"We have to generate a new notion of success – or even forget about this word"
"We have to generate a new notion of success – or even forget about this word. There will be no other option but to abandon the obsolete quantitative metrics, linked to neoliberal ethics, and return to the idea of the museum as a public service. Relationships should be put at the center of our operations: the traditional attributions of the museum -conservation, interpretation, mediation- should be the result of considering the different agents involved, including its empowered audience, but also the staff, the members of the governing bodies, the artists and scholars."
Ferran Barenblit, Director, MACBA Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, and panelists at CIMAM's Rapid Response Webinar #6: How Should Museums be Defining 'Success’ in a Time of COVID?
Abstract
As we are now more than half a year into living with the global pandemic CIMAM would like to invite its members into an open peer to peer reflection on what we have collectively learnt in the Museum sector, what the future looks like, and the nature of contemporary art museums that will emerge out of this.
Recent surveys by museum associations in Europe and United States show that the future viability of many museums is under threat as a result of the pandemic and economic crisis. Museums have reported fundamental changes in their audiences, programmes and income sources which will require radical new solutions. Should museums “adopt” to a new reality by simply downsizing to a smaller scale and less ambitious programming or should they develop new models and metrics for ‘success’ which are appropriate to our current context? Which of the institutional practices that have been already tested during last months might stay with us beyond the current pandemic and what potentials can be found for new forms of engagement with audience and artists?
Rapid Response Webinars
The CIMAM board has designed a program of Rapid Response Webinars that will allow CIMAM members to continue discussing the most urgent concerns and questions affecting the modern and contemporary art museum community at this time. This initiative responds to CIMAM’s spirit and commitment to be a platform for global discussion, a space for sharing and connecting, for learning and encouraging cooperation.
Rapid Response Webinars are held every last Thursday of the month moderated by board members at different time zones and guests. They aim to provide short capsules on urgent concerns for the profession throughout the year.
Rapid Response Webinars are free of cost and accessible only for CIMAM members. Sessions are recorded and posted at the Members Only section of the CIMAM website for those who missed the time.
Calendar of Webinars
Join the last CIMAM webinar of 2020 on Thursday 26 November.
5 pm Singapore Time (10 am Central European Time)
- Mami Kataoka, President of CIMAM, Director, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo
- Andrea Lissoni, Artistic Director, Haus der Kunst, Munich
- Haegue Yang, South Korean artist, Berlin
Moderated by Eugene Tan, CIMAM Board Member, Director of National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum.
Watch Rapid Response Webinars
Did you miss it? Watch the webinar at CIMAM's only member section.