MCN 2020 VIRTUAL

What does a strategy for video content and distribution look like? And should that strategy change in the coronavirus era? Panelists from four very different art museums will tell you about the overarching video strategies at their institutions, and discuss how the pandemic changed everything—or nothing—for them.

Video has become central to the overall communications strategy for many institutions, and a key method conveying the institution’s brand identity. Having a strategy to guide the production of these complex pieces of content, which often require significant time and money to create, is critical. Panelists will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their pre-coronavirus strategies, and apply lessons learned from the pandemic to address key questions. How can we produce meaningful content in a world where our main sources—the museum space, the exhibitions and all other activities—are locked down? Have audience expectations shifted around video? Will a strong digital strategy carry you through a pandemic, where audiences are largely living and working online? What new opportunities does the coronavirus era offer?

Topics addressed will include selecting the right video tool for the job, how to design video for specific distribution platforms, live vs. pre-recorded video, integrating video into your social media calendar, empowering staff to help with production, and how or if to adjust these techniques and strategies when the goal is no longer to drive people to visit the museum.

On the diversity of our panel:
While we all work in art museums, the missions and relationships to our communities are very different. You will hear about strategies from a Scandinavian museum with a strong public service approach, and three museums in the US: a small university museum, a mid-size museum focused on contemporary arts and social justice, a large metropolitan art museum. Presenters also offer different perspectives, with backgrounds in technical video production, journalism, content production, and business. Two of the panelists have never presented at MCN before.