Home Is Where the Art Is

Since public health guidelines closed the Cleveland Museum of Art’s doors in mid-March, the CMA has continued to fulfill its mission with the dynamic digital program “Home Is Where the Art Is.” This online initiative reasserts the power of art to teach, to promote connections, and to inspire joy across all environments.

At the heart of the CMA’s digital initiatives is the museum’s abiding mission: “To create transformative experiences through art, for the benefit of all the people forever.” By offering ways for people to virtually connect, the museum is continuing to do just that. In considering our diverse audience’s changing needs while moving forward the museum’s strategic plan, the CMA’s cross-departmental Digital Innovation Team launched a myriad of new digital initiatives, meeting you where you are.

We wanted to do more than just move the museum experience online; rather, we wanted to leverage technology to bring works of art to those in similar circumstances, responding to changing needs in new, enriching, and innovative ways. We are excited to create moments of education, creativity, and connection that bring the CMA’s curators and staff together—virtually—with our audiences at home.

“Home Is Where the Art Is” offerings can be found on our newly redesigned home page. Launched in May, the home page is a dynamic portal into the resources available at this time. A single page gives access to all of the museum’s digital resources, many of which have been developed, released, or updated in the months we’ve been closed. These continue to expand and include the following:

Desktop Dialogues Every other Wednesday at noon, join CMA curators, educators, and other invited guests in a live online discussion inspired by objects in the museum’s permanent collection that address issues people are facing today. Participate in the conversation by making comments or asking questions.

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Collection Online The CMA’s Collection Online allows you to explore every work in the collection. Now, in response to the temporary closure, new Exhibitions Online filters allow you to browse objects currently on view in special exhibitions and rotations, such as PROOF or Tiffany in Bloom. Zoom in to high-resolution images and 3-D models, enjoy videos, and explore in-depth interpretive content, including up to 36 fields of metadata such as provenance, citations, and exhibition history. 

Visitor Art Gallery The CMA’s educators release weekly creative activities for at-home artists of all ages, interests, and levels of proficiency, all inspired by the museum’s collection. Upload your creations to the CMA’s visitor art gallery, browse what others have made, and share your artwork with friends.

Video Series The CMA’s weekly series shares the insights of CMA curators and staff on artworks and topics that personally resonate with them during this time. Explore current exhibitions through “On View Now” and objects from across the collection in “On My Mind.”  

ArtLens for Slack Companies and remote workers can recharge, get inspired, and discuss current topics in the digital workplace through ArtLens for Slack, a daily art exhibition bot. The app serves as both a stand-in for a traditional museum experience and those in-office watercooler conversations.

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Explore the Keithley Gift Explore the artworks, download a screen saver, or get a sneak peek before the museum reopens through videos from our curators discussing artworks included in this generous gift. 

Open Access Initiative Share, download, collaborate, remix, and reuse images of 30,000 public-domain artworks and metadata for the CMA’s entire world-renowned collection for commercial and noncommercial purposes through Open Access. Explore with our Collection Online, API (application programming interface), and more. What will you create?

ArtLens App Explore the galleries from home on your smartphone or tablet. Create and share custom tours with students, classmates, and friends. In response to the closure, we now offer the ability to create a tour from home and share direct links to your tour. Browse a curated list of tours created by the CMA, discover custom interpretive content, or navigate with an interactive map.

Open Access Dashboards See the exponential effect that Open Access has had on the reach of the CMA’s collection by comparing views and downloads from our Collection Online, API, and partner repositories such as Wikipedia on our live dashboards. 

Social Media Stay connected through our channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which carry the latest information and fun games and filters to share with friends. Now you can share the CMA’s collection with friends through new augmented reality Instagram filters, with fun topics such as “What’s my quarantine hairstyle?”

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Digital Archives Explore a wealth of resources such as audio and visual recordings of past programs and events, oral histories, renderings, and works by artists represented in the museum’s collection.

Blog: CMA Thinker Consider art from another angle through deep-dive pieces on a single artwork, glimpses behind the scenes with conservators, and insights into the inner workings of the museum’s award-winning digital initiatives. 

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Virtual Events The museum has engaged members in a series of fun live events. Our Leadership Circle supporters had a wonderful French-themed cocktail party with director William Griswold over Zoom in May, and a virtual Spring Members Party on May 28 featured art-making lessons and musical performances by pianist Pedja Muzijevic and trumpeter Steven Bernstein. Our first virtual MIX party was held on June 5. 

Special Online Events for Supporters

Three programs offer unique insights. Save your space: 216-707-6832 or atillinger@clevelandart.org.

Collection Insights Thursday, July 23, 6:00. Curators debut recent acquisitions before they go on view to the public. For Leadership Circle members at the $10,000+ level. 

Inspired by Britain Thursday, August 13, 6:00. CMA curators discuss the paintings and decorative arts featured in the British galleries reinstallation. The CMA’s Design and Architecture Department shares behind-the-scenes insights into the planning of the space. For Leadership Circle members at the $2,500+ level. 

Close Connections Series Thursday, August 27, 6:00. Curators from two disparate disciplines make connections across the CMA collection; an ongoing series. For CMA Insider members at the $250+ 
level.

All these offerings reflect the museum’s network of relationships and its aspirations to be a global leader among museums while remaining committed to its Cleveland community. 

Cleveland Art, Summer 2020