Saturday, August 31, 2013
Transformations and Civic Connectedness
On Our Minds - August 9, 2013: In the Cambridge office of WolfBrown, we have been pursuing two complementary lines of work: the transformation of great 19th and 20th century institutions into 21st century organizations, and building the civic functions of those same organizations. Throughout the last year, we have been helping cultural institutions to leap forward into 21st century world: a process that demands enormous flexibility and vision from both staff and board. Consider the case of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, an institution devoted not only to maintaining a great collection but also to increasing the interest and understanding of the humanities in general and Shakespeare and the modern European world in particular. The Folger has become involved in online publishing, is now a major center for the digital humanities, and has a go-to website of Shakespeare media resources for high schools and college students. WolfBrown has had the privilege of helping the Folger develop a new wheelhouse - the staffing, budgeting, and strategic plan - that can support and sustain this transformation. Similarly, the firm joined forces with Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, the magnificent early 20th century home of James Deering in Miami, helping that organization think about its physical, programmatic and management needs for a second century of service to the community.
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These lines of work being pursued by the Cambridge office of WolfBrown are extremely important avenues for the future of the theatre community. As stated in the post, the institution is not only devoted to maintaining a vast collection of work, but it is also aiding in the interest and understanding of the humanities in general. It is so important that information like this be readily accessible for any and all to learn from.
It seems that a participatory-process or at the least interactivity is becoming almost essential in the art world. The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History is a tremendous example of this new model. Nina Simone is internationally renowned for her innovative curation of the museum, which has lead it to become a uniquely engaging experience. She has publicly explained that their permanent exhibits are in fact only about 10% of their draw for the public. It is public event planning and open ended participatory temporary exhibits which bring in the remaining 90%. This question faces all artists, exhibit designers and theater practitioners of today's world. How do you give ownership to your audience ?
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