Elliot Simmonds to Explore Emotional Connections to Museums at the MuseumNext Social Impact Summit 2024
We are pleased to announce that Elliot Simmonds has been asked to present key findings on emotional connections in museums at the MuseumNext Social Impact Summit 2024, in a session sponsored by Art Fund. This presentation, scheduled for 16:30 (BST) on 22 May, is based on a significant study commissioned by AIM and Art Fund, executed by M·E·L Research, focusing on the emotions that drive public support for museums.
Study Overview and Key Insights Our arts, culture and heritage team at M·E·L Research conducted in-depth research to explore the emotional landscape that museums create for their visitors, communities, and the general public. The study categorised these emotions into three primary groups: Pleasure, Connection, and Purpose and went on to identify nine key emotions which form a framework around which to build engagement activites.
These findings were integrated in to a report and toolkit, which provide museums with actionable insights on how to engage deeply with their audiences, with a view to building on the outpouring of support felt for museums during the pandemic and turning that energy in to positive, on-going support for cultural organisations.
Overview of Findings
Feelings of Pleasure: Our research revealed that feelings of being entertained, excited, or relaxed are commonly experienced by museum visitors. These emotions are easily evoked through museum experiences but tend to be fleeting and challenging to sustain over the long term.
Feelings of Connection: Feelings of recognition, acceptance, and connection with people, places, and ideas were identified as slightly less common but had a more substantial impact on the degree of public support. These emotions foster a lasting effect on audiences and motivate ongoing engagement and support for museums.
Feelings of Purpose: The most intense and enduring emotional drivers discovered were those related to a sense of duty, responsibility, or personal fulfilment. These feelings were most likely to inspire deep and sustained support from community leaders, volunteers, and trustees, highlighting their critical role in supporting local museums.
During his presentation at the digital summit, Elliot will provide a topline overview of the reseach approach and findings, outlining the model of emotional engagement built on three levels. For further detail, you can see previous webinars, read the full report, or join the Associaiton of Independent Museums’ Community of Practice, by visiting our dedicated page: Emotional Connection to Museums.
Summit Context and Participation The MuseumNext Social Impact Summit 2024 is an important venue for museum professionals to explore innovative strategies for social impact. The virtual format of the summit ensures accessibility for a global audience, with all presentations, including those from M·E·L Research, available on-demand for twelve months.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage with Elliot and representatives from AIM and Art Fund during a live Q&A session, providing a chance to delve deeper into the study’s findings and discuss specific elements or issues.
If you are interested, you can find out more about the online conference via the MuseumNext website: https://www.museumnext.com/events/museums-social-impact-summit/
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