Exploring
Social Media Presence of an Art Gallery
Just Some Insights
An increasing number of cultural
organizations have turned their eyes to social media channels to have a
presence in the mind of art-driven parties and relevant stakeholders,
especially at this moment in history where confinement is part of the new
normal. The power of social media for cultural institutions cannot be despised;
it is close knit with the life of a company whose DNA is in the arts, in the
curation of new displays, and in the sharing of experiences with artists and
whose followers crave for the exhibits of cultural artifacts produced by local and
international maestros. But what is this particular art gallery, whose
name is not going to be used in this blog entry, doing in terms of social media
to have presence and not be simply forgotten by people? Let us answer the following
questionnaire to have a clearer idea.
[1] What strategies is the Art Gallery
using to engage and build its audience? Like most artistic display spaces in
the past, the Gallery had (and continues to have) a physical space where
exhibits were prepared for the public. A series of publications on the media where
programmed to invite and engage art lovers to come by and enjoy a collection of
pieces. However, the current pandemic has somehow admonished the Gallery’s
administrators because these spaces are not being visited (as people used to do
it before). A different type of visitation is required here to continue being
relevant for all types of stakeholders, as mentioned above. What other
Galleries do, e.g. Tate Gallery in London, is to uphold the fact that social
media can help them gain presence and continue being in the mind of their bygone-days
visitors. But it looks like it has been tough to re-engage former visitors and
to build a new [online] audience who can also benefit and enjoy virtual displays
and art talks.
[2] What communications do Art Gallery’s
admins make? The callous comments of mine are simple; more can be made, but not
enough attention has been given to communication. Even though the Gallery has a
free entry, the Gallery has no webpage by itself but a subpage in a company’s
domain that is not always updated. Though it could be seen the various social media
posts and emails sent to former visitors, the plain reality nowadays is vastly
different. The mail invites to join history of art classes has been a
way for the Gallery to survive and continue to serve its followers, but this may
not have necessarily been enough to re-engage the public and build a more
robust audience. At least there are communications being pushed out, but the
production of culture -intrinsic to the core of the Gallery- is not being
developed as it used to be before. What can be seen is the Gallery’s curator instilling
hope and bravery in new art endeavors to continue to make this art space
relevant in the arts scene and in the minds of artists and followers.
[3] What is the Art Gallery’s persona
like? If we all gathered round the Gallery’s persona, we would be left in
affright. The Gallery has no real persona separated from the institution that
houses it; basically, the Gallery has no administration credentials to have an
independent set of social media channels (or Webpage of its own). Everything
regarding social media publications is centralized or canalized through the
institutional social media manager who is not only in charge of the Gallery but
of many other postings the organization requires. In short, there is no tangible
persona who is curating the Gallery’s content, answering questions coming from
stakeholders, or any other thing pertaining the operation of this art arcade.
This centralization of social media channels restricts the engagement and building
of its audience and any kind of cultural production for interested parties and
individuals.
[4] How is the Art Gallery building
audience identification and belonging? Well, what it has been hitherto
concealed is the lack of autonomy or empowerment the Gallery’s admins have.
Audience identification is something that is currently channeled through media
publications about art history courses that the Gallery holds every so often.
But the number of virtual attendees could increase much more if there were some
other type of interactive activities that could be marketed over social media.
Activities such as virtual tours of present, past, and future displays could
also be organized hosted by the Gallery’s curator and the artist(s). Then
through the institutional Webpage, visitors could come in and enjoy the exhibit
by having the opportunity to leave comments regarding specific pieces in the display
or the whole assemblage. All these ideas could increase and foster a sense of
belonging. There is lots of work to do to position the Gallery in social media
channels. An exhibition room like the Gallery can be alive on the Internet if
it is nurtured a bit more to transcend confinement and the new normal.
[5] Is the Art Gallery inviting its users
to engage in co-creation of cultural content? With a fine candor, notwithstanding
the evidence provided above, the only consensus we can attain is that -in the
lore of the institution that houses the Gallery- no cultural content co-creation
is palpably and perceptibly present. It would be pleasant and agreeable to read
the ideas of the Gallery’s followers flow onto a working table for the curator
and admins to materialize art projects where they could also have voice and the
right to vote on display decisions, once this audience is seasoned and mature.
The Gallery’s punters could turn into the cultural content contributors to
create a strong bond among them and then to invite others into the art life of
the Gallery.
The Gallery is now like a horse whose
hind legs are pulled on the opposite direction. There has been a motley
procession of decisions made that are affecting the growth and bright it can
display on social media and in the lives of those who strongly endorse art creation
as cultural artifacts. The Gallery is not seething with life in virtual spaces
as it should; there are whimsical rules coming from the institutional paradigms
that the new normal has not been able to break yet. Is then the Gallery ready
for the Netherworld? I hope not!
Exploring Social Media Presence of an Art Gallery by Jonathan Acuña on Scribd
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