Creative Connections

The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) in New Orleans, Louisiana has been thriving in visual and performing arts for 35 years and counting. The center was formed in 1976 by artists for artists as a place to break down the walls between visual and performing arts. The 4-story building is home to a gallery featuring paintings, photography, sculpture, video and education and a stage featuring theater, dance, music and other performing arts. The CAC prides itself in being a “cultural leader” for the community of New Orleans.

The center has and continues to emerge in innovation, from the vast display of arts to its ability to reach and connect with a variety of people. The CAC website is very upbeat, colorful and informative. The CAC is above the rest as far as social media is concerned, but can do more as it tries to incorporate the internet as a means of contact with the public. The CAC has a Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare account.

On the Twitter page, the CAC focuses on promotion. Promotion of performances and exhibits, reminding followers of when the events are then commenting about the events after they take place. They try hard to make the people feel connected, by posting questions asking how people felt about performances unfortunately they get little response. They get a lot more credit for effort than some other theaters and museums that use Twitter as an update page and nothing else.

The Facebook page, sorry to say does not get as much credit as the Twitter page does. The page is just another page to post updates about upcoming events and ticket sales. No conversation, no interaction. They do not have many pictures either and no video. Other than the event updates, the page is impersonal and a little bland. For such an artistic, inventive center the Facebook page lacks in creativity.

I do not have a Foursquare account, so I can’t say much about their presence on Foursquare. But I find that just having an account is a little ground breaking because other arts facilities should have an account but do not. So the fact that the CAC wants people to check in, it’s another way to ask people to come, which is good.

The CAC could benefit from having a blog, talking about performances and exhibitions. It can be a “How Do You Do It?” blog, asking artists what it takes to make a great piece/performance. If not on a blog, they could integrate this as a weekly conversation on the Twitter page with artists as well. They can improve the Facebook page by starting conversations as well, maybe asking friends, what’s the most outrageous piece of art they have or would have made-this also could be weekly. Starting slow but to increase in interaction period is the key.