The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford was presented the 2011 Award of Merit from the British Columbia Museums Association.
The award was given to The Reach for the 2010 exhibition, Beadwork – Radical Practices.
The honour, which was accepted by curator Scott Marsden, is given to individuals, institutions or agencies for outstanding, innovative or creative achievement in the museum, art gallery, archives or heritage field in B.C.
Marsden described Beadwork – Radical Practices as “an international exhibition that celebrated the promotion of and exchange between cultures through artistic events." It was The Reach’s contribution to the cultural festivities of the 2010 Olympics and the Para-Olympics.
The exhibit profiled historical and contemporary work from the Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa as well as historical work from the MacBride Museum of Yukon History and contemporary work from the Yukon Territorial Government’s Permanent Art Collection both located in Whitehorse, Yukon.