Approved projects submitted as part of the 2023 call for proposals

We’re delighted to announce that 18 new projects submitted as part of the 2023 call for proposals were approved for investment.

We received 139 proposals from museums, heritage, cultural and Indigenous organizations across the country. A total of 100 proposals were submitted for Digital Projects Investment funding and 39 proposals were submitted for Community Stories Investment funding.

The 2024 call for proposals opens June 15.

Digital Projects

(Note: Project titles may change)

Living History – Hope and Peace

ALPHA Education
What does it mean to learn from history? The Second World War in Asia affected approximately 23 million people at the time, and several generations after. Living History – Hope and Peace is a moving journey of remembering and connecting with those who suffered the scourges of war. It is also a powerful exploration of our agency and power in building pathways of sustainable peace.

Graphic Event: Posters from the Quebec Gay Archives (1970 to the Present Day)

Archives gaies du Québec
Graphic Event: Posters from the Quebec Gay Archives (1970 to the Present Day) offers an overview of the practices of 2SLGBTQI+ creators and activists by showcasing the Quebec Gay Archives’ collections. The exhibition, which gives a voice to eight 2SLGBTQI+ creators and activists, and features over 160 archival documents, focuses on a wide range of events that inspired effervescent graphic design in Quebec and Canada.

The Digital Museum of Costume

BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume
Clothes tell stories of politics, status, and gender, narrating our history, traditions, and family life. Through the lens of historical clothing, The Digital Museum of Costume presents these stories to new and established audiences.

Highlighting Hidden Stories: An Indigenous Map of Banff

Bowstrings Heritage Foundation
Jump into An Indigenous Map of Banff and let your students learn more about First Peoples’ material and spiritual connections to this sacred land! Discover Banff’s history as a cross-cultural place of exchange, where more than seven major linguistic groups (Kanai, Siksika, Piikani, Tsuu T’ina, Stoney Nakoda, Ktunaxa, Secwepemc and Cree) continue to hold cultural memory.

Maps, videos, historical documents, and audio of Indigenous Elders will empower and inspire students to uncover Banff’s Indigenous past,  while learning why it was “hidden” in the first place.

Educators are encouraged to view and download the free educational resources that guide these learning adventures. While lessons focus on upper-elementary school students, the map will inspire Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners across all age groups.

Chiaroscuro: Immersion into the World of Luc Courchesne

Centre de design de l’Université du Québec à Montréal
Explore the perceptible and evocative dimensions of desirable futures with Chiaroscuro: In the World of Luc Courchesne. This online exhibition unveils the memorable work of Luc Courchesne, a world-renowned pioneer of immersive digital art and a true master of the convergence of art, science and technology. Absorb yourself in captivating installations, interact with striking portraits, and enjoy unprecedented immersive experiences. You will discover how the artist deconstructs ambient apocalyptic visions to conceive desirable alternative futures that take shape in his immersive creations. Courchesne pushes the boundaries of human perception at the intersection of the real/virtual and the physical/digital, prompting us to reflect on society’s relationship with technology and revealing the ways that technology subtly shapes our view of reality. An unforgettable online experience in the world of Luc Courchesne awaits you. Join us to experience this new state of being.

Embark: Reconstructing Six Disappeared Sites of Chinese Canadian History in British Columbia

Cinevolution Media Arts Society
Embark is a mobile-friendly interactive website that reassembles six historic “story worlds” using archival materials found in digital archives across British Columbia. Each story world consists of a fully interactive, 360-degree navigable site of historical significance to Chinese migration in BC. Viewers will move through the sites from the perspective of a selected character in a “choose your own adventure” format with multiple outcomes. A variety of archival objects will be embedded in the virtual space for viewers to find, each revealing a part of the larger story of the site and the people whose lives were transformed by it. Multiple languages such as Cantonese and Toisanese will be woven in and translated to reflect the diversity of early British Columbia, and support endangered language preservation.

The Little Canadian Workshop of Wool Sock Manufacturing: The History of the Ulverton Mill, A Canadian Historic Site

Corporation du vieux moulin d’Ulverton inc
Discover the fascinating history of grey wool socks with two stripes, the iconic Canadian socks that kept the feet of many Canadians warm, including soldiers during the First World War.

You will see that the history of these wool socks is full of surprises and adventures! We will show you how they were made in the past with special machines, and how those machines worked. You will also see how wool is transformed, from being shorn from sheep to becoming soft wool socks.

If you are curious and like to find out how things are made, this adventure is for you. Get ready to immerse yourself in the exciting history of Canada’s grey wool socks!

Digital Capture of the Montreal Holocaust Museum’s Permanent Exhibition

Musée de l’Holocauste Montréal
The Montreal Holocaust Museum opens its virtual doors to you. Come along for an immersive, educational and poignant experience, accessible from your home or classroom. In our digitized permanent exhibition, you will be totally immersed in the life of Jewish communities before, during and after the Holocaust.

Discover moving eyewitness accounts and unique objects, and become intimately connected with the stories of survivors from Montréal.

Immerse yourself in this historical period to improve your knowledge and awareness. Let yourself be touched by each story, each image, and gain a better understanding of the present and the future.

Join us in this virtual adventure, transcending physical barriers, for a lively, interactive history lesson. Together, let’s keep the memory alive and learn the lessons of the Holocaust.

Walking in the Footsteps of the Chief Peguis Band: A Journey Through Time

Peguis Historical Society
The Peguis Historical Society’s digital project Walking in the Footsteps of the Chief Peguis Band: A Journey Through Time provides visitors with a unique historical perspective of Chief Peguis and his people as they travelled across Turtle Island — from the cliffs and Great Lakes of Ontario to present-day Peguis First Nation in Manitoba — to seek a new life. Join us as we travel back in time to explore the artwork, artifacts, legends, stories and song that define the unique modern-day identity of Chief Peguis and his descendants.

Woven Legacies: The Living Heritage of Ukrainians in Canada

Ukrainian National Federation of Canada
Explore over 130 years of history and culture in this engaging, educational online experience! As you immerse yourself in the interactive journey through the six waves of Ukrainian immigration, details are vividly brought to life on the backdrop of a dynamic Canadian map. Follow the Ukrainian beads to locations that reveal the heart of Ukrainian Canadian institutions, events, and personal narratives. This digital canvas offers a panoramic experience of the past, present and future of Ukrainians in Canada, enriched with cultural artifacts, archives, and other gems that will bring their stories to life.

Community Stories

(Note: Project titles may change)

Permaculture: The Story of the Art Gallery of Peterborough

Art Gallery of Peterborough
Permaculture: The Story of the Art Gallery of Peterborough celebrates the hard work, dedication, and grassroots collaboration of a community, primarily driven by women, who were devoted to the prosperity of arts and culture in the Peterborough-Kawartha region. Explore the origin story of the Art Gallery of Peterborough and take a deep dive into a few key moments in its history as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary:  Her Journey, Her Influence

Buxton National Historic Site and Museum
Mary Ann Shadd Cary was not only an activist but also an educator. By studying her, we can be inspired to advocate for educational opportunities and equality. Shadd faced significant challenges as a Black woman pursuing education. This Community Story will encourage people to reflect on the importance of education, especially for marginalized groups, and motivate them to advocate for equal educational opportunities.

Getting the Word Out: The Media of Activism

Connexions Archive and Library
How did activists in Canada organize and mobilize before the Internet? Learn more about the history of activism in Canada and get to know long-time activists by exploring Connexions’ vast collection of pre-Internet mobilization tools. Getting the Word Out: The Media of Activism allows you to explore a wide array of materials, from buttons to posters, as well as learn more about the technology, and people, that made them. This online exhibition spotlights long-forgotten grassroots movements and the people who helped build them from the ground up — one leaflet, button or poster at a time.

Fashioning Identity: Clothing and the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community of the Mississippi Valley

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
Clothing is a powerful tool in the creation, finding, and expression of identity, and this is particularly true for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Fashioning Identity: Clothing and the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community of the Mississippi Valley explores this connection through oral histories while situating it within the broader context of queer fashion history. Created by and for the queer community, this online exhibition empowers folks to tell their stories with their voices and preserve queer culture — a culture that is historically and presently marginalized. Representing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on their terms, Fashioning Identity will inspire and encourage people to connect through this shared expression and let people know that they are not alone in their journeys of self-determination.

Children of the Valley: Moose Jaw’s Métis People and the Buffalo Hunt

New Southern Plains Métis Local 160
Scrip records, oral histories, and archaeological excavations show that the Moose Jaw River Valley was an important trail hub, wintering camp, and bison production site for Métis people. In particular, understanding the role bison played in Métis communities is critical to understanding why the city of Moose Jaw exists today, as bison were the reason this area was a key gathering place during the pre-settlement period. Dozens of Métis families played important roles in this period, as traders, hunters, and guides. Their children were born and raised in the Valley, and their descendants continue to live in Moose Jaw and the surrounding area. These Children of the Valley can help uncover forgotten stories from the founding of our community.

Scent of Thunderbolts

Toronto Biennial of Art
Immerse yourself in the captivating tapestry of Scent of Thunderbolts, a groundbreaking project that weaves together the rich threads of Chinese immigration in Canada, the enduring legacy of Cantonese opera, and the resilient spirit of Chinese women who shaped their communities against historical odds. This digital journey, reminiscent of the sensorial world of early operas, merges the visual and aural realms, creating a unique and immersive experience.

Preserving the Most Precious Heirloom: Icelandic Language Publishing in Manitoba

University of Manitoba
Preserving the Most Precious Heirloom: Icelandic Language Publishing in Manitoba explores the emergence and history of Manitoba’s Icelandic-language publishing industry. Through stories, images and oral history recordings, discover the remarkable journey of an immigrant community’s collective effort to preserve their language and maintain a sense of community and identity while navigating their new lives in North America.

Dr. Marion Powell – The Mother of Birth Control in Canada

Women’s College Hospital (The Miss Margaret Robins Archives of Women’s College Hospital)
Remembered as the “Mother of Birth Control in Canada,” Dr. Marion Powell spent more than 50 years working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights through her work as a physician, medical researcher, and women’s health advocate. As you explore her collection of personal papers, photographs, audio and film recordings, and medical artifacts held by the Women’s College Hospital Archives, discover how her pioneering work in the family planning movement improved access to sexual and reproductive health services. Learn how she earned the trust and respect of a generation of young Canadians in the 20th century as she embarked on her lifelong mission to make accurate and non-judgmental sexual health information accessible to young people.