Mobile and the arts: where to start?

For some arts organisations, the array of platforms and devices in digital is bewildering.

For small organisations, perhaps a theatre group, how is awareness and ultimately ticket sales to be improved? Beyond this, the prospect of actually engaging and collaborating via digital media can be daunting or perhaps feel like a pipe dream.

And for large arts organisations, how easy is it to compete with big brands, or big online-first non-profits such as the Khan Academy, when it comes to education and engagement online? Is a multi-pronged mobile strategy, featuring a number of apps and a responsive website, the best approach?

Lots of questions! In this post I’m framing a talk I gave for IT4ARTS last week, at the Barbican. I’ve given some background and fleshed out the challenge for the arts, in digital and on mobile.

I’ve also reviewed a number of mobile apps, looking in particular at the Tate, and there are also some references and jumping-off points to talks by those working and innovating at museums and galleries.