The Circle was anything but square today.

Today (yes, Friday the 13th) a couple dozen Andy Warhol look-a-likes dashed around Monument Circle to the rockin’ sounds of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Run Run Run’ for a little thing we like to call a flash mob.

That leaves two kinds of people in this town: those who saw it, and those who didnt.

You were there? Awesome! You can upload your pics and vids to using your Flickr account. Missed the action? Don’t get your wig in a twist. Stay tuned for great footage and images here.

Filed under: Current Events, Exhibitions, Marketing, New Media

This summer I am fortunate to have two dedicated and hard-working interns working with me in the Public Affairs Department.  The following is a post by Steph Gray, the marketing and promotions intern who is also starting her senior year in Theatre Performance and Arts Administration at Butler University, about her experiences at the Museum this summer.

IMA Summer Intern Steph Gray

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Filed under: Current Events, Marketing

“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 »

Filed under: Exhibitions, Local, Marketing

(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!

Filed under: Local, Marketing, Musings

Calling all IMA Members – this blog is for you! As an IMA member, you support everything the museum offers the Indianapolis community – an encyclopedic collection of more than 54,000 objects, vibrant programs and events, free general admission and more.

Your continued financial support and philanthropy is important to the community and the IMA, and we want you to know that we appreciate you.

As a thank you, we have some fantastic opportunities for you to take advantage of, May 10-16, during our first ever IMA Member Appreciation Week. Member week is your ticket to access special tours, talks and discounts all week long. I’ll tell you about a few highlights – but take a look at our full schedule of events (RSVP to reserve your spot.)

Kick-start Member Appreciation Week on Tuesday with an introduction to the IMA’s World War II-era Provenance Research Project. Annette Schlagenhauff, Associate Curator for Research, discusses the IMA’s continued efforts to research current and proposed works in our collection and publish the findings. You may recognize Annette from her articles in the IMA Magazine.

Thursday, May 13 is Member Night. Happy Hour starts at 5:30 pm, with double discounts at Nourish Café on food and beverages, including a “Member’s Special” drink. Thursday through Sunday, the Museum Store is offering an extra 20% off merchandise related to art featured in the museum’s special exhibitions and permanent collections. After happy hour, join Chelsey Fleming, co-curator of the newly-opened Ancient Art of the Mediterranean gallery for a personal tour.

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Filed under: Art and Nature Park, Current Events, Horticulture, Marketing, Public Programs