[BCMA] Barder.Art - user-friendly, peer-to-peer material exchange platform for our sector

Wed Feb 5 16:14:42 PST 2025

Hello BCMA members!

I’m excited to share information about a free platform to help museums, galleries and theatres to avoid and reduce waste.

Collectively our turnover of exhibitions generates hundreds of kilos of waste materials each year –and waste generates greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate impacts.

What if we could reduce waste by keeping materials in circulation longer by sharing them, and sharing them again?

The SAGE Project<https://museumofvancouver.ca/sage> –a collaboration of cultural sector organizations–has launched BARDER. Art<https://www.barder.art/source#source/?view_23_page=1&view_23_filters=%5B%7B%22operator%22%3A%22contains%22%2C%22value%22%3A%22british%20columbia%22%2C%22field%22%3A%22field_14%22%7D%5D> - British Columbia<https://www.barder.art/source#source/?view_23_page=1&view_23_filters=%5B%7B%22operator%22%3A%22contains%22%2C%22value%22%3A%22british%20columbia%22%2C%22field%22%3A%22field_14%22%7D%5D>.

BARDER.art<https://www.barder.art> <https://www.barder.art> is a free online platform for our sector to exchange materials. This user-friendly, peer-to-peer material exchange platform is available for you to search for goods and materials you need for your next exhibition, and also to post used materials and equipment you are offering to other museums, galleries and theatres.

BARDER.art is not a replacement but a complement to the BCMA listserv—it is a complement. The BCMA listserv has been a very helpful way to share exhibit furniture. BARDER.art enables you to post all the critical information about the materials in one go, and creates efficiencies by eliminating emails back and forth with questions. Then via the BCMA listserv you simply share the BARDER.art URL to let people know about the materials, exhibit furniture or equipment you’ve posted. For instance, here is an entry that shows an offer of risers from the Vancouver Opera https://www.barder.art/source#source/details/674524be7cd28502b51009f9/  and another about a large display case from MOV https://www.barder.art/source#source/details/6733c5c5ab35b002d0c8354c/

You can also proactively search for furnishings, materials and equipment on BARDER.art before spending money on new purchases.

Please join us in using BARDER.art -British Columbia. Together we can reduce waste and contribute to climate action in BC.

Here’s tips on how to get started using BARDER.art:

Account set-up and sign-in:

1.      Go to https://www.barder.art<https://www.barder.art/>

2.     Scroll down to: SIGN UP to set up a free account –or use this link to Sign in if you already have an account.

Note: You can set up 1 email account and password that everyone in your organization uses, or set up individual accounts --your choice.

  1.  Please bookmark this (https://www.barder.art<https://www.barder.art/>) and put a note in your calendar reminding you to check the site bi-weekly or monthly so that it becomes a habit.

Search for furnishing and materials:

3.     If you’re looking for items to buy, borrow or get for free, select the SOURCE button to see all the posted items.

4.     Select the British Columbia tab to see only what’s posted in our ‘hood.

5.    You can search without signing, in but if you want to contact someone about a post you must sign in (sign in at the prompt or use the SIGN UP button on the landing page to also sign in.

Post furnishing and materials to sell, lend or giveaway

6.    Select POST or “MY POSTS” to see items you have already posted or to post new items to sell, lend or giveaway.

7.   If you have not signed-in yet, you will be prompted to do so.

8.   To post one or more items, select the black button “Post Item”.  Fill in the relevant categories to describe your materials/object(s) including: item, category, specs, dimensions, and questions about whether it is for sale, to lend or giveaway (“free’), and transport details (e.g. “pick up only”).

9.   Select availability:  “available starting time” and “expiration date.” This great feature lets you post items in advance of disassembly, with a specific time window, so interested parties can confirm pickup before your strike/takedown day.

10.  For the circle: (network) please pick PUBLIC (default setting).

11.  Once you’ve input information on the materials/object, press the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page

Important: Make sure that the address info for picking up your items indicates British Columbia so that your post appears under the "British Columbia" tab.

The success of this helpful online tool will depend on our BC community using BARDER.art, so please check it out frequently before you make purchasing decisions. Please also post your used items here. Let’s all “Spring clean” for the new year.

Let’s spread the word: If there are museums, galleries, theatres and other cultural organizations that you think can benefit from using this platform –please forward them this email.

Any questions - let me know.

Happy material sharing!

Viviane Gosselin, PhD (she/her/elle)

Acting CEO

Director of Collections and Exhibitions

Curator of Contemporary Culture

Museum of Vancouver
1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC  V6J 3J9
Office 604-730-5318

museumofvancouver.ca<https://museumofvancouver.ca/>

We acknowledge that MOV is located within the unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

[cid:94bec0e8-0861-40d2-8a9d-6a7e7b8e7ba5]

Feature Exhibitions:

Home Brew: How Vancouver & Beer Made Each Other (Virtual)<https://museumofvancouver.ca/beer-catalogue>

That Which Sustains Us<https://museumofvancouver.ca/that-which-sustains-us>

c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city<https://museumofvancouver.ca/csnam-the-city-before-the-city>

*MOV is offering discounted rates during our HVAC repairs!*<https://museumofvancouver.ca/museum-hours-and-admission>

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