Public Culture (in the Time of COVID) – Part Two
Approximately six months’ time separates the research of the Spring and Fall 2021 classes of IICS605. During this period, COVID-19 has continued its circumnavigation of the world and new waves of infection and their resulting public health measures have necessitated continuing adaptations among public culture institutions.
With lessons learned from the first year, many institutions have rolled out new initiatives, building on momentum gained from initial experimentation. Many annual events have now marked their second year of planning around the pandemic. Some were outright cancelled in 2020 and have returned in 2021 in new and innovative ways, with several organizations stating publicly they intend to make some online initiatives permanent best practices and will maintain the new avenues for outreach and engagement formed in digital spaces.
A focus on accessibility and creativity in challenging times has breathed new life into public culture organizations in many ways but it is important to point out that many are still struggling to find and engage with us, the public. What we have gathered here is a collection of some best practices but also some examples of initiatives that may not have captured an audience in ways intended or hoped for. It is important, however, to note that these institutions have been brave enough to try new things under immense pressure to stay ‘open’, interesting, and relevant in uncertain times.
Public culture institutions and events comprise a global community of spaces, places, people, and experiences which together curate the human condition so that we may benefit from this collective knowledge.
We hope you will find something new, something noteworthy, and something shareable among these examples. We also hope you will, like us, learn what could be made better or done differently to reach new and existing audiences in effective and engaging ways.