Post-Pandemic New Museum Reality: The European Perspective

The U.S. and Europe have faced the same pandemic but the impact on museum strategies and the museum workforce has been different. In both regions, most museum professionals will agree that in addition to new challenges arising from the pandemic, existing issues such as inclusion, societal responsibility or civic engagement and the way they affect staff became more apparent and increasingly relevant to any discussion of the future of museums.

This program will first illustrate the impact European museums have seen from the pandemic. How long were they closed, what was the impact on employment and finances? Then, we will look at the challenges that have emerged and how strategies have evolved in response. Is there similar stress on the workforce as we see in U.S. corporate culture, programming, and the place on the institutions in their communities? Have new business strategies been developed?

Finally, we will focus on aspects about the workforce. Is there a similar problem with stress and burnout as we notice in the U.S.? How do our colleagues in Europe deal with the new labor practices such as the request for more hybrid work possibilities and salary increases?

Panelists will include:
Maria Vlachou: Executive Director of Acesso Cultura (Associação Cultural), Lisbon Portugal.
Marjolein VanBreemen: Director of the Museum at NATURALIS Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Jörg Ehtreiber: Director of FRida & freD, Graz, Austria.
Alesandra Drioli: Director of the Fondazione Idis-Città della Scienza, Naples. Italy.
Ann Follin: Director General of the National Museums of World Culture, Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden.

Moderator: