Museums in a New Context

Article
A 2010 study by the American Alliance of Museums found that while people of color will make up 46% of the American population by 2033, they are on track to only represent 9% of museums’ core audiences. However, museums like the High Museum of Art in Atlanta are trying to buck this trend. Earlier this year, that institution reported that it had tripled its number of visitors of color (now comprising 45% of the museum’s total visitors) in just two years. How? By showcasing the work of under-represented artists, adjusting admission fees, diversifying its staff and volunteers, and adopting the slogan: “Here for you.”

Meanwhile, a 2015 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) report found that one of the top reasons people in the US visit arts spaces is to learn something new. The same report states that “listening to other perspectives” is a key value held by the majority of museumgoers. And in discussing how museums can create opportunities for discovery and affirmation, Roman Krznaric, founder of the Empathy Museum, said: “Developing empathy has the power to create radical social change.” However, touting art as a luxury reduces the number of seats at the table, undermining the notion that arts spaces are platforms that can host difficult conversations about issues (race, class, gender, etc.) that affect us all.