The submission deadline for this opportunity has passed.

Proposals should be sent by April 19, 2019.

It is an exciting time to join Lougheed House as we continue to grow as a cultural hub for Calgary and our Beltline community. We are evolving our organization and are looking for individuals interested in being a part of this journey. Lougheed House was built in 1891 and is a Provincial and National Historic Site.

Designed by Ottawa architect James R. Bowes for Senator James and Isabella Lougheed, it is one of the earliest surviving mansions of its kind on the Canadian prairies today. Located in the Beltline district of Calgary amid several acres of heritage gardens and green space, the House is also an accredited museum and significant Calgary landmark. It features a regular exhibition program, and hosts events, tours, and learning opportunities for visitors of all ages.

Calgary is evolving culturally. Lougheed House exhibitions currently reflect a singular historical perspective. We must be inclusive; reflect diverse histories. With community participation, we will produce an engagement framework, and exhibition plan, ensuring community collaboration is integral to exhibit/program development.

Background

Since it opened in 2005, Lougheed House Historic Site, which includes a museum collection, has focused its exhibitions and visitor experience on the early history of the House. With minimal involvement from the local community in the development of the permanent exhibitions, it does not reflect Calgary’s diverse histories, nor has it kept pace with new ways of engaging community to ensure meaningful and accessible experiences which interpret the past.

To understand who we serve and to identify community needs, we recently undertook a Community Engagement Project which led to the development of a Community Engagement Framework and Exhibit Plan for the redevelopment of our permanent exhibits to include more community voices and diverse histories.

Project Objectives

To evolve Lougheed House to truly be a place of community dialogue, where contemporary challenges are reflected through local experiences and histories. We plan to redevelop the permanent exhibitions on the second floor of Lougheed House, while also updating signage and interpretation throughout the entire house.

The second floor of Lougheed House is currently configured as a typical historic house museum with didactics and historic furnishings that explore the life of the house’s original owners, the Lougheed family. The displays have remained largely unchanged since the museum’s inception in 2005 and are not reflective of our current community.

We will consistently place community collaboration at the centre of programming and exhibitions development. To do this, we need to create an Interpretive Plan in collaboration with the community.

The Project Consultant will meet with the community partners identified through our Community Engagement project as well as local researchers. The Project Consultant will also undertake research in local archives and collections and will confirm:

•  Stories to be told in the permanent exhibits.
• Potential objects and archival documents that can be used to illustrate these stories.
• How the stories connect to the history of Lougheed House.

The Project Consultant will develop an Interpretive Plan for the redevelopment of the permanent exhibits at Lougheed House. The Interpretive Plan will build on our Community Engagement and Exhibit Plan and will include:

• An interpretive strategy that outlines:
  • Organizing frameworks for the exhibit (i.e. thematic vs. linear).
  • Communication objectives.
  • Means of communication (didactics, soundscape, multimedia, interactive displays, etc.).
  • Themes and storyline.
  • Preliminary objects and archival selections.
  • Recommendations for exhibit layout and design.

Project Budget: Consultant (fee is inclusive of travel expenses): $10,680

Milestones and Deadlines

Complete Hiring of Vendor for the Project: May 2019

Research Phase
Consultation with community partners; research in local archives and collections; development of initial themes and storylines: July 31, 2019

Interpretive Plan Phase
Write Interpretive Plan in consultation with Lougheed House staff; Submit the first draft of the plan to Lougheed House: September 30, 2019

Review Phase
Distribute draft plan to community partners to approve content: October 31, 2019

Revision Phase
Incorporate community feedback; Final draft of Interpretive Plan submitted to Lougheed House: November 30, 2019

Project Evaluation: December 31, 2019

What to Include in your Submission

Describe in detail your proposal to address the requirements outlined in this RFP, including details such as archives and collections to be accessed; technologies to be used; potential sources of moveable casework, exhibit fixtures, and lighting solutions; and a plan to address inclusive design and accessibility.

Provide a timeline for the completion of this proposal based on the timeline above (some flexibility is allowed but final project evaluation date is fixed); if you will carry out this project using a multi-phase approach please provide approximate timeframes.

Provide a brief history and profile of your business and experience delivering services for organizations similar to Lougheed House. Provide examples of your past clients comparable to our organization; include contact name, telephone number, services provided and length of service. Provide examples of your experience working with historic sites, museums, or heritage organizations.

Describe the project process and methodology including sample deliverables from past projects of similar size and scope. Document examples of your experience in designing/developing each of the project requirements. Include information on which interpretive strategies and models you have used in the past.

If you will be working with a team, list the members, and provide short biographies for each. If using freelancers or outside resources, please indicate them as such; we reserve the right to approve or disapprove of selected resources.

Please note that Lougheed House is a National and Provincial Historic Site, therefore, there are restrictions on how the physical structure of the house can be used and modified. Please keep this in mind as you develop your proposal.

Rights for all materials produced as part of the project will be held by Lougheed House Conservation Society.

Proposals should be sent by April 19, 2019, 11:59 MST to Kirstin Evenden, Executive Director, by email at kevenden@lougheedhouse.com. Or by mail to:

Lougheed House Conservation Society
707 13th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB  T2R 0K8

In advance of submitting your proposal, please contact Lougheed House Curator, Caroline Loewen, to request copies of the Community Engagement Framework and Exhibit Plan, that were previously developed as part of the initial Community Engagement Phase of this project. Please email Caroline Loewen, Curator, cloewen@lougheedhouse.com.

Please visit our website for more information, lougheedhouse.com.

Files

• RFP Interpretive Plan for Lougheed House PDF