The Galleria: Stories of the BC Co-op Movement
Much of the history of British Columbia's co-operative movement is unknown and not researched. When co-operatives are mentioned, they are usually only given passing reference in a history textbook, either as an afterthought or with hesitation as though the very word was not understood. Despite their absence from the published historical record, throughout the twentieth century co-operatives have played vital roles in different sectors of BC's economy, rural communities, and among ethnic and religious groups. It is against this backdrop that the Galleria project was developed with the primary aim of providing a comprehensive introduction to the Co-operative Movement in British Columbia in an engaging and relevant way.
While co-operation has taken many forms all over the world, the co-operatives described in the Galleria are derived from the Rochdale model. The co-operative society established in 1844 by a group of 28 men, is credited as the first fully 'modern' co-operative business organisation. Elements of the Rochdale co-operative that characterise modern co-operatives are one vote per member irrespective of share holdings, political and religious neutrality, and the active education of the co-operatives members. Set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, the Rochdale Co-op became a living example of the idea of people working collectively to achieve individual and common goals.
The Galleria Project provides a stepping-stone into the broad and fluid field of Co-operative Studies. Viewers can weave their way through the co-op stories by taking four different pathways-region, theme, sector, or co-op era. These pathways reflect four different aspects of the Co-operative Movement: the places in which co-ops develop, how co-ops intersect with people's daily lives, the organisational models of co-ops, and the larger historical and social context in which they are formed.
The kinds of stories told in the Galleria range in style, method, and detail. Sources used include archival and written documents, interviews, oral historical records, and photographs. Authors include both researchers at BCICS as well as individuals from the co-op community. The materials have been gathered from museums and individuals from around the province. Fieldwork for this project was conducted between July 2000 to July 2002 in the North Okanagan, Osoyoos and surrounding area, Gibsons, Dawson Creek, Cowichan Valley, Nelson and surrounding area, Creston, Prince Rupert, and Terrace.