The Beaton Institute

10/09/2026

To celebrate the kick off to the start of the Celtic Colours International Festival we are sharing some photos from events that took place during past festivals.

The Celtic Colours Festival Society was created in 1996 to create an annual series of cultural events taking place across Cape Breton to celebrate the Celtic tradition on the island. The first festival was held from October 9th to 13th in 1997, founded by Joella Foulds and Max MacDonald. This year, Celtic Colours is celebrating 30 years of music, community, and culture.

You can check out the schedule for the 250+ events happening on the island on their website: https://celtic-colours.com/schedule/

Image credits:
Brenda Stubbert at A Touch of the Irish, Riverdale Community Centre, Lower River Inhabitants, Nova Scotia, October 13, 2003. Photograph by Celtic Colours Festival Society. MG 21.68-C-6.

Patricia Murray at Gaelic Airs, Boisdale Fire Hall, Boisdale Nova Scotia, October 12, 2003. Photograph by Celtic Colours Festival Society. MG 21.68-C-181.

Jennifer Roland at Kitchen Racket, Jubilee School, Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, October 17, 2003. Photograph by Celtic Colours Festival Society. MG 21.68-C-205.

David Greenberg at Friends & Relations, Strathspey Place, Mabou, Nova Scotia, October 15, 2003. Photograph by Celtic Colours Festival Society. MG 21.68-C-159.

Mairi Rankin and Natalie MacMaster at Festival Club, Great Hall of the Clans, Gaelic College, St. Ann’s, Nova Scotia, October 13, 2003. Photograph by Celtic Colours Festival Society. MG 21.68-C-96.

10/09/2026

The Association of Canadian Archivists and the Canadian Cultural Heritage Advocacy Committee have written to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to raise concerns about the growing impact of Bill C-3 and citizenship-by-descent requests on archival institutions across Canada.

ACA and CCHAC are also requesting a meeting with federal officials and representatives of affected archives to develop a sustainable and practical way forward.

Read the full letter here: https://archivists.ca/Latest-News-Announcements/13733118.

Alt-text: Graphic features a grey textbox bordered by alternating black and red frames. Inside, the ACA and CCHAC-CCDPC logos are featured. Underneath, large black text reads: "ACA and CCHAC Write to Minister Diab Regarding Bill C-3's Impacts on Archives". Below, a pink rectangle reads: "Read the full letter at www.archivists.ca".

10/05/2026

Please join us at the Beaton Institute for a special event on Tuesday, October 6th! One Mouth to the Next: A Conversation will take place in the reading room at 12:00 PM until 1:30 PM with artists Erik Moskowitz and Amanda Trager, Greg Davies (CBU Art Gallery Curator), Jane Arnold (Beaton Institute Archivist), and Anna MacNeil (Beaton Institute Archival Research Assistant).

Please note that the Beaton Institute will be closed Tuesday from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM.

10/02/2026

With heavy hearts, the parish of St. Alban’s is marking the closure and deconsecration of St. Alban’s Anglican Church in Whitney Pier this weekend, after 124 years of serving the Whitney Pier community. A social gathering will be held at 6:30pm this Saturday, October 3rd, ahead of the final service on Sunday. All are welcome to join as we come together to share stories, memories, and reflections on the many people who have made St. Alban’s such an important part of our community.

Image credits:
St. Alban’s Church, Whitney Pier, 1999. Photograph by Paul Prendergast. 99-194-29965.
St. Alban’s Church Interior, Sydney, 1965. Photograph by Abbass Studios. B-2925.

10/01/2026

Today marks the beginning of Mi’kmaq History Month as well as Treaty Day. This year’s theme is “Nepisulti’k”/“We Are Healing”, inspired by the teachings of the late Elder Murdena Marshall. As quoted on the Mi’kmaq History Month website, “Healing and health are not something a person achieves, Elder Murdena taught, but rather a journey that people live every day. Healing is an ongoing process, she said, one that takes courage and is unique to each person”.

Dr. Murdena Marshall was born in Whycocomagh on September 17, 1942 to Roddie and Elizabeth Stevens. In 1984, she graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Education degree and taught in community for a while before completing her Masters of Education degree at Harvard University. Murdena became a faculty member at University College of Cape Breton (now Cape Breton University) in the 1980s and taught in the Mi’kmaq Studies program. She played a key role in enhancing the program and in the mid-1990s, she was also instrumental in helping to develop the Integrative Science program at CBU, allowing students to study indigenous and mainstream sciences side by side.

Upon retiring from CBU, Murdena continued her sacred work in her community of Eskasoni, which she made a top priority. She also developed KECCA (Knowledge and Education & Culture Consultant Associates) with her husband Albert and was granted the degree Doctor of Letters honoris causa from Cape Breton University for her prolific work in promoting Mi’kmaq language and culture, cross-cultural understandings, healing, and reconciliation in 2009.

On October 22, 2018, Dr. Marshall passed away at home, surrounded by family.

Image credit:
Murdena Marshall, Cape Breton University Convocation, Fall 2009. University Records, Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

09/29/2026

In honor of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Beaton Institute will be closed tomorrow, September 30, to honor the Residential School survivors, their families, and the communities affected by the lasting impact of Canada's Residential School system and to commemorate those who never came home.

To learn more about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

To read about Treaty Education, please visit: https://novascotia.ca/treaty-education/treaty_education_brochure.html

09/29/2026

Learn more about the Peace and Friendship Treaties through a display and information table on now at the CBU Cafeteria until October 2nd.

09/24/2026

Please join our friends at Polish Village Hall for a special event this Saturday, September 26th at 2:00 PM!

09/18/2026

Happening this evening at the CBU Art Gallery!

Mark your calendars for the opening of our upcoming exhibition, ‘one mouth to the next’ featuring work by Erik Moskowitz & Amanda Trager. The exhibition presents archival and contemporary portraits of individuals across Unama’ki / Cape Breton, with prints, video installation, voice and song. Presented by the CBU Art Gallery in conjunction with the Beaton Archive, ‘one mouth to the next’ marks the most recent iteration of an ongoing project by the artists who continue to work from their home near Inverness.

The exhibition opens with a gallery reception on Friday, September 18th (6:30 - 8:30 pm). The artists will be present. Refreshments will be provided. All are welcome!

Cape Breton University CBU Students' Union CBU Recreation CBU Library Beaton Institute Archives Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Eltuek Arts Centre Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design St. FX Art Gallery Acadia University Art Gallery MSVU Art Gallery SMU Art Gallery Dalhousie Art Gallery NSCAD University Anna Leonowens Gallery Owens Art Gallery Beaverbrook Art Gallery Struts Gallery Hermes Gallery CBC Nova Scotia CBC East Coast Inverness County Centre for the Arts Richmond Artists Alliance ArtWorks East Cape Breton Buzz Cape Breton Island Amanda Trager

09/14/2026

Last week, The Inverness Oran published an article in its "And Then Again" column about our founder, Sister Margaret Beaton, which was written by Alyssa Gallant, one of our staff members at the Beaton Institute. The article can be read by clicking on the first image below.

Also, check out The Inverness Oran website for more great content!

Image credits:
Portrait of Sister Margaret Beaton, ca. 1970. Photograph by Abbass Studios Ltd. 77-1355-1489.
Sister Margaret Beaton and Allan J. MacEachern, May 14, 1972. Sister Margaret Beaton fonds, MG 21.46-F-1-2-004.
Sister Margaret Beaton at a luncheon. Sister Margaret Beaton fonds, MG 21.46-F-2-001. See less