Thirteenth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

This research project seeks to understand how the Departments of Education and Public Programs in three art museums across Spain and the U.S are changing to promote equitable dialogue, collaboration, and programming that is relevant to citizen and community organizations. The aims of this project are to identify the differences and commonalities of the emerging practices in each cultural institution, to engage in a cross-cultural dialogue about the strategic lines that the museums have developed in both countries, and to disseminate the outcomes of this research to art education and art administration communities globally. This project has been guided by the following research questions: What is, in the eyes of museum professionals, the emerging role of the art museum of the 21st century? What strategies are three Departments of Education and Public Programs across Spain and the US developing to foster civic engagement? What determines successful participation in each context and what conflicts have manifested? Moreover, I have also paid special attention to the following categories: Strategies, Work Culture, and Nature of Collaborations. In Strategies I look at the methods, programs, and strategies developed in order to promote and sustain partnership and collaboration. In Work Culture, I focus on the shifts that, influenced by the development of collaborative practices, are taking place in the mission, internal organization, and job descriptions. Lastly, in Nature of Collaborations, I pay attention to the ways in which museum staff and community members experience collaboration and what they identify as successes and challenges.