Cuseum Podcast

Exploring the Future of Museums in the Era of Coronavirus

Wed, 13 May 2020 19:50:43 GMT

After almost two months of coronavirus closures, many museums and cultural organizations are preparing to welcome visitors and members back. However, while organizations may be reopening, many are doing so in a graduated way and facing new challenges. In particular, many are realizing that tourism will be down for quite some time, which has the potential to profoundly affect admissions and membership revenue. At the same time, cultural organizations may have renewed appeal to local audiences as the world embraces a “stay local” or “staycation” mentality for the foreseeable future.

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), Tim O’Connell (Director of Membership & Annual Giving @ North Carolina Museum of Art), Julie Knight (Director of Membership @ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), Sewon Barrera (Digital Marketing Manager @ Exploratorium) & Daniel Vincent (Director of Membership @ Trustees of Reservations) as they discuss shifts in audiences and membership marketing strategy in light of coronavirus. This webinar will address how organizations can reorient the value propositions of membership and double down on local audience development to survive and thrive in the coronavirus era.

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Preparing to Reopen: Experimenting with New Digital Revenue Streams On the Road to Reopening

Wed, 13 May 2020 15:31:50 GMT

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced museums, zoos, and cultural attractions to close their doors, many have admirably turned their attention to new digital content projects, virtual public programs, and online events to help keep audiences engaged. Now, after two months of closures, many organizations are also beginning to monetize these digital initiatives through entrance fees, “pay what you wish” models, and other methods. Even as organizations open their doors (or plan to open their doors) to visitors once again, many are finding that the reduced capacity and restrictions on physical events and summer camps are placing greater importance on generating revenue through digital engagement initiatives.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Christian Ramirez (Public Programs Manager @ Phoenix Art Museum), Michelle Mileham (Director of Education @ Tracy Aviary), & Laura Houston (Director of Education @ Elmwood Park Zoo) & as they explore various ways to monetize virtual programming and digital offerings. This webinar will explore ways to monetize traditional programming that has been shifted to digital platforms, as well as creative ideas that have generated new revenue streams. This discussion will also address some of the challenges related to reopening that cultural organizations are continuing to face.

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Membership Mondays: Membership Marketing, Audience Shifts & Community Engagement after Coronavirus

Mon, 11 May 2020 19:51:42 GMT

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Membership Mondays: Reimagining Revenue Streams & Events

Mon, 11 May 2020 13:04:58 GMT

Due to COVID-19, many museums and cultural organizations are facing significant disruptions to revenue with the absence of gate attendance and on-site purchases. From membership extensions, halted acquisition campaigns, cancelled events, to public funding cuts, many other traditional revenue streams have also been interrupted. Even as organizations prepare to reopen and welcome members back, traditional events and other common revenue sources may be diminished or even off the table entirely for quite some time.

Despite the challenges, by rethinking the membership business model, initiating virtual events, and seeking out new revenue opportunities, membership departments and cultural institutions have the potential to bounce back, and membership can continue to be a primary revenue stream.

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), Claire Byfield (Membership Manager: Engagement @ British Museum), Tom Knowles (Membership Events Manager @ British Museum) & Rosie Siemer (Founder & CEO @ FIVESEED Membership Consulting) as they discuss how membership, revenue, and events can be reimagined to bolster museums and ensure their financial health going into the future.

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Preparing to Reopen: Strategy, Planning & Process on the Road to Reopening Museums

Thu, 07 May 2020 02:49:15 GMT

For nearly two months, museums across the country have been physically closed due to the coronavirus. In response, cultural professionals have developed and delivered exciting new content across a range of platforms to keep their audiences engaged during these unprecedented times. Now, as some states lift their stay-at-home orders and the world prepares to slowly reopen, museums are thinking about what reopening is going to look like.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Mark Sabb (Senior Director of Innovation, Marketing & Engagement @ Museum of the African Diaspora), Holly Shen (Deputy Director @ San Jose Museum of Art) & Ellen Busch (Director of Historic Sites Operations @ Texas Historical Commission) as they talk through the strategy, operations, process, and planning involved in reopening your museum successfully. This webinar will explore strategic planning, design thinking, and innovative approaches to welcoming your audiences back.

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Membership Mondays: Planning For Reopening After Coronavirus

Tue, 05 May 2020 00:39:12 GMT

Over the past several months, museums have been occupied with adapting to widespread coronavirus closures. Membership professionals have worked hard to adjust their communication, messaging, and membership fulfillment strategies, while continuing to reinforce the value of membership while physical sites are closed. Now, approaching two months into closures, many cultural organizations are beginning to think about plans for reopening, and some have already begun. What strategies, workflows, and policies can help facilitate a safe and successful reopening?

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), Meghan McCauley (Director of Membership and Visitor Services @ Perez Art Museum Miami), Aidan Vega (Director of Membership @ Philadelphia Museum of Art), Laura Schmid (Membership Manager @ Cincinnati Nature Center), & Kristi Masterson (Director of Engagement and Operations @ Cincinnati Nature Center) as they discuss the steps and process of reopening. This conversation will include voices from organizations who have already opened to members, as well as those planning to do so in the coming weeks and months!

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How to Manage a Remote Internship Program at Your Museum

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:46:23 GMT

Many museums across the country pride themselves on their robust internship programs. Internships are a chance for students to learn about the cultural industry, gain valuable skills, and, for students of Museum Studies, earn credit towards their degrees. Stimulating and dynamic internships are also essential to ensuring that the cultural sector is cultivating top talent and attracting young professionals who are prepared to make an impact.

With the ongoing coronavirus closures, however, the state of many museum internship programs is uncertain. Many museums expect to be closed into the summer, potentially disrupting the ability to bring interns on site. As a result, museums may be considering initiating remote internship programs, which can be beneficial students while providing museums much-needed extra help. However, this is completely new territory for many organizations across the country.

Join, Brendan Ciecko (CEO @ Founder @ Cuseum), Ahva Sadeghi (CEO & Co-Founder @ Symba), Phyllis Hecht (Director, M.A. in Museum Studies @ Johns Hopkins University), Sierra Van Ryck deGroot (Education Programs Manager @ Poster House), & Meagan Mahaffy (Education Associate & Internship Coordinator @ Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum) as they discuss how museums can successfully launch and manage remote internship programs in the age of coronavirus.

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Supporting Communities With Digital Programs During Coronavirus

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 01:44:49 GMT

As museums face ongoing challenges associated with the prolonged closures of their physical sites, communities are facing challenges of their own. Organizations are striving to produce vibrant, mission-driven content and programming, while also supporting the diverse needs of community members and constituents. How do you assess the needs of your community? How can your organization deliver content and resources that support the community? And how can museums imbue their mission into digital resources and programming?

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Terri Freeman (President @ National Civil Rights Museum) & Mara Kurlandsky (Director of Digital Engagement @ National Museum of Women in the Arts) as they discuss how museums can serve their communities and further their own missions through digital initiatives. This webinar will address aspects of community engagement, digital programming, creating educational content, and more.

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Membership Mondays: Messaging, Communication and Events in Membership During Coronavirus

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 15:34:38 GMT

The coronavirus crisis continues to keep museums and cultural organizations closed to the public, and closures are predicted to continue for weeks to months more. As a result, many institutions are facing disruptions to their revenue streams and finding it hard to connect with their members, donors, and constituents without in-person interactions and events that allow members to gather.

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), Elizabeth Epley Sheets (Chief Advancement Officer @ Cheekwood Estate & Gardens) & Bradford Talley (Membership Manager @ Museum of Pop Culture) as they discuss the ways they’ve been honing their communication and messaging to connect with their members and donors during this difficult time. They will also discuss the potential of “virtual events” and gatherings that can help members stay connected to your organization and with each other.

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Collaborating On Virtual Educational Programs During Coronavirus

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:16:48 GMT

As museums and cultural organizations push forward in their efforts to adapt to coronavirus closures, many are striving to redesign programming and educational resources for digital platforms, stay community-oriented, and embrace digital transformation across all departments. At this moment, many museum leaders, educators, curators, and other professionals are working collaboratively with their colleagues in digital and social media to usher in a new digital era at their institutions, and many may be in search of guidance and best practices to help navigate these changes.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Marie Vickles (Director of Education @ Perez Art Museum Miami) & Liz Neely (Curator of Digital Experience @ Georgia O'Keeffe Museum) as they discuss the ways that organizations can implement digital changes in education, programming, curation, and other departments. This webinar will address sustainable digital transformation, as well as best practices for engaging and supporting your community in light of coronavirus.

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Membership Mondays: Fulfillment, Renewals & Budgets in Membership During Coronavirus

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 22:54:09 GMT

It’s been over a month since many museums, zoos, and aquariums first closed down their physical sites due to coronavirus. This “new normal” has presented certain challenges, and many organizations are working to adapt their workflows to the current reality. In particular, many membership professionals are struggling with managing membership fulfillment, renewals, and reduced budgets from their home offices.

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), Alice Stryker (Director, Individual Giving @ Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum), & Kimberly Kirkhart (Director of Membership @ Santa Barbara Zoo) as they discuss how they are adapting workflows and reallocating resources to stay on top of essential membership operations during this time.

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Thinking Outside the Box to Reach Audiences Inside Their Homes

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 01:44:11 GMT

As museums and cultural organizations continue to adapt to the challenges brought on by the coronavirus, many have revamped and expanded their digital presence and offerings. In the process, many have realized that traditional strategies, messaging, and social media channels aren’t enough, and have started to get more creative with how they reach audiences in their homes.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Sloan MacRae (Marketing Director @ Carnegie Museum of Natural History), & Caitlin Kearney (Digital Content & Engagement Manager @ The Field Museum) as they discuss what sorts of digital strategies, workflows, and channels are allowing them to effectively target and attract audiences beyond the walls of their museums.

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Membership Mondays: Expanding the Member Experience During Coronavirus

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 15:26:32 GMT

As museums continue to prolong their physical closures due to coronavirus, membership and development professionals are encountering new challenges. Now that in-person visits and special exhibition tickets can no longer serve as a primary benefit to members, how do membership professionals expand, augment and/or transform the member experience?

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), Jennifer Stone (Membership Manager at Denver Museum of Nature & Science) & Chelsea Graham Jackson (Assistant Director of Membership @ Cleveland Museum of Art) to discuss how the member experience might be expanded, especially through digital offerings, during coronavirus closures.

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How to Craft Meaningful & Mindful Digital Content in the Age of Coronavirus

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 21:09:00 GMT

Due to the spread of coronavirus, museums and cultural organizations across the country are extending their expected lockdown periods and bracing for prolonged closures. As they remain physically closed to visitors, many museums are encountering new challenges around communicating and engaging their audiences. What outreach channels should you use? How do you overhaul your content calendar? And perhaps, most importantly, what kinds of content will resonate with your audiences?

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Ryan Dodge (Head of Digital Experiences @ Canadian Museum of History), and Kat Harding (Public Relations & Social Media Manager @ North Carolina Museum of Art) as they discuss how to develop effective content and messaging that aligns with your organization’s mission while resonating in the hearts and minds of audiences. This webinar will address questions like, what does your audience want and need from you? How do you communicate with consistency and compassion? And, how do you continue to imbue your mission into your content?

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Membership Mondays: Reinforcing the Value of Membership During Coronavirus

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 22:02:27 GMT

As the perpetual state of Coronavirus uncertainty continues to loom over us, cultural organizations have never faced prolonged, unplanned, closures in the way we are now. Historically, the majority of closures are brief, lasting for a few days or even weeks. Yet with no end in sight, cultural organizations are facing an entirely new, unprecedented challenge.

For many organizations who depend on income from on-site purchases like admission tickets, special exhibitions, and gift shop sales, the membership department is one of the only sources of income at the moment. In a time, however, when members cannot physically come on-site, the question becomes, how do we reinforce the value of being a member?

Join Ash Harris (Vice President of Guest Experience @ San Antonio Zoo), Kelli Buchan (Director of Membership @ The Franklin Institute) and Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), as they discuss ways that you can continue to reinforce the value of your membership, even when members cannot visit on site.

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How Museums Can Experiment with Social Media to Boost Audience Engagement During Coronavirus

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 18:00:11 GMT

As the coronavirus continues to prevent museums and cultural organizations from welcoming audiences to their physical spaces, the importance of digital engagement has increased exponentially. In the face of this all, many organizations are embracing the opportunity to use this time as a period of experimentation, especially with regards to social media and other digital channels.

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Hilary-Morgan Watt (Digital Engagement Manager @ Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden), & Emily Haight (Social Media Manager @ New-York Historical Society) as they talk through the ways museums can begin experimenting with social media, hashtags, digital outreach, and other means to boost engagement among their audiences. These experts will discuss some of the most successful online experiments in recent times, as well as talk through the steps to execute creative ideas from inception to completion.

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Membership Mondays: Communicating with Your Members During Coronavirus

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 21:52:19 GMT

With the growing uncertainty around Coronavirus and its duration, museums and cultural organizations are wondering the best ways to navigate these uncharted waters. In the face of closures, requests for membership extensions, and member turnover, many cultural organizations are all experiencing the unprecedented challenge of maintaining their membership bases. During this unusual time, communication with those members is critical - but where do we start, and how do we stay relevant in members’ eyes when nobody can actually see us?

Please join Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), along with Ingrid Van Haastrecht (Director of Advancement Services, Analysis and Membership @ Dallas Museum of Art) and Jennifer Thomas (Director of Annual Programs at St. Louis Art Museum) as they discuss actionable strategies for keeping members informed during closures.

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How to Captivate, Connect, and Communicate with Your Audience During Coronavirus

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:00:10 GMT

Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus and government recommendations for social distancing, three-quarters of museums across the United States have closed down temporarily. As a result of these closures, many cultural organizations face new levels of uncertainty and difficulty in navigating these unfamiliar waters. In particular, for visitor-serving organizations, not being able to bring visitors on-site produces a significant challenge: while being physically closed, how do museums continue to engage their would-be visitors?

Join Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), with special guests Susan Edwards (Associate Director, Digital Content @ Hammer Museum) and Koven Smith (Museum & Nonprofit Digital Strategy Consultant), as they talk about steps cultural organizations can take to captivate, connect, and communicate with their remote “visitors” and audiences. These experts will do a deep-dive into digital communication strategies, creatively leveraging social media channels, and establishing a community without a physical space to gather in.

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How to Keep Your Audience Engaged in the Age of Coronavirus

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:00:07 GMT

In light of the rapid spread of Coronavirus and new social distancing recommendations from public health officials, many visitor-serving cultural organizations have made the decision to temporarily close their doors to the public. Just recently, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Museums, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and museums of all shapes and sizes have shut down indefinitely or put drastic restrictions in place in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many museums and cultural organizations face uncertainty about what the next days and weeks hold for them during this unusual time. But while they may be physically closed, what are creative and unique ways to keep audiences engaged?

Join Cuseum's Brendan Ciecko, with special guests Seema Rao (Deputy Director and Senior Engagement Officer @ Akron Art Museum) Scott Stulen (Director and President @ Philbrook Museum of Art) as they talk about steps cultural organizations can take to engage their audiences digitally and continue their important work as trusted community resources during this public health and economic crisis, even when physical sites remain in lockdown.

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