Communicating the Arts (CTA) is a globally renowned conference for communication and marketing experts working in the art sector. The 28th Communicating the Arts conference will make its return to Europe in Paris on 2 – 4 April 2024. In partnership with Beaux Arts, CTA is organised during Paris Museum Week.
During three days, 200 cultural professionals from around the world will convene to share ideas, tackle obstacles, and jointly explore potential solutions.
Expanding upon this ethos of working together and fostering creativity, the 30 UNDER 30 mentoring initiative will provide a way for participants to connect with the upcoming cohort of emerging leaders.
We speak to CTA founder Corinne Estrada about the significance of Paris as a location for this year’s conference. We also delve into its theme of impact and responsibility in the arts.
Communicating the Arts 2024 in Paris
Communicating the Arts is a worldwide and vibrant community of enthusiastic and imaginative experts. It is a network of people who share a belief in the profound impact of culture. For over two decades, CTA has functioned as a central hub for communication professionals spanning diverse fields such as visual and performing arts, social history, and heritage.
As a cultural hub with numerous museums and a thriving arts scene, Paris presents an ideal backdrop for CTA 2024. In addition, it is a homecoming of sorts; the very first CTA event, co-organised with Tate, took place at the Museum des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2000, under the previous name of Communicating the Museum.
“This will be the 28th CTA conference,” says Estrada. “We have toured the world, but our core audience is Europe. There’s so much happening all the time in the cultural sector in Paris, so it’s an ideal host city.”
For the next conference in Paris, CTA has embarked on a strategic partnership with Beaux Arts, a leading press and services group in the cultural field. As part of this cooperation, CTA Paris 2024 will run concurrently with SITEM. This is an international trade show for suppliers of museums and places of culture and tourism.
The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between Communicating the Arts and the suppliers of museums, creating a unique synergy. The decision to partner with Beaux Arts was driven by the desire to explore new avenues and bring together diverse voices within the cultural sector.
Iconic and unique venues
The organisers’ commitment to showcasing unique cultural spaces is essential in their selection of venues for the conference. From the iconic Louvre to the lesser-known Hangar Y warehouse on the outskirts of Paris, each location offers a distinct perspective on art and culture. The inclusion of venues like Palais de Tokyo before opening hours or the Pompidou Centre’s Brancusi workshop adds elements of curiosity and discovery to the event.
Part of CTA’s success is due to the rich social programme. This is essential to build a strong network between delegates. Events such as a welcome reception at the Trocadero, a visit to the Louvre or the Partners Diner at the Gourmet restaurant at Georges (Centre Pompidou) are key moments to start a conversation.
“When we choose a city, we focus on the diversity of the cultural landscape,” explains Estrada. “We like to take people to places that they don’t know or wish to rediscover. We’re going to see the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine on day one. On day two, we’ll be at the Carrousel du Louvre.
“Then, on the final day, we take all delegates to the new cultural destination, the Hangar Y in Meudon. This is located in the South of Paris where Auguste Rodin, Edouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived.”
The Hangar Y is the world’s first airship hangar. This gigantic 19th-century building is currently offering an immersive, interactive mixed-reality experience in the heart of its main building.
“It’s unique to look at a new cultural destination. It’s wonderful to have these opportunities to be hosted in unusual places and explore some of the lesser-known cultural art spaces in the city.”
The theme of Communicating the Arts 2024
The theme for Communicating the Arts 2024 is ‘Impact and Responsibility in the Arts: Advancing Social and Sustainable Practices’. This is in line with the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) edited by the UN in 2015.
“For each conference, we engage an Advisory Board of cultural leaders from around the world. We ask them what they think are the urgent topics of their mission. How to be relevant to our world and bring solutions to social and environmental debates are the big challenges at the moment.”
It is significant, she adds, that this feedback coincided with the publication of a manifesto signed by 29 French intellectuals and directors of museums in the daily newspaper Le Monde on 17 December, emphasising the role of art in addressing climate change. “It was in reaction to that article, and after consultation with the Advisory Board, that my team decided that this year’s conference should focus on sustainability and responsibility.”
The theme, however, extends beyond environmental sustainability to encompass social and economic responsibility. Emerging leaders, technologists with directors and activist artists will share insights into their approaches to sustainability, providing a global perspective on the evolving cultural landscape.
Key speakers and topics
The line-up of speakers includes names like Peter Skogh, director of the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology (Stockholm); Mathieu Boncour, director of Communication and CSR at the Palais de Tokyo (Paris); Sonia Winner, CEO of the Cleveland Museum of National History (Cleveland); Anne Eschapasse, director of McCord Stewart Museum (Montreal) and Szuzsanna Feher, director of Public Affairs of the Ludwig Museum (Budapest).
Speaking also include Jasmin Mickein, head of press and PR from the Kunsthalle-Bremen (Bremen); Nathalie Bondil, director of exhibitions at Institut du Monde Arabe (Paris); Søren-Moesgaard Bjørnsen, head of insights at The National Museum of Denmark (Copenhagen); and Diane Drubay, founder of We Are Museums (Berlin).
Other speakers will look at topics like how the sector can respond to climate change and how museums can educate people.
30 UNDER 30
Estrada also talks about the inclusion of the 30 UNDER 30 initiative at Communicating the Arts Paris 2024, emphasising the importance of engaging the next generation of leaders in the arts.
“We are keen to develop the 30 UNDER 30 mentorship programme. Its purpose is to bring these young emerging people around the table to have a conversation together and to say, what are your expectations as tomorrow’s leaders? It’s a two-way conversation, where they can learn about best practices, and we can understand their point of view. We’ve done the conference with them each year; we have a different set of young people, and we learn so much from them.”
“CTA sponsors that initiative to keep the program free for emerging professionals. They provide access to their network, select mentors within the network and organise masterclasses. It’s a win-win.”
Daily themes
Within the overarching theme of impact and responsibility, each day of CTA Paris 2024 is dedicated to specific themes such as social engagement, cultural economy, new business models, digital revolution, and responses to climate change. This structure ensures a comprehensive exploration of key topics around CSR, allowing attendees to delve deeply into each subject.
The subtheme of day one is ‘Evolving Audiences and Social Engagement’. The afternoon will see conference inauguration sessions with presentations on audience engagement and data analysis, followed by a Welcome Reception at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.
On day two, attendees will explore the theme of ‘Cultural Economy and Digital Revolution’. The morning sessions will look at reinventing business models within the cultural economy. Then, the afternoon sessions will include discussions on the relevance of the digital revolution. After a visit to the Louvre, attendees can also explore the SITEM trade show in the early evening and enjoy a Gala Reception.
Finally, day three will focus on ‘Sustainability and Institutional Transformation’. This will include morning conference sessions on climate, workshops/boot camps at Hangar Y, and afternoon visits at the Centre Pompidou.
Reflections on CTA 2023 in Singapore
Drawing on insights from the recent event in Singapore, Estrada discusses the challenges and successes of expanding the conference to Southeast Asia. One of the highlights of CTA 2023 was the cross-cultural exchange of ideas and the growing interest in hosting future events in Asia, demonstrating the global impact of Communicating the Arts:
“It was the first event that we have organised in Southeast Asia. So, it was quite challenging because it’s not our usual audience. But it was amazing to see attendees and speakers from Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, China, India and Japan sharing their practices with attendees from Europe, America and the Middle East. It was a wonderful crossover of expertise. It is so valuable to gather different global perspectives and allow different people to join the conversation.”
“Within this region, many of the cultural venues are adopting very new technologies to engage their local audiences very actively. It was inspiring to see how agile they are to build partnerships with different institutions, new technologies and new partners.”
Benefits of attending Communicating the Arts Paris 2024
Estrada emphasizes the unique energy and inclusive atmosphere that sets Communicating the Arts apart. Attendees can expect not only to witness engaging speakers but also to actively participate in meaningful conversations. The conference offers a platform for individuals across the spectrum of the arts to contribute their expertise and learn from each other. This makes it a must-attend event for anyone passionate about the cultural sector.
“The energy of what’s happening there during the three days is magic because everybody has a space in the programme,” says Estrada. “Everybody has a voice, so it’s not just expert speakers talking to a crowd; it’s not patronising. We consider everybody to be an expert. That’s why the conversation is always high calibre. We have the top people in their fields speaking to emerging leaders and all learning from each other.”
CTA events also focus on providing a crossover of generations, nationalities and industries, both business and non-profit. Therefore, many different perspectives are being represented and getting involved. As well as learning soft skills and sharing expertise, attendees have the unique chance to explore new art venues and encounter decision leaders from across the sector.
As Communicating the Arts returns to Europe in 2024 with Paris as its backdrop, the convergence of global perspectives, the exploration of unconventional venues, and the focus on sustainability and responsibility make this event a beacon for the cultural community worldwide. Attendees can look forward to a dynamic and enriching experience. One that goes beyond traditional conferences, shaping the future of arts and culture on a global scale.
For more information and to register for CTA Paris 2024, please click here.
