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The Cultural Property Community Research Collaborative at the
University of Victoria was one the 22 pilot project funded in 1999
by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) through its new Community-University
Research Alliance Program. The goal of the SSHRC-CURA Program
is to foster collaborative partnerships between universities and
community organizations that will generate innovative research
and a sharing of new knowledge.
With a five-year grant from SSHRC, the Cultural Property Community Research Collaborative program in the Department of History in Art established partnerships with over 30 heritage organizations in British Columbia to develop a broader understanding of the cultural and social history of the province. The university and its four main partners, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the BC Museums Association, the Heritage Society of BC and the Royal BC Museum, offered their research, curatorial, and networking resources to support community-based research projects. UVic faculty members and over 130 students from across campus collaborated with community partners to research important local cultural collections. The new knowledge resulting from the projects has been widely disseminated through community events, travelling exhibitions, publications, web exhibits, educational materials, and conferences.
CURA represents a highly successful revolution in research. The benefits of the research stay in the community, leaving a legacy of training and networking to enhance the research capacity of community groups. This innovative approach to knowledge has become a model for further projects.
CURA.uvic.ca is an Official
UVic Web Site.
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