Developing their own Communication strategy with short-term action plan, each cultural operator will ensure to tactically planning and use all communication channels at their disposal, and to cross them with variety of set approaches to the targeted audience, key messages and BITE technology tools. By developing their unique engaging communication strategy cultural operator will go through organizational/institutional branding, segmentation of the target group, comprising a personal, social and artistic offer, then how to create and deliver a successful message, etc.
In addition, the Strategy will boost visibility of all cultural operators who are applying BITE CABM, as they are becoming members of the emerging pan-European network of cultural operators in contemporary art. Automatically with their placed information, through BITE channels, they are becoming visible in much wider national and international audience.
This document is offering to each cultural operator who intent to apply BITE CABM into their practice, an overview of the key strategic communication principles that should be followed for successful application of the BITE solutions and elements, and instruction for their implementation in practice.
A. Contemporary problems of contemporary art
Technology and innovation are rapidly changing all aspects of our life. Our habits, daily routine, new job arising. These changes are influencing each industry on earth, and contemporary culture and art was not bypassed. Such changes are mostly based on data – often perceived as 21st Century gold rush. The BITE of Art initiative collected comprehensive data generated throughout the European continent during implementation of the BITE 1.0 project, afterwards crossed with primary level research among contemporary cultural operators and young people to drive the main conclusion:
“Level of citizens overall participation in the contemporary art and culture, as well as its frequency, are in decline due to lack of innovation and creativity in: communication with citizens and presentation of the artworks.”
While the general part of the BITE 2.0 CABM is dealing with the issue of innovating the way how contemporary art is presented to the audience within the galleries, exhibition spaces, and open spaces, the Communication Strategy intends to support cultural operators in creating and executing the appealing, interactive and engaging communication campaigns.
The focus should be on young people. Same data provided us with information that young people 18 to 30 years are often least represented in the contemporary artistic and cultural life. European society is at risk of having generation which will not be embraced and inspired with narrative of contemporary art. BITE of Art intends to support efforts in creating new young audience of contemporary art in Europe, transforming them into supporters, followers and consumers of contemporary art – new generation of social changemakers.
B. BITE the problem
This step-by-step guideline is designed to help cultural operators in the field of contemporary art to shift from “sharing information” type of communication on online and traditional media to creating “personalized relationship” with their community. It will help them to transform their followers into your fans and frequent audience. The focus is on young people as BITE intention is to create a new generation of contemporary art audience throughout Europe. In addition, all instructions in this guideline are applicable to any other demographic group and can help to cultural operators to boost their communication success.
So, from now we are going in person, as colleagues to help each other...
Let’s get straight forward to what you will learn and what you will be able to do after going throughout all steps, or to say BITES, that we prepared for you here. Yes, one BITE is one step forward in crafting your communication strategies which in this case can be perceived as a full course meal you will be able to “cook & dine”. You will be able:
To rethink and upgrade your identity as cultural operator;
To understand and identify with your community;
To craft tailored messages for your target audience in more appealing manner;
To make a detailed, long-term and sustainable communication plan that will boost your success;
To understand power of new digital tools and learn how to maximize their usage in your daily communication;
Inspire and make a “hype” among young people, making them consumers of contemporary art and supporters of your work.
This BITE Communication Strategy (BITE CS) guideline with lot of practical advices is made for:
- Curators of galleries, museums, cultural organizations and other cultural operators who are in charge to create and oversight institutional/organizational communication;
- Persons engaged inhouse, or external support for planning and executing communication and visibility actions of cultural institution/organization;
- Students in the field of art and culture who would like to acquire new skills and boost its employability on the market;
- Any other person interested to learn more about how to plan and execute successful communication strategies in the field of contemporary art.
If you recognize yourself in one of the above-mentioned profiles, then this Strategy guideline is a perfect tool for you. Still, you will need to devote some time, gather people you cooperate with and engage them into designing your organizational/institutional communication strategy and “arm” yourself with patience, as this process requires a lot of testing, rethinking and improving.
To simplify wording in the following parts of this guideline, all galleries, museums, artistic organizations and other cultural operators will be referred as organizations/institutions.
