The Cultural Museum 2.0 Engaging Diverse Audiences in America a White Paper
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Cultural Museum 2.0 Engaging Diverse Audiences in America A White Paper The Cultural Museum 2.0 Engaging Diverse Audiences in America Prepared by the Japanese American National Museum With support from The James Irvine Foundation August 2009 Publication layout and design by Azusa Oda Audience research provided by Campbell Rinker Publication available in PDF at www.janm.org/projects/ Contents 4 Introduction 5 Executive Summary 7 Diversity Within Diversity: Next-Generation Arts Audiences The Changing Face of America The Changing Face of a Community The Changing Face of a Museum 14 Innovation as Catalyst: Establishing an Organization-wide Audience Development Project Embracing Innovation Finding the Project Logic Expecting the Unexpected 18 Creating Cultural/Ethnic Audience Surveys: Challenges and Opportunities Deciding What to Measure Consulting Peer Organizations Other Things to Consider 24 Findings from the Field, Learning in the Organization Get the Word Out Enliven the Museum Create Active Programming Bring the Story to the Present Let Go of Fear 34 Key Observations and Future Directions Encouraging Organizational Growth Innovation During Times of Crisis Future Directions 38 Appendix I: Summary of Audience Research Methodology 41 Appendix II: Summary of Audience Research 49 Appendix III: “Imagined Futures: Opening Possibilities for the Construction of Culture and Community” Lane Ryo Hirabayashi, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles 54 Acknowledgments Introduction The Japanese American National We have gained valuable data and Museum explores how the insights into prevailing public atti- experiences of an American ethnic tudes, allowing us to learn what group enrich and contribute to more diverse audiences find relevant Akemi Kikumura Yano, PhD the socioeconomic, cultural, and in our mission and programming. President and Chief Executive Officer political traditions that define our Japanese American National Museum democracy and even the very Such information has helped the idea of what it means to be an Museum embrace changes both highly American. Our hope is that, in this visible—such as the installation of spirit, our stories are seen as a exhibitions by Giant Robot co-editor reflection of everyone’s stories. Eric Nakamura, musician Mike Shinoda of the band Linkin Park, and While exploring the intersec- photographer Kip Fulbeck—as well tions between art, history, cul- as shifts nearly invisible to the public ture, and community is not new in areas such as strategic planning to the Museum, the character- and organizational restructuring. istics and defining qualities of Americas ethnic groups are con- Equally as important, these changes stantly changing—and are always have allowed us to foster a new subject to new interpretation. dialogue about one of the fastest- growing audience sectors: people Using the arts to interpret issues who are multiethnic/multiracial. This surrounding culture, ethnicity, and dialogue also encompasses broader identity has long been our passion, changes in the way Americans see a special niche to which we strive themselves and others, access or to bring innovation, creativity, and exchange information, and commu- collaboration. As we near the twenty- nicate or identify with one another, fifth anniversary of our incorporation allowing us to consider how such as an institution, however, it is clear changes impact the ability of cul- that the Museum serves a very differ- turally specific museums and arts ent world today, a world transformed organizations to sustain themselves. by dramatic shifts in demograph- ics, the impact of globalization, and As both our museum and the arts stunning advances in technology. field prepare to begin a new era, we hope that you will benefit from Thanks to a generous grant from this report, which shares the experi- The James Irvine Foundation’s ences and initial findings from our Arts Innovation Fund (AIF), the three-year Arts Innovation Fund Museum has had an opportunity project. We sincerely invite you to to holistically reassess itself and write to us with your feedback and its relationship with its audiences. to share your own perspectives. 4 The Cultural Museum 2.0 Japanese American National Museum Executive Summary How does a culturally specific arts Specifically, the project: organization adapt to changing • Developed new prototypes for demographics in order to more culturally/ethnically sensitive survey effectively engage and serve tools, working in collaboration with contemporary audiences that an audience research firm specializing are increasingly multiethnic? in the nonprofit sector; • Consulted other ethnic/cultural insti- Witnessing dramatic shifts in its tutions from across the nation; audience demographics over the • Conducted extensive audience past 25 years, the Japanese American research over a three-year period; National Museum (JANM) has • Tested a strategic selection of grappled with this question. One out programming; and of every three Japanese Americans • Used research findings to inform is now multiracial, and increasingly decision-making about the future audiences are no longer identifying direction of the institution. themselves simply by ethnic or racial categories as they had in the past. These activities were driven by a set of core essential questions: At a time when self-identity is playing a • To what extent is the visitor experi- significant role not only in how people ence influenced by cultural/ethnic see themselves but also in how they self-identification? view their relationship with museums • What is the relevance of the Museum and cultural centers, there are no simple to younger, multiracial audiences? solutions for how organizations— • How can the Museum develop pro- regardless of institution size, focus, gramming to engage and sustain these budget, or geographic location—can audiences? ensure the relevancy of their program- • How can the Museum engage new ming and their long-term sustainability. audiences while sustaining its current constituency? In order to recalibrate itself to bet- • What impact does engaging these ter serve more diverse audiences, audiences have on the ability for the JANM launched the Re-visioning + Museum to sustain itself in the future? Engaging Multiethnic Audiences in America project, supported through Some key findings and observa- a major grant from The James tions during this project included: Irvine Foundation. This project has • Multiracial audience members tend impacted all levels of the Museum, to be younger. Younger audiences as a bringing about widespread modifica- whole want to see their interests, expe- tions to the institution’s organizational riences, and perspectives represented structure, economic logic, strategic in the programming being presented. planning, and programmatic models. • Art exhibitions tend to be more 5 The Cultural Museum 2.0 Japanese American National Museum Visitors examine the work of street/graffiti artist David Choe, one of the young cutting-edge art- ists featured in the Museum’s new Salon Pop program. Photo by Gary Ono popular with multiracial audiences; These initial findings are in no way pop culture–themed programming intended as one-size-fits-all guidelines also resonated with younger and more for addressing the complex challenges diverse audiences. of serving diverse audiences. Rather, • Twenty-first-century audiences they are presented as a catalyst for are looking for efficient and active further discussion in the nonprofit arts museum experiences. field, which we hope will lead to new • The alignment of external and internal understandings and collaborations. perceptions is critical: how audiences perceive an institution can dramati- The changing face of America—the cally impact their desire to engage diversification of its population—has with the organization. been documented as a major trend, yet • Successful models of engagement can the full implications of this change for be developed that attract younger museums and other types of arts orga- and more diverse audiences as well nizations remain largely unknown. as address issues of institutional Through the Re-visioning project, the sustainability. Museum finds itself on the forefront • To fully engage younger and more of a movement that seeks to challenge diverse audiences, simple changes in culturally specific organizations, and programming or marketing were insuf- more broadly, museums of all variet- ficient. Museum leadership, staff, and ies, to reexamine how they engage volunteers had to embrace institution- new audiences and connect with wide change in order to create success- their next generation of supporters. ful models and new paradigms. 6 The Cultural Museum 2.0 Japanese American National Museum Diversity Within Diversity: Next-Generation Arts Audiences ➤ Identity-based portraits give voice to the multiracial experience in the kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa exhibition, shown at JANM in 2006 and currently traveling to venues around the country. © Kip Fulbeck 7 The Cultural Museum 2.0 Japanese American National Museum Diversity Within Diversity The Changing Face of America the ethnic studies movements of the 1970s and curriculum-based multi- For the first time in its 210-year cultural education of the 1980s and history, the U.S. Census Bureau 1990s, and with the election of the in 2000 allowed respondents to first biracial president in 2008, in the self-identify with more than one past four decades we have witnessed race. Of the 281.4 million people a widespread change