They are staying open later, creating singles nights, musical soirees, theme dinners, and group travel options to attract and entertain a wider audience. And museums are inventing programs that reach out into their communities. A few examples may help. Mr. Cleveland believes community engagement requires ongoing relationships. They collaborate on a quarterly teen zine, distributed free to schools and teen hangouts, in which they publish criticism, creative writing, graphic design, and museum news.
All teens enjoy free admission to the museum.
Similar programs at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York and the Forum for Contemporary Art in St. Louis focus on inner-city teens. Additionally, museums have increasingly been stepping in to fill the void caused by the decimation of arts education in public schools since the 1970s. Increasingly, museums also seek to establish ongoing relationships with other community organizations, such as community centers, civic groups, and employers. Consider Roadside Theater, a well-established itinerant troupe based in rural Appalachia. These pieces are performed by seniors, students, and church members for the public, and then taken on tour out of town.