Arts organisations and social media

After working with some arts organisations on their social media strategies, I've had a few thoughts. The thoughts also arise from books I've read and advice. So much of the world is online now, and its important in people's daily lives. In offices we spend most of our day on computors working. This is where people live and breathe nowadays - where the social networks, communities, groups, meet-ups, conversations, comments all happen.

Because of this, the social media and online activity of anyone is just like a party, or social interaction in real life. And the same rules apply. You follow social codes, you contribute to the conversation in some way - whether that's by being funny, being a good listener, showering the company with interesting facts in a digestible, interesting manner.

It's a simple point but one that more organisations could use on their online platforms - whether that's social media, or indeed their website. In the case of a platform not immediately disposed to encourage contributions, why not create the context and the opportunity for the audience to do so. After all, we generally like to be active rather than passive, don't we?

The Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam

Over the Christmas holidays I was in Amsterdam, and paid a visit to the Rembrandt House Museum. The image above shows the salon where he displayed works by his contemporaries.

Rembrandt moved there in the middle of his career, at the height of success. That year he was commissioned to paint one of his most renowned paintings, The Night Watch. He lived in the house for about fifteen years, until about ten years before his death.

It is a wonderful historic house and fascinating art museum, providing:
- an insight into 17th century life
- an insight into Rembrandt's artistic practice
- a significant collection of Rembrandt's etchings of Bible stories

Phyllida Barlow

Phyllida Barlow is an artist you may not have come across, but she is a favourite among those in the art world, from the leading and cutting edge critics to the traditional academics.

70 years old, Barlow dedicated her life to teaching at the Slade school of Art, but she has only been recently pursuing her own practice.

This year she is the subject of three important exhibitions: the Tate Britain has chosen her to be the next commissioned artist to fill their central halls known as the Duveen galleries, while the powerhouse commercial gallery Hauser & Wirth, who represent artists such as Martin Creed and Louie Bourgeois, have chosen Barlow to stage the inaugural exhibition of its exciting new art centre in Somerset, while lastly their London branch will present her drawings archive spanning fifty years.