Indigenous Sport Gallery Receives Prestigious International Heritage Award

For immediate release
August 22, 2019

VANCOUVER, BC – For the second time in five months, the Indigenous Sport Gallery at the BC Sports Hall of Fame has received a major award from peers in its field, earning an ISHY Award from the International Sports Heritage Association (ISHA).

The 2019 ISHY Award for the Indigenous Sport Gallery will be presented to the BC Sports Hall of Fame Thursday, October 24th, at the International Sports Heritage Association Conference in Wichita, Kansas, home of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. ISHA is a worldwide association of sports halls of fames and museums with a strong membership presence in North America, Europe and Australasia. The ISHY Award for the BC Sports Hall of Fame comes in the New Exhibit category, proclaiming the Indigenous Sport Gallery as the best new exhibit in the world in the category of budgets USD $50,000-$250,000.
The announcement follows the BC Sports Hall of Fame receiving the Award for Outstanding Achievement – the highest honours bestowed by the Canadian Museum Association (CMA) — in April. The CMA recognition placed the Hall first among all galleries, exhibits and displays in Canada built last year with a budget of less than $1 million.

“We are thrilled to see international recognition for the BC Sports Hall of Fame and its partners’ work in identifying, recognizing and showcasing achievement and leadership in sport by Indigenous athletes, coaches, leaders and communities,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Arts, Culture and Tourism and the Minister Responsible for Sport. “The gallery is an incredible place to learn about and celebrate the history of Indigenous sport excellence in BC, and I encourage everyone to stop by and experience it for themselves.”

The Government of British Columbia was joined by the City of Vancouver and the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC) as founding partners in the development and construction of the Indigenous Sport Gallery. It was one of two flagship galleries and exhibits launched in 2018, alongside the Defining Moments exhibit that chronicles the major milestones and achievements in BC sport history.

“All of us at the BC Sports Hall of Fame are proud of the work associated with the Indigenous Sport Gallery and we’re humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the Indigenous story-telling that is at the heart of sport, heritage and culture in B.C. and across Canada,” said Tom Mayenknecht, Chair of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “On behalf of our Chief Executive Nicholas Cartmell, curator Jason Beck and our entire Board and management team, we thank the Province of BC, the City of Vancouver and ISPARC for helping to bring this vision to life. The recognition by the CMA and ISHA is shared by everyone associated with the project, the Hall and our BC Sports Hall of Fame Foundation.”

The Indigenous Sport Gallery – dedicated to stories of triumph over adversity and the rich contributions made to BC sport history and heritage by indigenous athletes, coaches and sports leaders — is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the BC Sports Hall of Fame.

About the BC Sports Hall of Fame
The BC Sports Hall of Fame celebrates extraordinary achievement in BC sport history and inspires future generations to make their dreams come true. Each year, a diverse audience of visitors from around the globe are educated and enthralled by the collection of 27,000 artifacts and 100,000 archival documents representing 150-years of sporting accomplishments in British Columbia. Through Hero in You Youth Education Programs, the BC Sports Hall of Fame reaches over 6,500 youth across the province, advancing its mission of building outstanding community legacies by honouring the past and inspiring the future.

For more information please visit: bcsportshall.com follow us on twitter @bcsportshall and like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/bcsportshall/

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Media Contact
Kelly Gleeson – LBMG
604-240-6231
Kgleeson@lbmg.ca