SMA concludes online conference The Evolving Museum

The two-day conference, which saw the participation of over 700 online attendees, kicked off on Monday with an opening keynote by Manal Ataya, Director General of SMA. 
 
Ataya stressed the conference provided an opportunity for more than 15 museum experts from around the world to present their experiences and share insights on the transformation of exhibition design, and highlighted the new intense emphasis museums are making on digital offerings.
 
“The conference hosted museum experts who engaged in discussions that help explore what museums of the future might look like with a focus on the lessons learned from the digital experience, so as to keep our connections with our audiences in view of the unprecedented challenges we have faced during the pandemic,” Ataya said. 
  
She referred to the passion for collecting artefacts by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, best known as an avid intellectual, historian and inspirational writer as well as a collector, who combines personal passion, community responsibility and wise vision emphasizing the role of education and culture in the development of communities.
  
Ataya highlighted SMA’s experience in intensely activating its existing digital platforms to increase accessibility to its unique collections and offering new custom online workshops and learning programs. 
 
She outlined actions that would help museums improve their social impact and connections to their audiences whether they remain closed or open. 

“Its vital we evaluate health and safety practices to make our communities feel safe to return, and to also use this time to reflect on how we work and respond to the public’s new needs,” she pointed out. 

“Museums need to involve their staff in thinking how to better serve current and potential audiences and to commit to improving their social inclusion outlook in the long-term as during such isolating times, access to art and culture is very effective in lifting our spirits and providing much needed positive connection and comfort,” Ataya noted. 

She advised seeking connections with new like-minded partners from the public or private sector to help with resources and funding and to always ensure equal opportunities for participation are provided for all.

Four sessions in day 1
On its first day, the conference featured four sessions covering topics that touched on the combination of digital and physical experiences that enrich the museum experience of a diverse audience in light of the challenges facing the world. 

The sessions also discussed ways to intensify efforts that enhance the reality of museums and ensure communication with communities is maintained through exchange of experiences and sharing ideas and models that have proven successful.

Moderated by Frederic Gmeiner, Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah, “The Future of Museum Exhibitions” session brought together Lāth Carlson, Executive Director, Museum of the Future, Dubai, and Kudo Takashi from teamLab, Tokyo.

Speakers underlined the need for museums to communicate with audiences in a manner that allows people to access the imagination and creativity of artists, as well as the important role of digital tools in highlighting research, and making it accessible to all, allowing interested people to gain deeper insights into research, using mobile applications and smart devices.

The “Diversity in Art Exhibitions” session featured Suheyla Takesh, Curator of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, and Danielle Kuijten, Acting Director & Co-curator at Imagine IC, Amsterdam, who shared their experiences in creating diverse art exhibitions to ensure the historical and artistic diversity in museums.

During the session moderated by Alya Al Mulla, Curator of Sharjah Art Museum, speakers highlighted the role and responsibility of institutions in nurturing common understanding in communities and the importance of promoting diversity as a source of strength and richness for societies. They also underlined the role exhibitions and collections play in storytelling and highlighting diverse cultures that help engrain inter-cultural dialogue.  

Moderated by Maissa Al Suwaidi, Museums Services Manager at SMA, the third session, “Touchless Experiences in Children’s Museums Post-COVID 19”, put a spotlight on challenges facing children’s museums when reopening during 2020 due to the pandemic. 

Speakers included Amine Kharchach, Interpretation & Mediation Manager from the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Purshotam Ramchandani, Founder and CEO of OliOli® Children's Museum in Dubai, addressed the significance of enhancing children’s experiences in visiting exhibitions and museums. 

They highlighted the most prominent initiatives that aim to keep museums electronically accessible to children, as well as lessons learned from the pandemic, which has led everyone to seek solutions, adopt safety measures and provide a safe environment for children.

Day one concluded with the “The Digital Experience for Museum Audiences” session, which was moderated by Zlatan Filipović, Associate Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design, American University of Sharjah. 

During the session, Chris Michaels, Director of Digital, Communications and Technology from the National Gallery in London, and Elizabeth Galvin, Head of Learning and Digital Programmes at the V&A talked about how museums changed their plans during the pandemic by taking their offerings into the digital world via virtual exhibitions and displaying their collections via online platforms.

They also examined how the digital transformation led audiences to access new opportunities that were not possible before due to time or location boundaries.

Day 2 started with the “Outreach Initiatives for Inclusive Museums” session, which was moderated by Aisha Deemas, Director of SMA’s Executive Affairs. 

The session saw the participation of Sheikha Noora Al Mualla, Director of Learning and Research at Sharjah Art Foundation, and Synthia Griffins, Curator of Social Practice & Partnerships, Tate, London.

Sheikha Noora outlined the foundation’s efforts and initiatives for all community segments, particularly youth, with a focus on the participation of artists of various nationalities, who she said are lucky to be in Sharjah, where they actively work with a large number of entities, such as museums, schools and community institutions.

Synthia Griffins highlighted Tate’s community initiatives that aim to emphasise the role of museums in bringing about the desired change in people's lives. 

She also focused on their efforts in improving museum work and hosting events to ensure direct communication create active engagement and ensure people’s voices and perspectives are heard.

The digital transformation of museums and their dependence on digital technology as well as the declining number of visitors to museums due to the physical distancing policy and preventive measures was also discussed. 

Moderated by Alya Burhaima, Education Department Manager, SMA, “The Museum’s Role in Supporting Schools and Universities’ Curricula” session featured Lisa Mazzola, Assistant Director, School and Teacher Programs at the Education Department, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Alia Bin Musabeh Al Shamsi, Acting Cultural Programming Manager, Louvre Abu Dhabi. 

They spoke of the important role museums play as non-formal educational institutions and how they have sought to strengthen their impact in the formal education scene.  

Alia Al Shamsi spoke about their quest to find options for constant communication with schools by offering programs through digital channels, while Lisa Mazzola said the decline in the number of visiting students and teachers has encouraged her department to look for optimal ways to overcome challenges due to the pandemic, which has resulted in tailoring digital programs for students to enable them to visit museums digitally. 

The online event concluded with the “Accessible Experiences for Diverse Audiences” session, which engaged Janice Monger, President and CEO at Staten Island Museum, New York, with Fatima Al Obeidli, Education Specialist, Accessibility Programs Division, SMA.

Monger talked about her visit to Sharjah and the experiences she gained, as well as the programs and events that targeted all family members, particularly people of disabilities.