New Brunswick Mat Registry Success – Fundraising Goal Reached

The New Brunswick Museum and the New Brunswick Mat Registry are pleased to announce that they have successfully reached their Fundraising Campaign goal of $70,000.

Meeting this goal means the Museum and Registry can now provide critical funding for a permanent Virtual Exhibition -Sharing our New Brunswick Mat Hooking Heritage to be hosted and managed by the New Brunswick Museum. “This latest success is thanks to the collaboration of a diverse group from all around the province who are motivated by a shared passion for the heritage of New Brunswick hooked mats. Determined, diligent and organized, their efforts have ensured that this important textile history will be an accessible legacy”, says Peter J. Larocque, NBM Head of Humanities Department and Art Curator.

The Registry has documented over 600 heritage hooked mats from around the province. The project engaged hundreds of individuals across the province and beyond, collecting their stories and images. ‘This has fostered a renewed sense of pride and understanding of mat makers, their motivations, their creativity and their unique contributions to the story that is New Brunswick”, says Judy Morison co-chair of the New Brunswick Mat Registry.

The Virtual Exhibition will present mat information, images and stories including videos of oral interviews, educational modules with sections on hooking history and contemporary developments. “Meeting our fundraising goal, means we are able to fully implement our plans for the site and share it with New Brunswick,  researchers and rug hooking fans worldwide”, shares Marielle Poirier co-chair of the New Brunswick Mat Registry.

This campaign was ambitious. A huge thank you is extended to all supporters from across the province — large and small, every dollar helped reach the goal.

A special thank you to Presenting Sponsors – The McCain Foundation, The Sheila Hugh McKay Foundation, New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, and the Founding and Presenting Sponsor – Briggs & Little Woolen Mills. Success would not have been possible without them!

The Future

The New Brunswick Museum and New Brunswick Mat Registry look forward to working with friends, organizations and partners in New Brunswick to continue to build the collection for future generations of New Brunswickers.

We look forward to celebrating the ‘official’ launch in 2022. Stay tuned for more details.

Post pandemic. The Museum and Registry will continue to register mats and add to the collection. For information on how to register a mat or to donate to support the registry, please check http://mats-tapisnb.com/  and https://www.facebook.com/mats.tapisnb/

Photos: 1 – The NB Museum and Registry 2018 at Musée acadien de l’Université de Moncton with Marielle Poirier, Doris Norman and Peter Larocque examining a mat.

2- The NB Museum and Registry 2018 in Saint Andrews with Evelyn Fidler,  Lois MacDonald, Tzigane Caddell and Lynn Kinsella.   

For further information:

Judy Morison morc@rogers.com (506) 379-6682 or 224-0246

Marielle Poirier marielle.poirier.mp@gmail.com  (506) 533-9578