Loud and Clear: A Study of the Challenges and Successes in Marketing University Art Museums and their Programming to University Students

Abstract

After years of courting public audiences, academic art museums have shifted their focus back to their campus constituents. These changes have meant putting a premium on attracting and engaging university students. Museums have been successful in doing so through classes. Yet, what about students as active constituents outside of class? Students' limited free time is one hurdle in engaging students outside of class, but students must know about their campus art museum and its programs before they can decide whether to attend or not. Therefore a study of the challenges, and successes, in marketing these museums and their programming to students was undertaken. Specifically, 29 campus art museums in the United States were surveyed on their relationship with students, current marketing strategies, what types of media are used, and how these forms of media are evaluated. Survey results revealed challenges of limited staff time and the lack of an analytical framework for some marketing materials. Successes in marketing to students were limited, but positive comments and feedback from respondents exhibit several best practices for marketing to students. These include enlisting the help of trusted resources around campus, creating positive word of mouth among the student body, and engaging students in both the creation and marketing of programs. Additionally, best practices from civic museums, and reports on marketing to student-aged individuals, were drawn on in order to offer prescriptive advice.