Carol Sprachman Lecture

A Conference for Museum Volunteers

In Memory of Carol Sprachman, Former President and National Director of the CFFM

Carol was the CFFM: she helped establish the organization from its very inception and then served as a member of our board for twenty years. She had the drive, the vision and the network of connections to lead the CFFM to the fulfillment of its mission. As an unpaid, devoted volunteer for the Art Gallery of Ontario and then for the CFFM, Carol raised the visibility of all museum volunteers and in so doing won an award for her contributions to Canadian museums and to the Canadian Museum Association (CMA). Carol also believed in the international collaboration of museum volunteers and represented Canadian volunteers on numerous occasions in the World Federation of Friends of Museums.

In honour of a vibrant and generous life devoted to Canada’s museums and their volunteers, Carol’s friends, family and colleagues founded the Carol Sprachman Memorial Fund specifically to sponsor an annual lecture by leading Canadian voices of culture.

“Carol has shown us all how much a volunteer can contribute to our museums. With her loyalty, dedication and passion, she has set a standard for volunteers that will be hard to follow.” -Sean Murphy, CFFM Past President, on Carol Sprachman

This lecture series’ keynote is given by an important speaker in Canadian culture and heritage. We sponsored our inaugural conference in 2000, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, with a keynote by Dr Michael Bliss, noted scholar, historian and Officer of the Order of Canada. 

Since then, we have held many of our lectures in conjunction with the CMA National Conference. Each year, we invite our members to participate in the Carol Sprachman Lecture. The lecture is an excellent opportunity for museum volunteers to network and to expand their knowledge of Canadian heritage and museums.

2024 Carol Sprachman Lecture Video