Save the Date: April 14, 2013 is LA Heritage Day!

Save the Date!

LA Heritage Day

Sunday, April 14, 2013 from 11am to 4pm

at the Pico House 

at El Pueblo Historical Monument 

in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.

This year's event will be expanded and include new interactive and entertainment features.

For more information, contact laheritage @ gmail.com!

(More information about participation will be sent to Heritage Organizations in LA County soon...)

Dec. 4: Conserving Modern Architecture at the Getty

From the Getty...

Global, Regional, and Local Efforts in Conserving Modern Architecture

Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Getty Center, Museum Lecture Hall
7:00 PM

Efforts to conserve the architectural heritage of the modern era began in the late 1970s. Since that time communities, groups, and professional conservation organizations have been working locally, nationally, and internationally to raise public awareness of its importance.

How far have we come and what still needs to be done to secure the future of the modern era's legacy?
Join a panel of international experts as they explore the ways conservation of modern architecture is being addressed by professionals and organizations worldwide.


For more details and reservations, visit the Getty.

Tips for Generating Members, Revenue, & Awareness during December

During the Holiday Season, heritage organizations can capitalize on the gift-giving aspects of this time of the year to both build membership and generate revenue. Here are some simple tips for organizations large and small:

1.  Contact (email, via Facebook, in your newsletter) your members and ask them to purchase a "gift membership" to your organization at a %10 discount. There is nothing like opening up a gift that lasts all year long. (This is especially true for organizations with sites.)

2. Offer a weekend discount at your museum or online store for anyone to purchase unique holiday gifts. Make it a celebration and offer "free gifts" (a postcard, a pin, etc.) and refreshments (cider, cookies, etc.) to add to the festivities. Any way you can offer ways to make gift purchasing easier or stress-free will attract more shoppers.

3. Offer a members only holiday ornament, notecards, calendar, or other item for purchase. Use your collection as an asset to create a unique, dated, and limited edition item that members and the community at large would want to have.

4. Send a calendar, ornament, or other holiday item to key decision makers in your community to remind them of your organization and to stand out from the dozens, if not hundreds of cards they might receive 

5. Offer your space to key and potential partners as a space to host a holiday party. This will also new people to visit your site.

6. Send New Year cards in January instead of holiday cards in December to make sure you're remembered and not lost in the shuffle. (See #4 for more on this.)

7. Use your website, blog, and other social media accounts to share items from your collection or images of your community in holidays past to remind them of you and to connect your collection to what's on everyone's mind: the Holidays. Sharing traditions that existed in the past in your community will offer insight into the heritage of LA. Even creating a price list of gifts from 50 or 80 years ago from a store in your community will attract attention.

8. Have your organizations board, staff, and even members support another non-profits holiday food drive, toy drive, or some other service by volunteering with them. This will bring attention to your organization with other community-oriented individuals and offer them the chance to get to you and your organization personally. Look for events that are also sponsored by large businesses or local government.


Do you have an idea on how to leverage the season to generate revenue and awareness or a question about one of the items above? Email us at laheritage @ gmail . com.

Natural Disasters & Your Heritage Assets

From the California Preservation Foundation... How prepared are you in the event of a natural disaster affecting your cultural resources?   Learn from professionals in the field and historic properties in California affected by natural disasters about how to be prepared and why it is important and valuable to have a disaster plan to protect your cultural resources at CPF's next Webinar and Workshop. Webinar  $40 - Members; $60 - Non-Members Introduction to Disaster Planning and Cultural Resources Speaker: Ione Stiegler, FAIA, Principal Architect, IS Architecture Wednesday, October 31, 2012 12:00-1:30 PM More Information and Online Registration Disaster Planning is something that has come up frequently in Southern California over the years, not just because of our location along fault lines and predisposition to earthquakes but also because of our climate and what that means for weather related disasters like drought, wildfires and flooding from intense rains.  Learn why it's important to be prepared from the lessons learned with the Sikes Adobe in Escondido that burned in a wildfire after being restored and has since been reconstructed. Workshop $115 - Members; $150 - Non-Members BEFORE and AFTER -- Disaster Preparedness and Cultural Resources In Partnership with Brea Historical Society  Wednesday, November 28, 2012 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Brea Museum & Heritage Center 125 W Elm St, Brea, CA 92821 More Information and Online Registration Register for the workshop and receive a FREE registration for theWebinar: Introduction to Disaster Planning and Cultural Resources Disaster planning is part of the California mindset, not just because we live on fault lines and are predisposed to earthquakes, but also because of our climate and development in areas prone to disasters like wildfires and flooding. Does your City or Historic Museum have a Disaster Plan in place?  What are some of the typical and unique challenges that arrive in the event of a disaster?  How can we prepare for such an event and protect historic structures?  What are best practices from Cities that have experienced disasters, even devastating disasters.  What is FEMA’s role in preparing us for such events, during an event and after an event?  How does the State historic building code interface with structures and the respective engineers in the event of a disaster? A panel of building officials, structural engineers, architects and FEMA representative will address these topics and more! Topics Include: Why disaster planning is important in California How to include protection of cultural resources in a disaster plan The roles of individuals and government agencies before and after a disaster How the State Historic Building Code is utilized before and after a disaster Speakers: Alessandro Amaglio, FEMA Region IX John Bwarie, U.S. Geological Survey Mel Green, SE, Melvyn Green & Assoc. Inc. Roy Harthorn, Consulting Building Official Taylor Louden, AIA, GTL Historical Architecture Lynn A. Voorheis, Riverside Metropolitan Museum More Speakers to be Announced Who should attend: Architects,Building Officials, Plans Examiners, Fire Prevention Officials, Building Managers, Planners, Historic Property Owners and Emergency Planning Officials.

2012 California Cultural Summit (in Long Beach)

From the California Cultural and Historical Endowment...

Come for an engaging and rejuvenating day among writers, poets, artists, preservationists, and humanitarians exploring California's cultural heritage!

Thursday, October 18th, at the beautifully restored Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach ~  

The 2012 California Cultural Summit

and

4th Annual CCHE Grantee Reception

$25 Registration includes Rancho and Garden tours, Catered lunch and an evening reception featuring wine, hearty appetizers, and Keynote Speaker, Cal Humanities Executive Director Ralph Lewin. 

Make your reservation today!  

Call Lynnda Fair at CCHE ~ 916.653.1330. 

For more information, please visit http://www.library.ca.gov/grants/cche/docs/The_2012_California_Cultural_Summit_Schedule.pdf

LA Heritage Day 2012 Details

L.A. HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATES SOUTHLAND’S COLORFUL, DIVERSE HISTORY

500 Years of Fascinating Facts and Objects on Display at Free Event

Sunday, April 29, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument

(LOS ANGELES March 19, 2012) – Fortune cookies, a Civil War tent, L.A.’s first fire “truck,” menus from long-ago restaurants, a wooden nickel, and the city’s first grand hotel each have a story to tell about the Los Angeles region’s over 500 years of recorded history. On Sunday, April 29, 2012, the L.A. Heritage Alliance will host its Fourth Annual L.A. Heritage Day in partnership with El Pueblo Historical Monument, to share this history through tours, five museums, a scavenger hunt, children’s activities, presentations, giveaways, food, and other activities.

“In an area sometimes perceived as having no ‘real’ history, L.A. Heritage Day is an opportunity for people to learn about and enjoy the fascinating people, places, and events that have shaped Southern California,” said Cindy Olnick, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Conservancy. “It’s also a chance to learn about the incredible variety of local preservation groups, museums, libraries, and historical societies serving people today throughout Los Angeles County.”

“With so many groups attending this event, there will be something for everyone. The legacy of the Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and African immigrant communities along with our region's indigenous people will be honored for their role in making Los Angeles the diverse metropolis it is today,” said Robert Andrade, General Manager of El Pueblo Historical Monument.

This year’s L.A. Heritage Day will take place inside the historic Pico House at El Pueblo Historic Monument (http://elpueblo.lacity.org/), adjacent to Olvera Street and across the street from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is the birthplace of L.A., the original site of the early pueblo where the city was founded in 1781. Special tours of Olvera Street, Avila Adobe, Chinese American Museum, and Plaza Firehouse Museum will be available.

L.A. Heritage Day is Sunday, April 29, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free, including tours. The event is also sponsored in part by the Office of LA City Councilman Tom LaBonge and Project Restore.

For directions and public transportation options, visit the event listing on the ExperienceLA Heritage Portal:
http://www.experiencela.com/calendar/event/45226.

Registered L.A. Heritage Day Groups as of 4/26/2012:

African American Firefighter Museum 
Alhambra Preservation Group 
American Cinematheque at the Aero & Egyptian Theatres 
Arab American Historical Foundation 
Arcadia Historical Society 
Art Deco Society of Los Angeles 
Associated Historical Societies of Los Angeles County 
The Banning Museum 
Boyle Heights Historical Society 
Burbank Historical Society 
Campo de Cahuenga 
Caribbean Heritage Organization 
Chinese American Museum 
City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources 
Conference of California Historical Societies 
Culinary Historians of Southern California 
Drum Barracks Civil War Museum 
Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument 
El Pueblo Park Association 
ExperienceLA.com 
Federated Italo-Americans of Southern California 
 Fort Moore Garrison 
Friends of Griffith Park 
Friends of the Michael White Adobe 
Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians 
GHOULA 
Heritage Square Museum 
Highland Park Heritage Trust 
Historical Society of Centinela Valley 
Hollywood Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution 
Hollywood Heritage 
Homestead Museum 
Ischia–San Pedro/Los Angeles Sister City Foundation 
Italian American Museum of Los Angeles 
Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles 
LA as Subject 
Lanterman House 
Las Angelitas del Pueblo 
Leonis Adobe Museum 
Little Landers Historical Society/Bolton Hall Museum 
Little Tokyo Historical Society 
Long Beach Heritage 
Los Angeles City Historical Society 
Los Angeles Conservancy 
Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation 
Los Encinos State Historical Park
Los Pobladores 200 
Lummis Day Community Foundation 
Malibu Adamson House Foundation 
Monrovia Historic Preservation 
Group Montebello Historical Society 
Muckenthaler Cultural Center 
Native Daughters of the Golden 
West Old Spanish Trail Association 
Pio Pico State Historic Park - Friends of Pio Pico 
Point Fermin Lighthouse 
Society of Architectural Historians – Southern California Chapter 
San Fernando Valley Historical Society 
San Marino Historical Society 
Santa Monica Conservancy 
Santa Monica History Museum 
Southern California Genealogical Society 
Vintage Venice Reel To Real Tours 
W.E.S.T. - American Frontier 
West Adams Heritage Association 
Yesteryears Dancers

Two Webinars for Heritage & Preservation Success

From the California Preservation Foundation:

California Preservation Foundation is offering two webinars in March focused on the stewardship of historic sites. The Webinars will be held on Tuesday, March 13 and March 27 from 12 to 1:30 PM. These webinars are intended for historic building owners, fundraisers, planners, preservation professional and grass roots enthusiasts. See below for information on each webinar or go to www.californiapreservation.org/webinars.html for more information and to register now!


Tuesday, March 13, 2012: Building a Stable Financial Foundation for Your Historic Building
Speakers: Jim Newland, Historian/Planner, California State Parks; Max van Balgooy, President, Engaging Places, LLC

You’ve successfully enlisted volunteers, completed your capital campaign, fixed the roof… and now what? Learn how to keep your historic resource economically viable into the future. This webinar will present a range of methods for short and long term organizational stability that are consistent with your resource size, type and audience. Included are creative interpretive programs and activities that can complement your resource and add to your bottom line. Examine the opportunities and constraints associated with various ownership structures. Topics include best practices in financial planning, programming, marketing, Board development, and volunteer cultivation.


Tuesday, March 27, 2012: Non-Profit Fundraising in a Bad Economy
Speaker: Zoot Velasco, CFRE, Muckenthaler Cultural Center

Zoot Velasco will discuss his personal story of how the Muckenthaler Cultural Center tripled their programs and doubled their budget in the past three years while the country and most nonprofit cultural and historic organizations were going through the worse economy since the Great Depression. It is a story of strategic planning, strategic partnerships, marketing, social enterprise, and board development. "The Muck" as they affectionately call it is a National Registry historic building now hosting 30,000 people annually in our stages, galleries and classes and are the site of over 75 weddings and corporate events each year as well. They have become award winning program with a 2008 Best Historic Site awards from OC Parenting Magazine, a 2009 Fullerton Chamber of Commerce “Quality of Life” award for best non-profit organization, and a 2010 Best Arts Organization award from Arts OC, the county-wide arts council. Last year we were nominated for a National Award of Merit and published an Arcadia book on their history.

Save the Date: LA Heritage Day on April 29th

Save the date and plan to attend LA Heritage Day 2012 on Sunday, April 29th from 10am to 4pm.

This year's event will take place at El Pueblo Historic Monument along the historic Plaza in partnership with them.

More details will be announced soon, but plan to celebrate the Los Angeles' rich heritage with over 200 heritage organizations from across LA!

Long Beach Heritage Honors John Thomas

Congratulations to one of LAHA's leaders, John Thomas, who has been recognized as "Preservationist of the Year" by Long Beach Heritage.

From Long Beach Heritage...

Experience the elegance of the Art Deco era when you attend Long Beach Heritage’s 2012 Awards Benefit and Gala on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. This special event, held in the beautifully decorated Grand Salon on the historic Queen Mary, celebrates a number of notable restoration efforts and the remarkable achievements of longtime preservationists. People who attend the major fundraiser will not only help support Long Beach Heritage’s preservation efforts, they will also enjoy a fabulous dinner and have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction full of unique and antique items and gift certificates.

The Preservationist of the Year Award will be presented to John Thomas for his significant contributions and dedication to historic preservation. He has held the positions of president and vice president of advocacy on the Long Beach Heritage Board of Directors, and was instrumental in persuading city officials to adopt a Historic Preservation Element into the General Plan. More recently, he encouraged the adoption of the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, which allows historic buildings being considered for demolition to be red flagged for reuse projects. John also chaired the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, and is president of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles and the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association. He has previously been on the board of directors of the Long Beach Historical Society and a consultant to the Queen Mary. In addition, John co-authored Images of America RMS Queen Mary, and Long Beach Art Deco with Suzanne Tarbel Cooper and J. Christopher Launi.

Other award recipients include:

The Lafayette Home Owners Association for the repainting of the exterior of the Art Deco hotel built in 1928-1929.

Claudia Jurmain for the book Rancho Los Alamitos-Ever Changing, Always the Same, which details the history of the ranch and its residents from the Native American Povuu’nga tribe to the Bixby family.

Craig and Christine Bouma for the complete restoration of both the exterior and interior of their 1936 Spanish Revival home.

Todd and Ranae Saunders for the meticulous restoration of their 1958-59 mid-century modern home.

Matt and Krysta Leaver for the restoration of their mid-century ranch style home built in 1953. This is a well preserved example of the modest structures in the Cliff May Rancho’s area of Long Beach.

The architecture firm Hugh Gibbs & Donald Gibbs Architects, FAIA for producing an amazing number of landmarks and commercial and residential structures throughout Long Beach and the Southern California area.

Linc Housing for the refurbishing of the neglected Palace Hotel, built in 1929 on East Anaheim. The building is now a commercial property with stores on the ground floor and rooms for rent above

The California Heights Neighborhood Association for its restoration of 136 era lampposts in their historic district to complement their historic homes.

The Long Beach Symphony will also receive a heritage award for their Concerts in Long Beach Historic Sites program, which brings music and architecture together for the benefit of Long Beach residents.

A no host bar and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m. and a dinner and awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Parking is hosted. To order tickets, call (562) 493-7019 or visit www.lbheritage.org to pay via PayPal.

Long Beach Heritage is a nonprofit education and advocacy group promoting public knowledge and preservation of significant historic and architectural resources and the cultural heritage of Long Beach.

Training Opportunities in North Orange County

From The Muckenthaler Center...

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center will be hosting two conferences coming soon that may be of interest to the membership:

One is a conference for Nonprofit Management Training:

http://themuck.org/artfully-managing-conference/

The other is a Heritage Conference & Festival for North OC Historical Agencies:


North Orange County Heritage Festival & Conference
Supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Orange County Community Foundation, Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton Heritage, Carol Hasenberg Exhibits, Carlota Haider Exhibition Consultant, and Genealogical Society of Hispanic America-Southern California
Thursday . March 15 .
1-6 PM Conference ($20- includes dinner)
6:30-8:30 PM Festival (FREE)

Our inaugural Heritage Conference helps us discover the common and distinct histories of North Orange County. The conference features presentations made by historical societies, non-profit organizations, and museums from North Orange County. We hope to foster greater interest in regional history and to reconnect our vibrant local communities with the rich heritage of our county.

At an afternoon conference, members of Heritage groups from all over the region to participate in a planning session for a proposed regional event to cross-promote these agencies. The conference includes panel discussions on successful volunteers, members, and board recruitment techniques. At 5 PM a networking dinner will be provided to all groups.

At 6:30 PM groups will move out to their booths in our first Heritage Festival, providing history buffs of all ages a clear idea of the local history resources available in the community. There will be booths on historic homes, OC museums and parks, and genealogical associations. Entertainment features dances and music from our rancho past, food vendors, a kid’s area, and tours of the Muckenthaler.

Contact for both conferences is (866) 411-1212 or info@themuck.org

Boyle Heights Reception at Occidental College

From Malissa Strong, President of the Boyle Heights Historical Society...

The Boyle Heights Historical Society has been very fortunate to have formed a partnership with Occidental College Library over the last few months. We are showing a photography exhibit, Boyle Heights Images and Essays: 1850 to 1900 in the library gallery. The exhibit exposed students to the early and often unknown relationship between Boyle Heights and Occidental College.

To me this partnership benefits small heritage societies, such as ours, and large institutions alike.

Having said that, we would like to invite you to a reception for the exhibit:

Thursday, January 19th
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Occidental College Library
1600 Campus Road
Eagle Rock, CA 90041

RSVP to info@boyleheightshistoricalsociety.org or phone 323-868-6719

Please enter campus at Alumni Avenue. Free parking is available in the lot to the right of the entrance near the Library Academic Commons. For directions to campus maps go to www.oxy.edu and click on directions. The library building is #5 on the map.

Please note, there will be someone to give you access to the rear entrance of the library.

We look forward to seeing you at the reception.

Grants for Hidden Collections

From the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)...

CLIR Accepting Proposals for 2012 Cycle of Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives Grant Program

Washington, DC, January 10, 2012—The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is now accepting proposals for the 2012 cycle of the Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant program. Information about the program and links to the online application and guidelines are available at http://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/index.html. The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, March 16, 2012.

CLIR will host a webinar for applicants on Friday, January 20, 2012 from 2:00 – 3:15 pm EST. For more information on the upcoming webinar, please visithttp://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/applicants.html#webinar.

In 2012 the program expects to award about $4 million in grants that range from $75,000 to $500,000. Applicants may request terms as short as 12 months or as long as 36 months, or any period in between. All projects must begin between January 1 and March 1, 2013, and be completed by February 29, 2016.

The application process has two phases. The initial proposal round is open, and anyone interested in applying for a grant through this program must submit an initial proposal by March 16, 2012. The final proposal round is by invitation only. Only those applicants whose initial proposals have been approved by the Hidden Collections Review Panel will be allowed to submit a full final proposal.

Decisions will be announced by December 31, 2012.

The program awards funds to institutions holding collections of high scholarly value that are difficult or impossible to locate through existing finding aids. Award recipients will create descriptive information for their hidden collections that will be linked to and interoperable with all other projects funded by this grant, to form a federated environment that can be built upon over time. Funding for the program comes from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

CLIR is an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning. Information about CLIR and its work is available at www.clir.org.

2012 Quarterly Meeting: February 4th at 10am

Don't miss the next LA Heritage Alliance Quarterly Meeting on Saturday, February 4th from 10am to 12pm.

In addition to regular business & networking, this meeting will feature a "SnapShot Messaging" workshop on how to effectively talk about your organization in under 1 minute, whether to potential donors, volunteers, members, community members, or visitors. This session will have you go through a process of identifying and refining your message to turn a chance (or just short) meeting into action in support of your efforts. This workshop will require you to understand both the mission and goals (short or long term) of your organization.

The meeting will be held at Bolton Hall (courtesy of the Little Landers Historical Society): http://www.littlelandershistoricalsociety.org/index_files/Page581.htm

Don't miss out!