We talked with Karen Vidangos, Social Media Manager at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Karen Vidangos, you are Social Media Manager at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. That seems like a dream job! Could you explain what your personal goals are for the Guggenheim’s social media platforms?
A goal of mine is to reach a diverse audience that has never stepped foot in the museum. I want Black and brown communities to feel welcome in this space. That means prioritizing content they want to see, engaging with influencers and artists of color these communities love and trust, and building genuine relationships that lead to long-term partnerships. Social media is a powerful tool with wide-reaching impact; it would be great to see what we can achieve when we use it to include more voices.
Name two or three fundamental tools that you couldn't work without!
Sprout Social, my iPhone, and my team. All three are so essential to what I do. I’d be lost without them!
How does your museum work to engage and educate diverse audiences, including underrepresented communities?
On social media, I want to articulate the language of modern and contemporary art in a way that is digestible to those who may not see art as a leisure activity they thought to seek out. I want the conversation around art to be participatory and not just us speaking to the audience.
The museum has done an incredible job of continuing to collect works by artists of color and my goal is to reflect that in our social content as well.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the museum field?
I grew up in a creative household. While my family is musically-inclined, I went the visual arts route. This family environment is what inspired me to pursue a career in museums.
Can you share an experience or project that you are particularly proud of from your time at the museum?
I am particularly proud of the way our constellation works together. When all three institutions collaborate, The Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, it gives us the opportunity to share our collections and the work we do to a wider audience across the globe. Whether the collaboration is for holidays, events, or exhibitions, we make sure to have fun.
What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing museums in the next 5-10 years, and how do you plan to address them?
I think we will continue to see developments in the world of tech in the mainstream. Museums will have to understand their applications and how we can reach new audiences using them.