Govt supports 'In Touch: Connecting Cloth, Culture + Art'

19 Aug '08

2 min read

The rich history of Canadian textiles will be more accessible to all Canadians, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada.

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (Whitby-Oshawa), on behalf of the Honourable Josee Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Minister for La Francophonie, announced funding for the Textile Museum of Canada (TMC).

The Museum will receive more than $460,000 in funding to create a section on its Web site called In Touch: Connecting Cloth, Culture + Art. This site will engage people of all ages in exploring our rich cultural diversity through textiles. It will also allow the public to connect with Canadian artists, designers, scholars, curators, and makers.

"Our Government is proud to participate in the In Touch project, which showcases the role of textiles in our culture," said Minister Verner. "By working with a variety of partners, such as the Textile Museum of Canada, the Government is promoting a strong online presence for Canadian culture."

"This investment will allow us to utilize the latest technology to showcase Canadian culture worldwide," said Minister Flaherty. "Canadians have made tremendous contributions to the arts, especially in the area of textiles, and now our rich culture and history will be proudly on display for all to see."

"In Touch: Connecting Cloth, Culture + Art is another major step forward for the TMC. It will be an innovative, immersive, and playful online destination that will engage learners of all ages in a rich exploration of cultural diversity," said Beth Sharpe, Communications Manager, Textile Museum of Canada.

"Through the In Touch project, we will be able to offer Canadians audio and video recordings of our educational programs to further enhance our existing collections and exhibitions online experience, which features thousands of objects and more than 70 exhibitions."

The Government of Canada has provided this funding through the Partnership Fund, a component of the Department of Canadian Heritage's Canadian Culture Online Strategy. This program aims to increase the amount of quality Canadian cultural content on the Internet and engages Canadians to use the content and share their perspectives on Canadian events, people, and values.

Canadian Heritage

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