The Knight Foundation is donating $1.87 million to 12 art museums to develop new ways to use technology to boost engagement.
The intention is to help museums respond to new audience expectations in an increasingly digital age.
The foundation believes that technology can make it easier to interact, educate and communicate with audiences.
It sees a real opportunity here for museums to ‘reach beyond the walls of their institution, to delight people in new ways and to create tools that help researchers’.
The Knight Foundation was founded by newspaper publishers and brothers, John S. and James L. Knight who believed that informed and engaged communities are essential for a healthy democracy.
Art is one of the foundation’s key areas of interest. This latest round of funding hopes to ‘reduce the distance between the museum and the audience, creating understanding, appreciation and ongoing relevance for exhibitions’.
Recipients of the funding include the Akron Art Museum, The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Image courtesy Detroit Institute of Arts
