CULTURE AS CATALYST: ON BUILDING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND NEW FORMS OF ENGAGEMENT IN THE ARTS
The last decade has seen a dramatic shift in engagement in cultural institutions. There has been change in audience expectations, interests, and tastes; the composition of geographical and socioeconomic community support; the economy toward the arts; and technological transformation. Ketaki Varma, Associate Director for Programmes at the Asia Society India Centre, who addressed the possibilities and challenges of cultural engagement in multi-disciplinary spaces.
The five key takeaways from the talk are:
Expansion of the term "cultural institution": Today, a collective existing online or a mix of festivals, exhibitions, and museums can be broadly seen as a cultural institution. A community built between art professionals has opened the door towards engagement emerging in the formation of an institution focusing on the Indian context rather than imitating western modes of disseminating culture. Institutions could also be anti-disciplinary, where the discipline isn’t a category to be practised and engaged in; it is irrelevant to the traditional type of institution but does exist at this time.
Collaboration is essential for crossing the border: "Collaboration is the key." It is important to engage with similar spaces to encourage working towards the same broader goals. The Asia Society India Centre has taken a step towards blurring the geographical boundaries in the past two years of the pandemic. Asia Society India Centre, being a membership-based organisation, is collaborating while keeping the balance between different tiers of members, stakeholders, and the public audience in mind. They are currently working on an ongoing exhibition with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi, as well as developing public programmes to complement the exhibition.
Changing the one-size-fits-all approach of cultural institutions: Different types of arts have been seen in conjunction in India and Asia, for example, dance and music together, visual art and theatre together, exhibition and dance together, and so on. Organizations must focus on creating their vision, mission, and long-term strategy in order to sustain their path towards articulating an experience for audiences from various backgrounds. The Museum of Art and Photography in Bangalore, which is opening in December, is a great example of a museum operating without a physical presence since the pandemic and conducting various programmes for different audiences, including making their collection material available to the general public, academically minded talks, initiatives like MAP Academy, a research-driven encyclopedia, and workshops.
Engaging people in cultural institutions: The museum sector in India and visitor engagement are growing when the "target audience" is taken into account. There are multiple initiatives that are happening in cultural institutions to engage audiences through arts, culture, and heritage with innovations, such as:
Online communities for fundraising that use art as a medium for support are examples of technology-driven initiatives.
Panel discussions, talks, lectures, and conferences are examples of public programs.
Curatorial walkthroughs of festivals and exhibitions to introduce artwork to new audiences.
To attract more young visitors, educational initiatives such as workshops and programmes for children in a museum, as well as student conferences, are implemented.
Bringing museums and art projects to people and presenting art and culture in public spaces for organic engagement.
5. Using technology to enhance engagement: Different kinds of artists have been using technology in their works and presenting it to the world through online spaces where it builds a community to offer support, empathy, and care. Online spaces have responded to social issues and connected people who are not restricted by geography. Social media platforms have altered the way audiences are introduced to art. It is important for cultural institutions to develop digital outreach for their audiences for accessibility and inclusion, especially in India and South Asia. During the pandemic Art Chain India, a group of curators, writers, art managers, and artists banded together to create a democratic peer-support movement in India for visual artists working in all media.
Culture plays an important role in catalysing several institutions to promote engagement in arts and museums across the country, and it connects communities. Through innovative initiatives that have engaged people, place, social cause, artists, and experts in the past, cultural institutions have become more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all. The rising and rapid pace of change will necessitate new forms of engagement and ideas, leading to the expansion and growth of cultural institutions.