Now’s the time to focus on relevance

In challenging times, courage doesn’t always look bold. Sometimes, it looks like a museum exhibit about basketball.

I’ve been thinking about this line from a recent opinion piece in Museums Journal from Alexa Madlagry from the research and consulting firm Morris Hargreaves McIntyre. She writes:

“Audience engagement isn’t just a marketing strategy; it’s a lifeline that can shield institutions during political or financial uncertainty by building a foundation of trust and loyalty that can sustain organisations through even the most volatile climates.”

(Full article: “US museums are facing unprecedented pressures – but remain resilient”)

Back in 2020, the Weatherspoon Art Museum at my university, UNC Greensboro, presented “To the Hoop: Basketball and Contemporary Art“, an exhibit on basketball — artistically rigorous, intellectually sharp, but also an open door for new visitors who may not have seen themselves in a museum space before. It’s a hallmark of Emily Stamey‘s approach as Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon Curator of Academic Programming and Head of Exhibitions. To paraphrase her approach that she’s described to me informally, she sets a criteria for herself to always have a “way in” for regular people, an easy access point that makes it easy to decide to come to the museum and engage.

That’s what courage can look like right now as the sector is facing major funding challenges due to federal funding cuts and continued struggles to attract audiences: letting go of self-imposed rules about what counts as “serious” art or a “typical” audience, and instead asking, What opens a meaningful door for someone else?

I understand the concern. Many arts professionals worry that broadening appeal means losing depth. But I’d ask:

Do you remember a time when you had a different reaction to art than someone else did? Well, now that you’re in charge of how art gets developed and shared, how can you make space for different people to have different reactions to art?

In a moment when funding is shrinking and pressures are growing, it’s easy to play defense. But what if the way forward isn’t in retreat — it’s in curiosity?

So here’s a question I’ll leave with you:

Do you remember the last time you were delighted by someone else’s response to art because they saw it in a different way than you did?

How can you try something new in your organization today to see if you can make that happen?

Photo by Kylie Osullivan on Unsplash