Stakeholders
Musqueam, James Hart, UBC Ceremonies and Events, the Audain Foundation, the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and the department of art history, visual art, and theory (AVHA)
Timing
May 2023
Summary
UBC Media Relations collaborated with Musqueam to share the story of the new artwork titled θəʔit (truth in English), added to the Reconciliation Pole at UBC. We spotlighted UBC’s commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous Peoples, facilitated media interviews, and raised awareness about the meaningful artwork.
This art installation had been commissioned in part to help the university deepen its engagement with the Musqueam Nation following initial collaboration on the original Reconciliation Pole project. In this context, collaboration was essential for a complex initiative which involved many partners but had no lead unit.
We collaborated with Musqueam, Haida artist James Hart, UBC Ceremonies and Events, the Audain Foundation, the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and the department of art history, visual art, and theory (AVHA) at UBC to ensure the story had strong support and participation from all key stakeholders.
Media Relations also organized an event for media to cover the new artwork and facilitated media interviews, drawing attention to the hard work and collaboration that brought this powerful artwork to life.
The Results
This collaboration strengthened the university’s relationship with Musqueam and was a small step toward reconciliation. UBC Media Relations is proud to have supported and helped share the story of this impactful project.
Our media engagement strategy led to news coverage of the artwork, raising public awareness about the project, the values it represents, and the collaboration that made it possible. Media coverage highlighted UBC’s commitment to expanding the presence of Musqueam art and culture on campus, aligning with goal five of UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan (2020).
Selected media coverage:
CBC On The Coast: Bronze disc unveiled at UBC’s Reconciliation Pole