Museums+Tech 2024 — Who is this for? And why should they care?
Friday December 6 2024
9am – 5pm, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Millennium Point, Curzon St, Birmingham B4 7XG
Corporate Membership
By becoming a Corporate Member you can help our cause to connect, support, and inspire people working with technology in museums. Corporate Membership starts at £200 for 4 conference tickets and you can find out more on our Corporate Membership page or you can register your interest by completing our Corporate Membership form.
Conference theme
Audience-centred work is something that is championed in our field, but isn’t every project for an audience? We have projects which can feel like they lack focus if the audience is ‘everyone’, or hyper-localised target audiences which may seem too niche.
How do we know that the intended audience actually cares, and can actually show the value of the work?
In the digital realm we have different ways of identifying audiences. Do those remote audiences who never visit compare to the physically visiting audience? Can we compare and measure their impact?
Do we change to suit changing audiences, or do we stay constant and bring audiences to us?
As Computer based practitioners, we also must be aware of the societal impact on technology. New tools and systems allow us to reach new audiences, but do we exclude others by our choices and requirements?
Our conference theme this year sets out to directly allow us to discuss the idea of who our audiences are, and show how we make them value our museums. We are living in an interesting and difficult time as we must define and display our value, not just against competing audience interests but also internally to funding bodies. We want to hear how you are identifying audiences and connecting with them, and proving that success. Together we can share improve our sector.
Programme
9:00 – 9:50 Registration
10:00 Welcome and Introductions
10:10 Keynote: Content Design London
Speaker: Rich Prowse
Rich Prowse – The Director of Practice at Content Design London (CDL) and a champion of human-centered design.
11:00 Session 1
- We built it they came. Jo Duggan, Senior Content Producer, Victoria and Albert Museum
- The Museum & The Creator Economy. Nik Wyness, Head of Marketing and Engagement, The Tank Museum
- 10 tips for how a digital project run by a small team can lead to a big organisational shift. Eva Liprova, Freelance Product Leader
- Science in the Making: Inspiring the next generation. Lou Carroll, CogApp
- Are large screen digital interactives effective at bridging gaps between non-expert audiences and difficult collections? The Digital Playground at the Royal Armouries. Stuart Carrington, Royal Armouries, Leeds.
12:15 Lunch & Museums Computer Group AGM
13:15 Session 2
- Sponsor Talk: manifesto [Title TBC]
Speaker: Lou Barton, Digital Strategist
manifesto, the award-winning digital experience agency is bringing a wealth of expertise in marketing and digital strategy to this practical session. Lou will explore how museums and galleries can not only identify but truly understand and connect with both existing and untapped audiences.
- Getting to know the digital audience for a national art collection. Jennifer Thomas & Camilla Stewart, Art UK
- Who is our digital storytelling really for, and why? The long view. Anra Kennedy, The Audience Agency
- Who is it for, and why should they care? The Balanced Value Impact Model. Simon Tanner, Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage, Kings Collage London
- Creating Digital Intimacy: A Polyvocal Audio Guide Workshop. Theresa Kneppers, Curator, London South Bank University
15:00 Session 3
- Sponsor Talk: Numiko [Title TBC]
- Building a ‘200 Creators’ network for the National Gallery’s Bicentenary – and beyond. Beks Leary, Senior Content Manager, & Ellie Wyant, Social Media and Community Manager, National Gallery
- The Psychology of the Audio Guide: The National Gallery x Smartify’s New Approach to Interpretation Testing. Anna Lowe, co-founder and Director of Partnerships, Smartify
- Impact as artefact: A personal approach to capturing and sharing cultural heritage. Katrina Rolley, Digital Learning & Engagement Consultant
4:10 Closing Keynote
- Michelle Kettner [details to be announced]
17:00 Closing address
17:15 Pub
18:00 Venue Close
Rich Prowse – The Director of Practice at Content Design London (CDL) and a champion of human-centered design.
Speaker: Lou Barton, Digital Strategist
manifesto, the award-winning digital experience agency is bringing a wealth of expertise in marketing and digital strategy to this practical session. Lou will explore how museums and galleries can not only identify but truly understand and connect with both existing and untapped audiences.
