Planning for the 2023 ISHA Conference hosted by the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is well underway, and we are now accepting proposals for conference sessions.

Sessions can cover a variety of subjects: collections, curation, education, fundraising, marketing, memberships, operations, programming, technology, sales, and beyond.

When putting together your proposal, please consider the following:

    • Opportunities to make it hands on and/or interactive
    • Practical application of the information and engaging a range of institution types, sizes, budgets, etc.

Click the following link to submit your proposal https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0ctJMn6hR_4_dW_RnnKdi9XfTwGc5wT_HUGa1lBjDzwSPmw/viewform

Completed proposals are due no later than Friday, April 12, 2023.

Questions can be directed to [email protected]

Share Your Favorite Artifacts with ISHA

As a way to get to know the ISHA board members a bit better, the social media team has undertaken the task of showing more objects from each of their own institutional collections.  We would like to extend that invitation to the rest of our membership!

Each week, an individual from ISHA’s member organizations will highlight their personal favorite artifact and tell its story.  Accompanying the photo(s) of that item will be a paragraph or two describing what the object is and why it is significant. We’ll be sharing them from our social platforms on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Would you like to tell everyone about a special piece in your organization’s collection?  Have a cool story to tell about someone and an object that helps to tell that story?  We would love to share it!  Please send your photos and a brief description to Jeffrey Cottrell at [email protected] so we can highlight your favorite artifact!

Digital Transitions 2022 Highlights

It’s been an exciting year for the Digital Transitions team as we have continued to provide end-to-end digitization solutions and services to a vast number of different institutions and industries. In 2022 we:

    • Attended and presented at the 2022 ISHA Conference in Green Bay, WI
    • Installed digitization equipment at over 55 institutions domestically and internationally, including at the NASA, Iron Mountain, Broadcast Solutions Middle East, the US Marine Corps, The Smithsonian Institution, Disney, Bonhams, Sony Picture Entertainment, The Swiss National Library and University of West Australia
    • Digitized 3-dimensional telephones, phone booths, and related paraphernalia for the Verizon corporation
    • Conducted a programmatic full-scale digitization operation for the entire Cape Cod Museum of Art Fine Art and Sculpture Collection
    • Concluded a multi-year film and glass plate negative collection digitization project for the Estonian National Archives that included an AI implementation to enhance descriptive metadata.
    • Implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) image and text analysis as well as OCR for printed and handwritten text for The HistoryMakers organization and a number of other institutions

And much, much more….

To learn more about how we can help your organization leverage your legacy assets and make the most of your sports heritage collection through digitization, contact us at [email protected]. If you would like to receive more information about our projects mentioned or our product and service offerings, subscribe to our newsletter at https://pixelacuity-digitaltransitions.com/sports-organizations/

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Inducted 2022 Class on November 19

The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame’s 2022 Induction Night took place on Saturday, November 19th at the Halifax Convention Centre. This year the NSSHF enshrined the following inductees: Olympic snowboarder and Canadian Champion Sarah Conrad, NHL player and Stanley Cup winner Jon Sim, three-time Paralympic medalist and two-time World Champion sailor Paul Tingley, the 1994 Dalhousie Women’s CIAU-Championship-winning soccer team, CIAU-Championship-winning hockey coach Tom Coolen, and Olympic paddling coach Csom Latorovszki.

Induction Night was attended by an audience of more than 600 people—a record turnout for recent years—and the event was broadcast live by Eastlink Community TV. A recording of the broadcast can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/xBBRlIUP_Tk

Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Develops Renderings of Facility Rebuild

The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame (NSSHF) is in the process of constructing a brand-new Hall of Fame facility in a familiar old location, and has completed preliminary renderings of the new design.

After closing its previous home adjacent to the Scotiabank Centre in fall 2020, the NSSHF has negotiated a new lease with landlord Armco Capital, and will return to its old location after undertaking significant renovations to build a bigger and better Hall of Fame museum.

The rebuild will increase square footage by up to 50%, and improvements will include:

  • Memorable and comprehensive inductee section
  • Impactful and educational exhibits
  • Dynamic and interactive games
  • Modern theatre/programming space
  • Onsite and visible storage to preserve and showcase Nova Scotia’s treasured sport artifacts
  • Meeting space
  • Improved visitor amenities
  • A welcoming and accessible space for all

Take a virtual walk-through of the re-imagined space by watching this video

And see more renderings by Harvey Architecture in the NSSHF’s Capital Campaign booklet

San Francisco 49ers Unveil “The Long Game”

An Exhibit About Social Justice, Equity in the Context of Professional Sports

The 49ers Museum presented by Foxconn Industrial Internet opened its newest exhibit last month just ahead of the team’s annual Inspire Change game, which follows the NFL’s initiative to ensure a more equal and just future. “The Long Game” takes visitors on a journey spotlighting five historical moments in the Bay Area where sports intersected with national movements for change. This is the first exhibit of its kind in the NFL.

The exhibit openly explores critical social issues such as sexism, housing, and racial discrimination. These stories include Willie Mays and the housing discrimination in San Francisco; Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ silent gesture on the Olympic podium; ‘Sexism and Equal Opportunity’ as told through Brandi Chastain and female coaches who have broken gender barriers and finally; Colin Kaepernick’s iconic protest that pushed the conversation about anti-Black racism on a global scale.

With this exhibit, the 49ers Museum hopes to spur discussion and action to combat discrimination and inequality around the Bay and across the globe. The team plans to integrate this exhibit with the 49ers Foundation’s 49ers EDU STEAM education program to teach local youth about these important cultural histories.

“The Long Game” gallery achieves the powerful storytelling through a combination of unique artifacts, graphics, and video footage capturing the iconic moments. CambridgeSeven, who designed the 49ers Museum’s original exhibit galleries and EDU Center, worked closely with the museum curators, educators, athletes, coaches, and advocates to craft the new exhibit.

Since the exhibit opening in December, the Museum has received rave reviews from students and visitors alike.

ISHA Colour logo

Dear Fellow ISHA Members,

I hope this communication finds you doing well and preparing for a relaxing and enjoyable time with your family and friends for the upcoming holidays.

Thank you for your dedication to preserve and promote sports heritage through your institution, company, or personal commitment. Among your member benefits is a commitment to provide annual support to members through the Founders’ Fund. Each year we ask the board members to lead by example and donate to the fund. Please consider joining us again this year in supporting this great cause for our industry.

The purpose of the Founders’ Fund is to offer financial funding to members to attend the conference, as well as to support special projects of our member institutions. The Founders’ Fund exists solely to support you and your facility and your fellow ISHA members. Each year, through an application process, the committee reviews submissions and makes recommendations to the Board on conference grants for members to attend the conference and on special projects grants for member institutions to complete a project that their facility has on their list of goals.

We are inviting you, as someone who shares our passion, to join the board and fellow members with a tax-deductible donation during this annual gift campaign. Your support will honor the true spirit of sports, while helping others in our industry.

The past two years were challenging for ISHA and the Founder’s Fund as they were for all of us. Our annual fund-raising efforts were curbed due to not being able to hold the annual conference. We have some ground to make up. Won’t you consider helping the Founder’s Fund in continuing to assist our members in promoting sports heritage and preserving our history? Thank you in advance for your consideration and commitment.

For ease in donating, please visit the ISHA website at this link:

https://sportsheritage.org/isha-grants/founders-fund/

I am making my personal donation today. My institution is also supporting the fund through an annual pledge. Won’t you join me?

Thanks so much and may you experience joy and blessings in the New Year!

Kent Sturman

Chairman, ISHA Founder’s Fund Committee

December 20, 2022
There are nearly 150 institutions located in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia that are Regular Members of ISHA. In addition, various corporations and individuals participate in and contribute to the growth of ISHA as Associate Members.

The ISHY Awards program was established to provide recognition for excellence in publications and exhibits by all member sports museums, hall of fame, or sports heritage organizations, regardless of size or budget, based upon a competition evaluated by ISHA members. Here is a look at this year’s winners:

2022 Award Winners ISHY
Category A. Book, printed hard cover or soft bound (Equal to Or Less 250K)
Mason County Sports Hall of Fame – Class Of 2020/2021 Mason County Sports Hall of Fame

Category A. Book, printed hard cover or soft bound (Over 250K US)
USGA Museum and Library – Swing Time: A Celebration Of Golf And Music

Category B. Non book publication (Over 250K US)
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame – Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame: Honouring Excellence (Annual Program)

Category C-A. Marketing Materials (Over 250 K US)
USGA Foundation – Walker Cup and Curtis Cup Endowment Marketing Brochures

Category: C-B. Marketing Materials Video /Audio Short (Over 250 K US)
World of Little League Museum – Seven Firsts

C-C. Marketing Material Social Media Account of the Year (Over 250 K US)
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame – Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Mobile App

Category: D Educational Programming (Equal to Or Less 250 K US)
Mason County Sports HOF – Ludington Mariners Baseball Team

Category: D. Education Programming (Over 250 K US)
The Sports Museum – Boston vs. Bullies Academy for Internet Champions

Category: E. Hall of Fame Inductions and/or Annual Event Support Materials (Equal to Or Less 250K US)
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame – Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Special

Category: E. Hall of Fame Inductions and/or Annual Event Support Materials (Over 250K US)
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame – Induction Night 2021 Video Suite (8 videos total)

Category: F-A. New Exhibit Under $50,000 (Over 250K US)
49ers Museum presented by Foxconn Industrial Internet – 49ers Museum Virtual Tour

Category: F-B New Exhibit $50,000-$250,000 (Equal to Or Less 250K US)
Mason County Sports HOF – Beyond the Game

About ISHA
The International Sports Heritage Association is a non-profit membership organization incorporated in 1971.  The mission of ISHA is to educate, promote and support organizations and individuals engaged in the celebration of sports heritage.  ISHA includes nearly 150 regular members from countries such as China, New Zealand, England, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States.  In addition, corporations and individuals participate in and contribute to the growth of ISHA as Associate Members.  For more information about ISHA, visit sportsheritage.test.

Contact:

Shane Mailman
ISHA Executive Administrator
[email protected]

Caitlin Dyer
ISHA Communications Committee
[email protected]