What did we learn in Latin America? (Recap)

Museum Computer Network 12:36
That's right. That's right. That's right. That's right. Yeah. Okay, Crystal, are you living everyone in as we speak? Yes. Okay, good. Okay. So just for the record, this is our what are we learned from Latin America session. It's the recap of our that American Day. It's the 27th of October and think we have Anna Marty. Obviously, Raphael br who was part of a session that unfortunately I was unable to attend because we had a concurrent session. Martha lancea was in our previous session. And then we've shown I know who Shannon who you are, and Richard and Kelsey. Welcome as well. So the the the gist of this session, and it's kind of organic really, is to ask ourselves the question, you know, what have we heard? What have we learned, if anything from those three sessions about Latin America and kind of invite you to contribute your thoughts and as kind of follow up next steps. We have 45 minutes by by any chance we're by, by any means we're not you know, if we, if we exhaust our conversation a little earlier, that's fine as well. So I just would like probably to kick it off and said, just ask for anyone who would like to who've attended those sessions. Is there anything that strikes you in terms of insight or trend that you've heard or topic of discussion, the last session with Florencia Medeco. And undress was very rich in a lot of the themes that were shared. So I just would like to open it up and see if there's anything that you'd like to kick up the conversation with.

Unknown Speaker 14:45
Yeah, I want to also thank you an MCM for dedicating one whole day to Latin America. I think the heat and need to be it was necessary. As America said before, to be known, needs an opportunity for others to know what is being done and also to make cineraria so to work with this. So is the closing of this world tour and you may have heard this Asia Pacific, also a we had the European one and the African one and this is the final session of these tours. So also, if you want if you have access to this other session of the world tool, what are the feelings there are similarities or differences? What what did you find from it?

Museum Computer Network 15:44
Sean, I don't mean you. I don't mean to put you on the spot. But it seems like you told me that you had attended all pretty much all of these sessions. I was wondering if you had like something to start off off with in terms of comparing what we've learned today from Latin America to other parts of the world. If you see some threads of or things that you could just, yeah, kick us off in a direction.

Unknown Speaker 16:06
Well, I hadn't been able to attend the first weeks unfortunately, but what I really what I mean, just as a general thought across all of these, I just think that it's like I mentioned to you yesterday at the end of the whichever it was that it's just just enjoying hearing the perspectives. I'm just absolutely delighted that MC N has been able to to bring this about because I think we are hearing about the challenges, the challenges of funding of the availability of technology. I remember what we heard a couple of weeks ago, I think it may have even been in your introduction to the session from from Africa. I was at the one with the folks from the International Commission on the museums and monuments, I think, Oh, yeah. Yeah. And how the count was that it's like to that what we need to think about is just the availability of technology. And you're saying it's like, well, broadband internet is not available everywhere. Our communities have different access, and I thought, well, we were hurrying, I think it was from untraceable done about how for communities that are really locked down and can't get out during the pandemic that you know, how do we bring the how do we bring programming into a public space? You know, it's just these challenges that we really need to think about. It's all about access. How do we end that and I think the what struck me is the the need to serve serve our communities that's just been such a constant throughout all of this. We read about it we hear about it, but it's just just to see that it really is that universal. It's it's one of the things I've enjoyed about the conference and about all of these global sessions. I just think this has been and just hats off to MC and it's been a remarkable innovation.

Museum Computer Network 17:59
Thanks, Shawn. Any any feedback on today's session? Refer that you have I'm sorry that I was not able to attend your session about the Missouri article the Lima but I was wondering if anyone has attended his session if they wanted to ask you any questions or did you get some feedback on your session or

Unknown Speaker 18:24
FL or Yes. about accessibility in the remote communities even in BMS and and we came with the ideas we have on our own to get to those communities, with Ted, you know, talking about digital platforms or just platforms in general, you have to think in a larger manner. So we make a lot of effort to think of the museum in a transmedia perspective, or so. When we start our project. We believe that we have to have a presence in the digital world, as well as in television or radio to get to those communities. And always make connections to in all of these platforms. Because yeah, there are issues related to bandwidth. But there's also issues related to just the infrastructure and olan are getting the tools to get to the to our digital platforms. So yeah, we talked about it and people were interested, because one of the main issues of actually managing projects here, here in Lima, or in Peru is is actually being aware people can get or not into the platform at first getting into the the real experience as we as we think about it, because Because yeah, I mean, one of the current streaks characteristics of Peru is as MANY other fellow American countries is that. Yeah, there. There are inequalities a lot in in the access to infrastructure in general. And what we do at New Museum is trying to connect with with the country in general and through is a very, very complicated, I mean, it's like a puzzle, it's health. So you know, Lima is based in the ghost, but there is also the Indian the Indian, you know, law sandbox, as we call it, and the Amazon and we have to think about it means it's basic, basically something very political to get in that position. And to say we're doing this from Lima. I wanted to get it in the presence of Peru and the rest of the world. But the rest of Guru at first, and yeah, there they come. All of these issues regarding accessibility. They're even there even matters of languages. You know, we've been working with communities from the Andes who speak speak Quechua, and we were validating some of the information for all the time the information but also the names of the villages, the names of the languages are themselves, trying to create contents, with curators who come from the those communities and trying to get and to create content. That are made for them in their own language, which is like the next step. That Steel's always a matter of getting the right conditions to make these great projects.

Museum Computer Network 21:32
That's interesting. I think you know what with this as I'm thinking about what I've heard, just not just today, but in other global sessions and also other sessions at conferences. I think there's a two you know, there's the platforms and tools that we use to engage with that museums use and engage to engage with their communities and their stakeholders. And then there is the the the tools and skill sets that museum professionals need, you know that our community need to be able to use those tools and the digital literacy skills that come with it. To be able to be fluent in them and and I think there are two levels of difficulties that are very disparate in different regions of the world. I thought I just I just want to keep an eye on the chat here. And please speak up.

Unknown Speaker 22:32
Because what at the end what I was saying no and also a we were talking before about it, it was Florentia was the fundraising for some of the projects like from our for my experience with for example, the video games that you can think, Okay, I have to develop a video game. I don't have a foundings or I don't have the knowledge to develop it. How can I do it and then you stop to stop doing that or USMs Zoom? Do you think one example of how can you do that? So you stop. So what motivates what really is that cooperation, this scenario of working with others and collaborate with others. So this is mixing what you say yes, right now and if this internal technology for the museum professionals, or maybe the technology to be used with the audiences, to reach more audiences to communicate with them, so sometimes that technology's not the limitation at all, is more at a more issue. is more about ideas is more about collaboration is more about other other issues, no

Museum Computer Network 23:57
referral did you have to be add,

Unknown Speaker 23:59
if I made me do something about the kind of funding we get to do our digital projects is that we have funding for specific projects. And what we do is that we're trying to build lean or linear organizations, we can adapt to change, receive money for for specific projects that lasts for a couple of months. We get to build like a team around the project, get some capacity to work with new tools, and then at the end of the project, it all goes away because the funding steps. So there is a bird you were saying, Eric Yeah, we have to build like the human capabilities. To to, to create create an environment when we can work with a new new tools, but then the money comes and goes to get into that. So we'll be working on the project learning further project. And we'd like to go into processes of Emily. How you say, to get them better, always get better. Improvement, right? The constant improvement but we do not have the capacity to keep that work to keep improving, because we've done the part and we use the money for project. And when we work in a project itself. There's this part where they're gaining station changes and learn through the project. And they'll start and then there's the part of the of the kind of project we're trying to, to to make. Because we were we want to think things that last and to get things that last they have to be structural things, things that people are gonna use for the next five, seven years, at least for us as a museum, and we need the the infrastructure to hold this project as well and finance this infrastructure for the for the next five and seven years. So there is like a lot of math going on. And we work on these projects because we're trying to anticipate what's going to happen in the future. Because because of all the things I just mentioned.

Museum Computer Network 26:19
Yeah, thanks for I know America wants to say something I just also want to just draw your attention to Deborah's comment on the chat would help to develop a common way to visualize the community impact museums are having so that we can approach we can approach more humanity oriented sources of funding. Medical,

Unknown Speaker 26:42
yes, yes, I may listen to us as a couple of reactions to have. One has to do, of course will never in Latin America refer to reparations or for for what you're saying. But in Latin America, we will never get the budget we deserve. And that's a museums are not a priority. So we'll so you better take that out of your mind that but the question is that, that the staff and the people you need to make this this question happen, and needs to know it's necessary. They don't mean there's not really a conviction, because I've seen cases in which with just one laptop, some museum professor has made a big difference. And then all the places which have a set of technology, we're unable to do it. So it's a question of having, being convinced of the necessity of turning into a different type of digital era or other rephrase the use of technology into some goals that really have to do with the mission of the museum or what this stuff means and things should be the mission of the museum. And the other thing has to do were you mentioned to do programming for the people who speak Quechua or don't speak Spanish. We are now a deeper with a project I like very, very much but we of course we need funds. We don't have enough funds, but we are added which is doing a prototype of a museum entirely run by the indigenous and entirely program and thought by the indigenous with telling about their postmodernists the way of thinking their rituals, their I mean, their preferences, their representations. And this cannot be done out of the open with no examples. And there are some countries like Australia for example, in which this is very much developed at Melbourne. Some of the exhibitions they perform are incredibly done with entire participation of the local indigenous communities. So what we're preparing now is that that database in which we will have all the Australian examples, the collaboration of museum staff and the collaboration of indigenous indigenous representatives. And I'm Scotland's because there is a wonderful work done by sociologist and social scientists in this in this theme, together with some examples in Latin America that we may find, and oils we have this database in in eprescribe. website. We will do some forces at particular places where the indigenous are established, and we detect their interest in this theme. And there are places where this we have detected that interest is in which they have with our writers, there are artists, there are some sort of people who who symbolize already and who are ready to be brought into what a platform that only the museum can build. So that's that's our project. And Raphael I would love to have to have you link to that and see what can we do because, I mean, if we talk about indigenous communities pero is something that is inspiring to all of us. So but I think the right thing is not to do things for the culture, but rather try to which I know it's very difficult. Try to do the Capture themselves. Invite us to do together a new form of representation.

Unknown Speaker 30:56
Yeah, yeah. I mean, the whole thing of this approach is to get involved in the same with the same amount of, of power in the project. Now it's like, co lead every project we do with other communities that of course, it's easier, and it has always been easier to say. As a conceptual thing, when to apply in countries like Peru, where we've been like a very fragmented country for MANY, MANY years and we've been like trying to gather all the pieces together for the last 2030 years. Just in terms of for economics, politics, and everything else. And the museum comes with this history we have as a country. We've been trying to, and it's the particularity of Peru, I think has been very centralized in politics and economics and in social development in Lima. To get there's also geographical challenges as well because going to the the Amazon through the end, this is quite a bit of a challenge to get there to collaborate and actually collaborate with something situations that are quite new. Miley's a very old institution, they have, we have 80 years working as a museum so and we're basing their surgical center very close to the palace of the government, and everything else. And everything can add this, like political empowerment is getting into into the end this and be national at the same time, as we're trying to collaborate more as cultural institutions. So yeah, it's all related in a way to geopolitics and everything else.

Museum Computer Network 33:05
But at the same time, I wish our friend Tim Kong from digital Pacific which I just shared with you in the chat. He presented well three weeks ago, I think, digital Pacific is a website that aims to preserve the language and culture of the people of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia and it's a really interesting project that aims to conserve those different cultures and cultural artifacts as well from from, you know, a diversity of different ethnics and groups in there. I think 10 million people who live in this blue planet that we call the Pacific so there's a lot of similarities in terms of the approach a Medeco and Raphael that you were just mentioning in terms of preserving but I really like the point that Anna kereta made. Said, I mean, especially interested in approaches to access perhaps alternative approaches to platforms and the use of digital in ways that are not platform based but as tools to understand audiences. And and I'd love for you to like maybe expand a little bit more on that but I was thinking of when I first connected with our speakers from Nigeria a couple of weeks ago when it was pretty Middle East and Africa and they were telling me that for them in Nigeria, WhatsApp is their primary tool to connect with each other. And so it's kind of like the idea of like meeting people were there are Is this what you have in mind? Is that was that what you were hitting to Anna?

Unknown Speaker 34:49
Yeah, it was. It wasn't leading into that. I think it's, I'm really curious to see how we use platforms or like sort of the platform is the language already and so especially WhatsApp and regions that are WhatsApp dominated how if anyone is using those ways of engagement? So it's sort of a digital tool, but it's much more about people power. And instead it's I think, what America was starting to describe the the sort of databases of information of who are the people that we want to pull into the conversation. And so I don't know if there's any work or examples that have been done, but I think we could learn so much about meeting people where they are, because I think a lot of the museums I've worked in, it's just not a consideration. It's an assumption that people have access to bandwidth and to devices that will allow them to engage and so I'm much more curious on alternative levels of engagement whether through text message or WhatsApp. or other social media platforms.

Museum Computer Network 36:00
Or thing. Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Any reaction to that or no,

Unknown Speaker 36:10
no, I'm yeah, I'm reading the people is is has more chances to be connected through so WhatsApp then through all the type of platforms. But I'm, I mean, I think when one relates to so sensitive communities, as indigenous communities who was the really demand is territory and well being and being conceited equals not to have been a racist issue. I mean, I think you need personal personal contact, I think you need they need to trust you and one needs to dress them. So I think that kind of be done through social media or other. Maybe once you build the relation, there is a chance of turning back into some mediation, but at this point, I think there's nothing better than personal personal binding.

Museum Computer Network 37:16
And your Martha did you want to say some contribute something?

Unknown Speaker 37:20
Yes, that during the conference, teammate confidence that we organizing permit. We have a press presentation about some museums in Malaga in Spain that have used WhatsApp to reach visitors because for older people, for example, WhatsApp is the only digital tool they know they don't have social media and the only thing they know when they they they families via building a smartphone is WhatsApp is the only digital pooling of some museums and using this, this tool to reach this group of people. And as a pandemic, ladies in our museum in Spain, decent Museum in Madrid. They use whatsapp when the museum was closed. And this was a chance to connect with people in the older people. And then they use Instagram for younger so you know, is that we say before meeting people where they are if other people they only have WhatsApp as a digital tool. You reach them with this tool and you reach younger video in Instagram or in Tik Tok. So as you're here

Unknown Speaker 38:35
on this talk with the DC Museum, it was very interesting in this hole that they say We are big motion, right we are in the city center. We are our agencies who offices we don't have people living in here, but these are all locals. We don't have any local so they have started doing this WhatsApp X exercise to know the communities the closer communities.

Unknown Speaker 39:05
You do also think like America, you have to get something I feel in a couple of museums will to get to the field and I've been to the field in through MANY times through another kinds of projects and it's through there is like a lot of off grid organizations and cultures in the communities that you have. It takes a lot time, a lot of time to to understand and to get and try to, to leverage in like a creative aspect where everyone's equal institution as well as these communities that do not have like an institution or that represents them. But they do are organized as institutions. But you cannot you cannot see you can feel it. You can like studied and have an idea of what it is. So it's like it is not like talking institutions institution, the district like institution to people to leaders to webs of people actually are very well organized. And they they share they hold values and ideas that can be and need to be empowered as well.

Museum Computer Network 40:25
Yeah, any reactions to that or other contributions around this thread here? I mean, the aspect of the idea of museum as a community is not new.

Unknown Speaker 40:39
I have a provocation on that good before I duck out to run the speed networking session. Right Yeah, but it's a bit of a provocation, this idea that maybe the museum needs to unbind itself from digital as a method of engagement to occupy a different kind of space in people's lives. To to say that we're not going to just engage communities that have limited access, but we should engage all communities in a more human way as opposed to social media and like, would it make sense for museums to get off social media and focus on the community

Museum Computer Network 41:21
it is a provocation

Unknown Speaker 41:22
provocation.

Museum Computer Network 41:25
I recognize you there. Absolutely. Anyone would like to take on this presentation and I know I know you need to go and join you momentarily on the on at three o'clock on the networking session. But if anyone would like to take an AS and run and run with that provocation, but the idea that using this as a you know, an anchor of community is I think is not new, and we've heard a lot from this from Medeco and Florencia. And and also address in their in their earlier in the earlier session. You know, it's it's it's really a conundrum I think, for all the institutions today to tag try to navigate this notion of community with you know, the the technology platforms that we have and what's virtual what's real. I wonder if anyone has any things to respond to this.

Unknown Speaker 42:31
By the way, she's so clear what to communities for example, we have MANY museums in Spain that are for international public will during the lockdown, they have no audiences because all these international because of tourism, and there are MANY, MANY cases and most of museums I know in here they are not really focused on the real community as we saw this afternoon or this morning, or ever. So this is different is the talk community is always there the word but it's not that we're we are doing something about it.

Museum Computer Network 43:15
meeting some of the tax here.

Unknown Speaker 43:19
I say Can I say something? Sure. So I went to a conference in pies before the pandemic and so when explaining a problem that people misuse will be in people like so, if you are in a bus stop for example, and you had you are waiting and you are you have some time, free time. Then you have some information about the museum in the in the place. You are waiting for the bus, then you ask some questions. And then the ask people if you want to know more, yes, entering them sooner and discover stories and so on. And meanwhile they are waiting for the bus they are using this app. So either use this app day by day, then they can get involved with the museum. So even if the museum is in your everyday life, because you see the you know, the museum containing in a complex like like a master stop. You can engage new people, you know, so you use a digital tool. It's an app by the idea is that you want to have your one that people have museums in their common life, you know, and I thought it was an interesting point.

Unknown Speaker 44:35
Thank you. Anything else in the chat Yeah.

Museum Computer Network 44:40
Any any other threads that you want to explore? Or for those of you who were able to attend some of the sessions today, in around Latin America,

Unknown Speaker 44:52
thanks to technology is fine, but I finally we basically know

Unknown Speaker 44:59
so maybe there's something sir, yeah, I've had Go ahead. Looking more we're thinking about will also thinking the museum as this is related something different but related to digital. Third place so a place when you can get and learn about technology and getting power, using technology and getting to know technology and to start doing some programs in order to bring that mean DVM once having the capabilities and knowing very well a specialty in in new technologies. It's going like trying to, to pass this knowledge to other people inside of the museum and through a web of collaborators. So with just him if you mess up 30 days in new technologies, you know, like a tablet program or something like that. And space where you can explore try digital media, new technologies and at the same time, have a bit of reflection with the artworks that are in the museum. So as we also think about digital not only the matters of how do we reach but what can we do to to make to help people better understand technology as a whole small perspective

Museum Computer Network 46:32
it's an interesting it's an interesting take out for me, I wanted to see the DEAI but that's okay. Jack, I like what you said here, you will always have the digital residents. Social media social media has provided space for them, but I believe there are alternatives. Do you want to expand on that? Or anyone else? It's an interesting it's not a new conversation. interesting conversation. Yes, go ahead.

Unknown Speaker 47:02
Yeah, I'm just kidding. Like me and I was about to post a continuation of that comment. It's, it's it there. There are alternatives where we would have to be kind of community managers of these spaces like mighty networks or tribe or where they become independent, independent areas of almost like social media. That we have to kind of regulate and be the keeper job. And part of that is leads it will work for us. Part of it does mean that we get probably maybe a more focused or highly engaged audience who's solely interested in cultural heritage. So it's as such as the case with with nCn where we have a community of professionals that are passionate about technology and, and cultural heritage. It's the same kind of things and concept and said to becomes more about the public facing community and and the conversations that would emerge among educators or among culturally curious audience. So there are these spaces, and these platforms that exist that we can kind of carve out for our own. It just means that we get into the game of community management and I think that's something that can be done like in like Facebook groups, but, you know, the, the alternative is that I always use these these things, these ecosystems that exist out there, they're the channels that exist out there in this ecosystem, it's their, their rental properties, you know that the landlord can change the game when it's at any given moment, we're at the mercy of the algorithms whether or not our stuff gets shown or visible or how you know, what what measures of success that those channels will promote for us are dependent on what the landlord says and not necessarily what's tied to our own vision. So I think if we explore some of these alternatives, more work for us, but I think that they are starting to emerge. I think there's a lot of I think I've said this before in some of the other sessions where I kind of been looking at the Creator economy, and what they're embracing and how they're communicating and engaging with their audiences. And a lot of these individuals are adopting these other platforms because they understand the limitations and the mercy of, of Instagram and Facebook and you know, what happens like the other day, you know, like, like, passmark, or whatever, when Facebook and Instagram went down, but that's your only line of communication with these people. Then you're, you're out of luck. What if you had an event that that was scheduled and you were trying to communicate? through Instagram? That's like, I think we need to be understanding like there's several parts of this we need to understand what it means to invest in these platforms, but also consider what it is that we can take control of ourselves and how we might be able to cultivate these audiences, these essentially digital residents outside of these other things. I don't I'm not in favor of like jumping off these platforms, because I think these platforms can be a way of kind of, maybe, for lack of a better word funneling them in, you know, they, I mean, it's like, you have to be on YouTube, second largest search engine to get some of your stuff visible, because that's where people already granted. You have to be on Facebook, because that's where people some people are gathering. So, but it does it and it brings up an interesting provocation. And I think that that digital residents aren't going to go away. And our only access to these digital residents residences aren't through social media channels that it's I think there's alternative waters for us to explore

Museum Computer Network 51:02
and that's that's a much larger thanks for your contributions your jack I think it's you know, how can we have better conversations head of social existing social media platforms is I don't think we've yet not cracked the knot on this one. It's it's a different it's a difficult conversation. Any last minute reactions we have about five minute minutes remaining, and I need to jump off the call very, very soon because I have another session to to lead. On and I Medeco any last words or questions for or feedback?

Unknown Speaker 51:45
I'm afraid of last words. So I live it to someone else.

Unknown Speaker 51:50
Yes, yes. Yes, thinking you know, to the scenarios that came out from it, and always is some collaborations participation. Maybe we made these courses and we collaborate with and so it can be developed for the different communities and and yes, of course, technology is there but people also so let's see how it goes in the near future. This talent that we have.

Museum Computer Network 52:32
I just want to thank Anna very much for like planning this day with me from the beginning and reference we've been intrinsic to this part and everyone else to join us. I hope this is the first of of a few iterations of our kind of global tour each year when we do our conference. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you care. Bye, everyone. Take good care. Bye bye