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Report: Digital Impact in Museums and Galleries was published on December 2022 by the Museums Association and Art Fund with the help of One Further and Cultural Associates Oxford. The report aims to assess the impact of the sector’s work since Covid-19, helping museums appreciate the value of digital work and building relationships with the audience in the future.
Covid-19 saw the closure of Museums and Galleries, with many organisations shifting to digital content and activities. These efforts accumulated numerous projects and a promise for future hybrid exhibitions and projects. Through this report, we gain an understanding of the impact and importance of digital work for institutions and their communities.
The report’s structure is through questions derived through research:
- How can museums measure the impact of their digital work in ways beyond income generation – in particular, the social impact of these activities?
– The digital capacity of small and larger organisations differs significantly, reporting lies to easier-to-collect data rather than more relevant. Organisations should opt for a combination of digital evaluation and qualitative/ longitudinal.
Good Practice Case Study: Foundling Museum: A Creative Forum for Care-Experienced People - How can museums identify and understand their online audiences, with a view to reaching new and more diverse people in the digital space?
– Digital projects require different approaches than physical ones, new audience reach needs long-term commitment.
Good Practice Case Study: Art UK: Audience Broadening Initiative - What does it mean for a museum to operate effectively in the digital space after the pandemic – what does good practice and an effective digital strategy look like?
- How can museums scale up digital activity, be more ambitious and move towards longer-term planning?
– Put in place a clear strategy, embraced by the entire organisation with focus areas impacting most its’ mission and appropriate resource allocation. Networking is an essential tool for success.
- What is the potential for museums to monetise digital work and experiences and how can they grasp these opportunities?
– Effectiveness of asking for online donations.
Good Practice Case Study: Mystery at the Museum
Our Take
The report is easy to read and comprehensive, including the Response to the questions for Art Fund and the Museum Association. The posed questions hold relevance to digital development long after the pandemic. In this piece, we include a small summary, we highly recommend you read the full report to gain more insight.
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Report: Digital Impact in Museums and Galleries (also attached)