Running Header: WHAT MAKES A GREAT EXHIBITION?

What Makes a Great Exhibition?

What Makes a Great Exhibition?

Introduction

What makes an exhibition successful? It is a question that can likely be answered in a way that an exhibition must be both dynamic and engaging and at the same time interesting. However there are other factors also that contributes towards its success. This essay presents criteria for successful exhibition activities. It then introduces a case study of 18 Biennale -Arts Gallery of New South Wales in order to understand the components that contribute towards successful exhibition activities.

Discussion

Elements of a Successful Exhibition

The following elements can be identified as being key elements of successful exhibition activities:

Clearly defined objectives and goals

Understanding of the target audience

Evidence of an evaluation process

Application of strong design/presentation skills

Well organized and a realistic use of available resources

Support from marketing activities

Each of these points will now be examined in further detail.

Clearly Defined Objectives and Goals

The literature highlights the ad-hoc nature of activities such as exhibitions in many archive programs and suggests that such an ad-hoc approach is a key factor in activities being inefficient or unsuccessful. According to Casterline (1982, p. 23) successful outreach activities including exhibitions require clarity of purpose that should be linked to the broader goals of the program or organization. Nosworthy's (1994, p. 70) article is in agreement with this premise as she notes that public programming activities are just as essential as appraisal, control, description, preservation, storage, and reference services. Nosworthy (1994, p.70) also believes that public programming activities should be valued as a core function of the archives program, and emphasizes those public programming activities must reflect the overall goals and objectives of the organization.

Understanding of the Target Audience

Secondly, understanding of the target audience is an important component of successful exhibition activities. In some instances, the target audience may be undefined or very broad (e.g., anyone who walks through the door could be defined as the target audience). In most instances the target audience will include some members of the exhibition defined community. The target audience may also include people who fall outside the exhibition defined community.

Therefore, if exhibition activities are developed with a specific target audience in mind, they are more likely to be successful. When done properly, the specific needs and interests of the target audience can be taken into account and reflected in the scope and nature of the exhibition. Information about the target audience can make the exhibition more focused and structured.

Evidence of an Evaluation Process

Understanding the purpose and target audience are important components of any exhibition. To ascertain if the goals of the exhibition have been achieved some evaluation of the audience (target or otherwise) also needs to take place. Evaluation is important for accountability purposes and for discovering more about the needs of the defined community. Work on the role and importance of visitor research and evaluation has been steadily growing for some time.

Application of Strong Design/Presentation Skills

According to the literature review, another important component of a successful outreach activity like an exhibition ...