The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on many industries. The culture sector is no exception. Museums have had to adapt, from safety precautions such as setting up one-way systems to big financial decisions, with some institutions making the controversial decision to sell their collections in order to avoid collapse. The detrimental impact on the culture sector should not be underestimated, with job losses, painful cancellations and institutions closing their doors forever. However, there has been some positive outcomes. Many arts organisations have taken the global lull as an opportunity to prepare for the future. Below are some examples of this innovation in a changing world.
Rethinking Space – Uffizi Galleries
“Uffizi Diffusi” is a new project orchestrated by the Director of the Uffizi Galleries, Eike Schmidt, to disperse their collection all over Tuscany. The art, which will be displayed in “thematically arranged presentations”, would usually have been kept in storage, out of sight. By spreading the works throughout Tuscany, the museum will establish itself as just one part of a wider cultural heritage. This could be beneficial for its future on both a local and touristic scale.
Firstly, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that most of Florence’s tourism market has disappeared. The culture sector has therefore had to adapt to appeal to local audiences instead. Schmidt said that “these works that will be spread throughout Tuscany have an identification value and a social value for the people who live here.” Essentially, art should be seen by the people whose history it represents.
Before COVID-19, Florence saw unsustainable levels of tourists who would litter and often stay briefly just to see the tourist hotspots. By spreading out works of art, the Uffizi not only makes the Tuscan locals feel valued, but encourages tourists to spread out as well. Schmidt is working with local mayors to establish bicycle routes between the works of art. According to Schmidt, they want to “create individual narratives that have something to do with the art history of the individual towns of Tuscany, like different chapters of one metaphorical book. In order to read the entire book, you have to go to more than one place.” In this way, the Uffizi Galleries are adapting to become more than a few hours of seeing and reflecting. Spreading out works means that tourists will say longer, spread their needed funds and less-needed ecological footprint around the region rather than concentrated in one overwhelmed area.
The Uffizi Galleries are creating a unique interrelation of art, history, nature, community and movement. This new approach to cultural activities encourages conversation between tourists and local life, rather than existing as a tourist island in the middle of a living Tuscany. They understand that museums should be part of the local community, not removed from it.
Taking on TikTok – Black Country Living Museum
When the stay at home mandate was ordered on 23rd March 2020 and weeks of emptiness stretched ahead, TikTok was a welcome outlet of creativity and entertainment. The week following the lockdown announcement, downloads of TikTok in the UK surged by 34%.
Museums have been trying to adapt to social media for years. The life of a Digital Marketer means that just as you get the hang of one platform, another one springs up. A brilliant example of succeeding on TikTok is the Black Country Living Museum in the West Midlands. Having adored this open-air museum as a child, eating Victorian-style fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, riding the Helter Skelter and exploring the mines, it is great to see how they’ve translated this special experience into the digital arena.
With characters giving life advice, lip-syncing to popular songs and showing viewers around their period homes, the BCLM has racked up over half a million followers on TikTok. What makes their short videos so special is that they are engaging with trends to give real value to their followers. People are learning in a fun and current way. For young people, learning about the roles of women during WW2 is much more exciting when you see them wearing the period clothes, performing the work and singing an Ariana Grande song to top it off. This mixture of historical accuracy and playful anachronism brings history into the present day without sacrificing knowledge. It’s also a solid social media strategy which will generate conversions once the world opens up again, because it gives people a taste of what it’s like to visit the Black Country Living Museum. Watching their TikToks certainly made me want to go back!
Handing over to the art-lovers – Getty Museum
The Getty Museum took to Instagram during the global lockdown. They created the #GettyMuseumChallenge in which their followers were challenged to recreate artworks from the collection at home. Their quarantined audience did not disappoint and creativity thrived. There’s even a book collating the best examples called Off the Walls. An article on ArtNet snootily described the project as showing that “the public’s understanding of art history was surprisingly sophisticated.” However, I don’t see any surprise. Museums thrive off of the passion and joy of their visitors. The Getty Museum Challenge encapsulates that the art world doesn’t have to be exclusive (backed up by their commitment to free admission) – it is not reserved for rich collectors and academics. Us ordinary folk can have just as much creativity, understanding and intelligent interpretation.
Art cannot exist if people do not connect to it in some way. By inviting people to recreate works from their collection, the Getty not only shows off what they have to offer, but gives people a personal connection to the museum and their works.
You can see more by searching #gettymuseumchallenge or visiting their blog.
The pandemic has pushed cultural organisations to rethink their strategy if they want to survive. It is an exciting time for innovation, but for some it is not enough. If you see your favourite local museum, theatre, or whatever it may be, struggling, then do what you can to support them until they open their doors again.
Feature image via Los Angeles Times
Misha Farlowe 