Museum held a REDress Day ceremony to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and to recognize the damage caused by the legacy of residential school and colonization. This event is centered around collection of new cedar boughs to be included in Jaime Black’s The REDress Project installation in the 2nd ﬂoor museum exhibit. May we all learn to honour each other’s right to dignity, cultural expression and a holistically ethical world for the next seven generations. In November, we oﬃcially launched the Reconciliation Case in the museum exhibit, which features a uniform that belonged to Edgar Dewdney, alongside a letter written but Indigenous students in a residential school, and a collection of shoes from a city hall event honouring the children whose graves were uncovered in Kamloops in 2021. It is a multi-faceted expression of our shared history and a small example of the dynamic and rich history that brings us here. The dedication, held on Louis Riel Day, was in partnership with the West Kootenay Métis Association. Social Justice & Decolonization The Archives team lent a hand with the STOODIS Indigenous ﬁlm festival, digitizing Super 8 ﬁlms produced by Sinixt and Ktunaxa youth that were featured in the festival. They are also engaged in repatriation, with the research and identiﬁcation process of what was once considered “West coast Salish” baskets that have since been determined to be Interior Salish baskets. Work is ongoing to determine their exact origins and to return them to their rightful place. What an honour to be part of this incredible community and the committed Nelson Museum Archives & Gallery team. Thank you for standing beside us. All my relations. LESLEY GARLOW SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DECOLONIZATION LEAD The Reconciliation Case in the 2nd ﬂoor museum.

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This year there was a grand total of 72 donations from individuals and organizations in 2024, ranging from historical minutes from Nelson Golf Club to a pair of water skis made at the Kootenay Forest Products sawmill, Madden Hotel archives and several local Indigenous stone artifacts. We also received Wendy Toogood artworks, early copies of the Valley Voice newspaper and photo archive, and an air raid siren from the City of Nelson which is now on display in the Cold War Bunker. Many of you enjoyed checking out the more than 350 videos that were shared to the NMAG YouTube channel this year. In 2024 the Ross Fleming archive of audio recordings were digitized, including performances by Amy Ferguson’s Nelson Boys’ Choir and plays at the Capitol Theatre in the 1950s. We also worked through the entire collection of 8mm, super 8, and 16mm movies of many events and places from the 1940s to 1970s. The ﬁlm of the construction of the Nelson Bridge in 1957 and a ﬁlm of the streetcar operating on Baker Street in the 1940s were particular highlights. We plan to continue to work through the Shaw Cable 10 collection into 2025. The team in the Shawn Lamb Archives had another busy year helping to answer inquiries, conducting research, and cataloguing the archives. The team answered 135 inquiries on subjects as diverse as prohibition to sasquatch sightings. Obituaries and family history accounted for nearly 30 per cent of inquiries and nearly half of inquiries came from Kootenay residents. The team helped with many collection gathering, cataloguing, and access projects—over 120 books were entered into the collections database, nearly 350 entries were added to the map catalogue, and a project to create a database entry of the main collection of over 12,000 photo prints was completed. We welcomed summer student Jake Maslak to the archives, who was a great asset to the museum in many ways. One of their accomplishments was creating new digital collections, including a collection of 1940s-1950s photo slides by Nelson photographer Ron Waters, featuring beautiful vistas and landscapes in the West Kootenays and further aﬁeld. Over 100 photos were also scanned from several photo albums by the Dill family, who came to Nelson in 1904 and played a leading role in the designation of Kokanee Glacier as a provincial park in 1922. Both collections were added to the NMAG Flickr website. We were also delighted to join Balfour Daze, speak about archives to the Gyro Club, and present to Learning in Retirement Nelson on the history of railways in the Kootenays. We also assisted the Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society with a series of interpretive signs now on display at Cottonwood Falls Park and created new sporting history displays in the Civic Centre and Nelson and District Community Complex. The Bunker saw record audiences as community groups, schools, out of town tourists and locals came to visit; its relevance to events in today’s world undiminished. Demand was such that we added summer midweek tours led by volunteer guides. The History Buﬀ column in the Nelson Star continued through 2024; subjects this year included the Canadian International College, Snofest, and The Great Depression. The Nelson Daily News digitization program continued to make the newspaper’s pages more accessible to a wider audience with the years 1902-1967 now online—over two million total views were logged by the end of the year! We expect to have many more years online in 2025. Much of our focus in 2024 was centered on events around the Utopia Unveiled exhibition, which looked at the history of intentional communities and alternative lifestyles that have made such an impact in our community. The accompanying documentary resulted in an interview archive that documents many voices of this history. JEAN-PHILIPPE STIENNE ARCHIVIST & COLLECTIONS MANAGER From the Shawn Lamb Archives GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES OF INQUIRIES Local (West & East Kootenay regions) 47% Other parts of BC 23% Rest of Canada (AB, ON, SK, YK, MB) 10% Other (USA, Sweden, Netherlands, etc.) 7% Unknown 13% SOURCE OF REQUESTS BY TYPE Private persons 70% Writers 13% Archives/Museums 6% Business 6% Academics 2% Government 1% SOME TOPICS RESEARCHED: Golf course Baseball, Skiing Hotels, Pharmacies, Stone quarries Air raid sirens Police, Murders, Prohibition Ivor Fosheim, explorer Alexander Carrie, architect Racing canoes, Rowboats, Rowers Sasquatch sightings, Lake monsters 2024 Inquiries

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20The Shop had a remarkable year in 2024, with a thriving mix of sales and events! Our space was ﬁlled with energy as guests from near and far visited Nelson, enjoying the work of talented regional makers. We remained committed to showcasing your favorite products and supporting local artists, ensuring a diverse selection of exceptional gifts. The Shop continues to prioritize collaborations with local, regional, and Canadian artists, makers, and suppliers, and this focus will remain a cornerstone of our mission. During our 18th ArtWalk, we had the privilege of featuring the work of Sam Moore, Cloud Rain, and Nadine Bouliane. The shows were a stunning display of pyrography, ceramics, and abstract painting, drawing great interest from our visitors. The Shop We were also honored to host the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, who presented a commemorative quilt in celebration of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s 20th anniversary. This quilt traveled to 34 communities across Canada, further raising awareness for this important cause. Additionally, we were delighted to showcase the winners of the Haute Trash fashion show. The upcycled wearable art pieces they presented were both inspiring and thought-provoking, oﬀering a unique blend of creativity and sustainability. CINDY FILLION VISITOR SERVICES MANAGER Photo by Bobbi Barbarich. Photo by Bobbi Barbarich.

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It was a busy year for education at the Nelson Museum with 70 education tours in 2024 compared to 38 in 2023. Tours spanned a wide range of learners from preschool and elementary to middle, secondary, and post-secondary students. Groups visited the Cold War Bunker, the regional history museum, or one of the seven gallery exhibits, and many classes returned for more than one visit. Teachers received pre-visit discussion questions and post-visit classroom activities to enhance their NMAG visit and deepen learning opportunities for students. Over spring break, we hosted our second Spring Break Art Camp for 20 creative local youth. The exhibits that were on display both provided opportunities to explore the diversity of paper as an art-making medium, and inspired many projects such as creative approaches to mask-making (from Miya Turnbull’s masks in PULP) and Judy Wapp’s master collage work, featured in VisuAlchemy. Education In May, I attended the BC Teachers Federation conference with opportunities to learn more about creating safe, inclusive, and caring learning spaces. In June, we celebrated the installation of the We Love a Parade stairwell exhibit and the launch of an accompanying comprehensive educational resource. You can read more in the ‘Special Projects’ section of this report. The Witness Blanket was the most visited exhibit in 2024, with over 25 groups of learners joining us to reﬂect on the legacy of the Residential School system in Canada. The hope is that each person who had the chance to experience and learn from the exhibit can share that knowledge as they move about their lives and work. KALIKA BOWLBY EDUCATION COORDINATOR Spring Break Camp participants pose with their mask creations, inspired by Miya turnbull’s masks featured in the PULP exhibition.

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2024 Financial Statements Independent Praconer's Review Engagement Report To the Members of Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society We have reviewed the accompanying ﬁnancial statements of Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society that comprise the statement of ﬁnancial posion as at December 31, 2024 and the statements of operaons, changes in net assets, and cash ﬂows for the year then ended, and a summary of signiﬁcant accounng policies and other explanatory informaon. Management's Responsibility for the Financial Statements Management is responsible for the preparaon and fair presentaon of these ﬁnancial statements in accordance with Canadian accounng standards for not-for-proﬁt organizaons, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparaon of ﬁnancial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Praconer's Responsibility Our responsibility is to express a conclusion on the accompanying ﬁnancial statements based on our review. We conducted our review in accordance with Canadian generally accepted standards for review engagements, which require us to comply with relevant ethical requirements. A review of ﬁnancial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted standards for review engagements is a limited assurance engagement. The praconer performs procedures, primarily consisng of making inquiries of management and others within the enty, as appropriate, and applying analycal procedures, and evaluates the evidence obtained. The procedures performed in a review are substanally less in extent than, and vary in nature from, those performed in an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auding standards. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion on these ﬁnancial statements. Conclusion Based on our review, nothing has come to our aenon that causes us to believe that the ﬁnancial statements do not present fairly, in all material respects, the ﬁnancial posion of Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society as at December 31, 2024, and the results of its operaons, changes in net assets, and cash ﬂows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounng standards for not-for-proﬁt organizaons. Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements As required by the Sociees Act of Brish Columbia, we report that, in our opinion, the accounng principles in Canadian accounng standards for not-for-proﬁt organizaons have been applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year. Chartered Professional Accountants April 8, 2025

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23 Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION As at December 31 Note 2024 $ 436,287 13,459 37,731 10,051 497,528 100 395,797 $ 893,425 2023 2022 Assets Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable Inventory $ 782,768 $ 409,300 150,450 36,808 25,621 37,111 34,294 12,710 Prepaid expenses 866,883 622,179 Collecons Tangible Capital Assets 3 4 100 450,791 100 387,834 $ 1,317,774 $ 1,010,113 Liabilies and Net Assets Current Liabilies Accounts payable Government remiances payable Deferred revenue (Schedule 1 ) $ 70,897 10,098 319,473 400,468 -400,468 $ 58,590 12,036 586,214 $ 91,335 10,803 157,985 656,840 260,123 CEBA Loan Payable - 40,000 656,840 300,123 Deferred Capital Contribuons 5 345,871 385,433 343,034 Net Assets Invested in tangible capital assets Internally restricted net assets 49,926 97,160 147,086 65,358 210,143 44,800 322,156 6 275,501 366,956 $ 893,425 $ 1,317,774 $ 1,010,113 Approved by the Directors:

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Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS For the year ended December 31 2024 2023 2022 Operang Acvies Excess of revenues over expenses (deﬁcit) Non-cash items $ (128,415) $ (91,455) $ (18,938) Amorzaon of prepaid lease Amorzaon of tangible capital assets Amorzaon of deferred capital contribuons Forgivable poron of CEBA loan Changes in non-cash working capital -74,343 (58,260) --73,212 (58,723) (10,000) 626,603 10,566 62,025 (48,612) -(214,800) (130,253) (327,132) 539,637 (125,212) Financing Acvies Repayment of CEBA loan - (30,000) -Invesng Acvies Acquision of tangible capital assets (19,349) (136,169) (141,447) Change in cash and cash equivalents (346,481) 373,468 (266,659) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year 782,768 409,300 675,959 Cash and cash equivalents, end of year $ 436,287 $ 782,768 $ 409,300

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2024 Volunteers 26 The Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery is grateful for the dedication of a strong team of volunteers in 2023. Cataloguing images in the Archives, greeting visitors at the Front Desk, setting up events, and participating on committees - volunteers make an impact in every department. We couldn’t open the doors without you! Achilles, Sheila Ames, Nelson Answell, Ali Attridge, Maureen Backus, Gretchen Baker, Bonnie Barbour, Rhiannon Becker, Nelson Bergman, Carol Best, Marilyn Beug, Peter Bukowski, Brent Bukowski, Eli Bukowski, Morgan Christenson, Pat Couch, Barbara Davies, Bruce Davies, Eileen Deon, Judy Dew, Cheryl Dickerson, Aiyanna Duthie, Sheona Elder, Carol Freeman, Kim Freyta-Yates, Chelsea Gillender, Joy Goertz, Talia Heer, Carmen Helyer, Laurie Inkster, Lorna Knox, Liz Kostiuk, Nick Littlewood, Gail MacDonald, Isa Mackintosh, Susan Mannings, Ed McLeod, Della McMann, Michael Mulloy, Judy Nesteroﬀ, Greg Nicholson, Sherry O’Neill, Lori Radonich, Nancy Ray, Dennis Rogula, Ola Steed, Wendy Stroo, Anne Suuban, Nancy Symington, Marjorie Tremblay, Marianne Tremblay, Nicole Van Hombeeck, Linda Wallace, Christine Welwood, Frances Wicks, Michael Wilson-Birks, Elliot Sta & Board of Directors STAFF (AS OF DEC 2024) JENNIFER NEAL DUNKERSON | Executive Director JEAN-PHILIPPE STIENNE | Collections Manager & Archivist ARIN FAY | Curator CINDY FILLION | Visitor Services Manager STEPHANIE DELNEA | Communications & Development Manager LESLEY GARLOW | Decolonization & Social Justice Lead STEPHANIE MYERS | Public Program Coordinator KALIKA BOWLBY | Education Coordinator & Environmental Lead TRESSA FORD | Assistant Archivist BOARD OF DIRECTORS (AS OF DEC 2024) PETER BEUG | Chair of the Board NICK KOSTIUK | Treasurer RHIANNON BARBOUR | Director NANCY SUUBAN | Director MARJORIE SIMINGTON | Director LAURIE HELYER | Director KIM FREEMAN | Director ELLIOT WILSON-BIRKS | Director CHELSEY FREYTA YATES | Director

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DONORS Anderson, Elizabeth Applewhaite, Robin and Maureen Attridge, Maureen Bates, Greg Beaulac, Elaine Bridger, Keith Burrows, Franziska Calvert, Scott Cillis, Laura Clark, Joanne Delnea, Stephanie Donaldson, Lana Edgar, Jen Foy, Ezra Freeman, Kim Froese, Gillian Graeme, Beverly Graham, Robert Harold, Deane Macdonald, Donna Malcolmson, Patricia Mannings, Ed and Laura Martin, Dave and Sheila Martin, Lee McLauchlan, Susan Mint, Morton Moreau, Denise Morrison, Janice Muth, Kenneth Øien, Bernt Parry, Barbara Payne, Leslie Pierik, Doug Pratt, Roger Ramsay, Bruce Rezansnoﬀ, Lisa Richards, Ross 2024 Partners & Funders Roback, Frances Rosenberg, Fred Segstro, Teresa Setzer, Maddy Shames, P’nina Simington, Marjorie Stegman, Margaret Tapp, Jim Tremblay, Marianne Van Hombeeck, Linda vanValkenburg, Sharon Woodward, Joe Wells Gray Tours Nelson Izu-Shi Friendship Society GRANT FUNDERS BC Arts Council BC Gaming Commission Canada Council for the Arts City of Nelson Columbia Basin Trust Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance Heritage BC Irving K Barber Digitization Grant (UBC) J & R Reilly Foundation Nelson & Dsitrict Credit Union Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism Osprey Foundation Province of British Columbia Young Canada Works PARTNERSHIPS, SPONSORS, AND COLLABORATIONS Sinixt Confederacy Yaqan Nukiy (Lower Kootenay Band) Ktunaxa Nation Council West Kootenay Métis Association Archives Association of BC BC Historical Federation BC Museums Association Canadian Museums Association Capitol Theatre City of Nelson Corazón / Lalin Heritage BC Kootenay Co-op Nelson & District Arts Council Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism Osprey Community Foundation Selkirk College School District 8 Sprout Eatery

annual report 2024 single-page

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