On December 4, 2014, the Benaki Museum in Athens will host a one-day-conference entitled “The future is now. Evolving Museum Strategy, Programming and Communication”.

In an era of readily available cultural information, imagery and content beyond geographical borders and physical structures, while resources are shrinking, many museums are re-thinking their identity and mission to address shifts in their environment and adapt to the new reality. Local museums are becoming international through new technologies, historic museums are featuring contemporary art exhibits or performing arts events, traditional museums are expanding their presence in public spaces. Those and many other changes are leading museums to rethink their internal structure, adding new, cross-disciplinary positions and experts on their roster. They also lead museums to a rebranding and repositioning process in terms of who their members and audience is, is not, or should be, aiming at remaining relevant.

The fourth installment of the Museum Conference co-organized by the Benaki Museum, the U.S. Embassy in Athens and the British Council, will examine the shifts – both internal and external – that museums and cultural institutions experience.

Museum managers, curators and artists from Greece, the UK and the U.S. will meet to discuss the future of the museum and the museum of the future.

Cynthia Round, Senior Vice President of Marketing and External Relations for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will talk about the new global brand of the museum and its strategy in programming and communication.

Susan Sellers, Head of Design at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will present the ways in which design may redefine the brand identity of a museum, exhibition programming and visitor experience, physical or digital.

Sam Thorne, Artistic Director of Tate St Ives, will talk about the development of the museum’s strategy and its efforts to attract young generations of visitors and supporters.

SPEAKERS CVs

Representatives from Greek museums and cultural institution will also contribute to the discussion.

There will be simultaneous interpretation into Greek and English.
Entry is free, on a first come-first served basis.
Registrations will begin at 9:00 a.m.