bQNs7mR

Figure 2.28: The Here and Now Party at the city-owned Walters Art Museum in Baltimore — July 2013
(source: Ken Rochon of The Umbrella Syndicate)
If you are managing or supporting a visually impressive space, such as a museum or central library, and are keen
to draw people in, you could follow the lead of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. In 2013, the museum
hosted an evening event that saw people fill the permanent collection galleries and the three contemporary
shows whilst also enjoying a cash bar and DJ playing in the museum’s sculpture court. The event was designed
to attract the area’s young professionals, although the crowd was more diverse than that. Crucially, the museum
partnered with event marketing organizations to gauge entertainment preferences and to help market to a crowd
that falls outside its traditional demographic. The museum sought to create an event that responded to this
demographic’s needs while, at the same time, honoring the museum’s mission to “bring art and people together
for enjoyment, discovery and learning.” The event was supported by local company Constellation and entry was
free to those who registered.
63 | The New Barn-Raising