Here is a very powerful twitter thread about what sounds like it was a very powerful presentation. The topic is the High Line in New York City (an abandoned elevated railroad in Manhattan turned into a park), but the lesson is a good one for any cultural organization and the solution is brilliant.
From Jess Zimbabwe @jzimbabwe
Robert Hammond is giving opening remarks at the Highline Network Symposium, and he is a being incredibly candid and open about what worked and what didn't. /1
For instance, there are 5,000 public housing residents near the High Line, and they did deep engagement there during the design process. But after It opened, obsevration and surveys showed they were not visiting the High Line. /2
They ran a survey of New York City Housing Authority residents, who said 1) it doesn't feel like it was built for us, 2) we don't see people like us there, and 3) we don't like your programs. /3
He explains that he had been naive to think that if you made a park free, told people they were welcome, and involved them in the design, they would _feel_ welcome. He learned that wasn't enough. /4
So, they asked what they could do better and now they hire a lot of interns because people were looking g for jobs for teens. The teens organize huge programs of their own, that attract others from the community. They do more education outreach through public schools, etc. /5
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Guy Hermann
Museum Insights
Master Planning for Museums
http://www.museuminsights.comguy@museuminsights.com------------------------------