In recent months we have brought in leading thinkers from a wide range of disciplines to meet with Museum staff around two areas of particular focus: in-gallery technology and multicultural interpretation of art. These “Creative Colloquia” are made possible by a major grant from The James Irvine Foundation through its “Artistic Innovation Fund.” Through this initiative, the Irvine Foundation awarded just seven grants statewide to institutions who are embracing innovative change, not just for a specific program, but throughout the organization. While focused specifically on exhibits and programs in the Gallery of California Art, we are learning so much through this colloquia that will have application in all of our spaces.
For the Creative Technology Colloquium in November, we invited leaders in technology ranging from museum educators to media artists and interactive digital specialists. The group discussed a wide range of issues, from involving youth in the creation of in-gallery media projects, to effective use of resources for technology that is constantly changing, to encouraging “real time” visitor feedback to exhibitions, both in the galleries and on the Web. The Conversations About Language Colloquium in January involved artists, including Hung Liu and Carmen Lomas Garza, an author, composer, dancer and even a comedian, in a dialogue about interpretation of art. The discussion here focused on the need to move beyond simple language translation in order to make the Museum welcoming to visitors of many cultural backgrounds. Here, we learned from leaders in the field more about how we can become a place of dialogue, exchange, and celebration.
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