“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”- Andy Warhol

This October, the IMA will be presenting Andy Warhol Enterprises: an exhibition that examines Andy Warhol’s lifelong exploration of commerce, consumerism, and the business of art-making.

Featuring works that span his entire career, Warhol the artist, the businessman and the personality will loom large throughout the entire Museum this fall and winter…

…which got us thinking: why keep Andy inside the walls of the museum? Why not make his presence city-wide?

Even almost 25 years after his death, Andy Warhol may be the most popular artist of the 20^th century. So popular, in fact, that you can buy Andy Warhol wigs on Amazon. Which is exactly what we did last week!

(via Amazon.com)

Beginning next month, our street team will be wearing those wigs and popping up at various events around town. ” The Andys” will tailgate at Colts games, attend fairs and festivals, and hang out on college campuses. Perhaps you’ll run into an Andy while shopping for shoes or a loaf of bread. Where’s Warhol? Aisle 3.  Read the rest of this entry »

THANK YOU, INDIANAPOLIS! Nearly 10,000 people attended the opening day celebration of 100 Acres. It was a glorious (and very hot) event and the Park looked grand as families and individuals explored the landscape.

The Highs:

• My favorite moments of yesterday were watching visitors interact with the art works. From toddlers crawling on Atelier van Lieshout’s Funky Bones to families shooting basketballs on Los Carpinteros’ Free Basket, it was delightful to see people-both young and old-experiencing and enjoying the art and discovering the Park.
• While I was walking towards the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion early in the day I overheard a man gesturing towards the dense woods and stating to his wife “Who could have imagined this was all tucked back here behind the museum?” The dense woods, the meadows, the lake all make 100 Acres feel like an oasis in the middle of the city and it’s wonderful that visitors will now be explore the space throughout the year.
• A major treat of the day was watching many of the artists  talk to visitors about their work. Having worked on the project for years, the artists were absolutely delighted to see the crowds finally get to explore the art works. Adam and Andrew from Type A were practically skipping around the park as they greeted the crowds and Visitors Pavilion architect, Marlon Blackwell, maintained a giddy smile on his face throughout the day as he led visitors through the structure.

The Lows:

• For 3 hours I stood at the 38^th street loop and watched visitors flow in and out of the park. I helped direct traffic, and I fielded dozens of questions and complaints about the parking situation. What happened? Based on the attendance totals from past events (including the 2005 celebration of the new building), we estimated 3-5,000 people would visit 100 Acres over the course of the 5 hour celebration.  Consequently, the IMA arranged for 2 large trolleys that would run on loops every 30 minutes from the Park to the Velodrome to the IMA’s parking lot. By approximately 2 p.m. we realized that the crowds were growing beyond our original estimate and in response, we added a third shuttle to manage the flow.  For all of those that rode their bikes and used Park & Pedal or took the IndyGo bus, thank you for traveling green! For all of those that parked at the IMA or the Major Taylor Velodrome, thank you for your patience! For all of those who turned away because of the traffic, we are sincerely sorry that you missed the day, and we hope that you will return in the future to explore the park.

So, that’s the recap. I’m sure we’ll be posting all kinds of additional photos from the event on our Flickr page and Web site. Stay tuned! For now, just remember that 100 Acres is here to explore for free 365 days of the year from dawn until dusk. If you were here yesterday, please come back and bring your friends. If you missed the opportunity to join us for the celebration, we hope you will get a chance to explore the Park in the near future.

(photo via Joe Shoemaker)

Last week, I represented the IMA (@IMAMuseum) at the Indianapolis Social Media Breakfast (@indysmb) on the topic of Using Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Attraction Industries. Serving on the panel with me were representatives from IndyHub (@IndyHub), The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (@TCMIndy), The State Fair Grounds (@IndyStateFair), and the ICVA (@VisitIndy). Sitting in the audience were some of the most engaged social networkers in the city. It was a great opportunity to discuss the IMA’s social media strategy and to hear how other organizations are utilizing social networks for marketing and audience development strategies. (In case you don’t know, the “@” behind the organization refers to its Twitter account).

To sum up, here’s what I discussed:

1. Social Media = Social Networks (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) + Social Content (Video, blogs, etc.) If an organization creates great social content then social networking is a heckuvalot easier! Producing good, engaging content should be your top priority.
2. The staff person/s that manage/s Facebook and Twitter is your online visitor services staff. Whether they speak from their own voice or on behalf of your organization, Social Media staff are evangelists of the organization. They have to be authentically passionate about what they communicate and be willing to live the mission of the organization. The best Social Networking is done 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
3. When it comes to online strategy, the best plan is to not plan. While it’s essential that overall communication objectives and key messages are understood, the best social media presences are those that have the ability to be flexible, responsive and experimental.

See the full discussion:

Indianapolis Social Media Breakfast | May 13th 2010 from Twelve Stars Media Productions on Vimeo.

Want More?

If you are local and want to learn more about the IMA and our social media strategy, you’re in luck! This Thursday, May 20 at 5:30 we will be hosting Bloggers Anonymous, a meetup group of individuals who are interested in art, technology, online communications and networking. Come, grab a drink in Nourish Café, get some freebies, and meet some really great people while you’re at it!

A few months ago, the blog team had an idea; we wanted to open up the IMA blog to a member of the public in order to present an ‘outside’ perspective of the Museum. After a little brainstorming, the “So You Think You Can Blog” contest was born. Dozens of potential bloggers submitted to the contest.  5 finalists were chosen. And our blog readers chose 1 winner – Katie Neville. Congratulations!

THANK YOU to all our blogger candidates. It was fascinating to read your perspectives on the museum experience. We really appreciate your willingness to participate and share.

THANK YOU to all of our blog readers that voted. The poll got record-breaking participation. In fact, on Wednesday, March 10, our Web site received the most  hits in a single day in IMA history. Votes were cast from as far away as the Netherlands (27 votes) and China (17 votes).  We even had 3 votes from Trinidad and Tobago.

OK, so that’s it for now! The NEW IMA blogger has been crowned. Ms. Neville will be joining the team this April and we’re looking forward to what she has to say. Until then, we’ll be working on a new blog contest…Stay tuned!

Oh, oh and Katie – Expect an email from the Blog Team today. We’re excited to have you on board!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day – that strange day when everyone at the IMA  breaks his or her uniform of basic black in order to add a festive flash of green.

IMA's Rain Garden

While green slips into our wardrobe only once a year here, it is at the top of our minds every day. Here’s just a sampling of all the ways the IMA thinks green:

• Recycling – In 2009 the IMA recycled 7,392 pounds of newspaper, 12,950 pounds of office paper, 2,099 pounds of aluminum, and 2,046 pounds of plastic. Each employee has a recycling bin at his or her desk and large recycling bins are available in areas available to the public and staff.

• The Toby – During the renovation of The Toby in 2008, the IMA used green products whenever possible. The floor is made of recycled cork and tires. Recycled carpet tiles were used in the lobby, seating areas and hallways. Recycled glass and concrete was used for the countertops in the service area.

• Rain Garden – The IMA’s rain garden (see image above) captures and filters storm water runoff from the asphalt parking lot outside the Greenhouse that would otherwise flow into nearby waterways, carrying oil and other pollutants with it. Next time you visit the Greenhouse, be sure to check it out!

• Visitors Pavilion at 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park – Currently being constructed and opening June 20, 2010, the 3,000-square-foot Visitors Pavilion will be a LEED certified facility.  See images of the ongoing construction of the pavilion.

• Programming – The Planet Indy speaker series – an annual speaker series that addresses quality of life from a sustainable, creative perspective.  Last month the IMA hosted filmmaker Chris Paine (director of Who Killed the Electric Car?) as he discussed transportation and green lifestyles.  As part of the event, the museum exhibited an electric car just outside Nourish Cafe (check out the IMA TV clip).Upcoming Planet Indy talks include “gestalt gardener” Felder Rushing (April 22) and author of The Not So Big House series, Sarah Susanka (May 20)

So there it is, just a few examples of how the IMA is green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Slainte!