f MIMA’s approach to participation and audience development: A new understanding of museums in the information age

This article explores the challenges and opportunities brought upon museums by recent changes in the way people communicate with each other and with institutions. To further understand the nuances of this issue, this study looks at the way the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) has proposed to evolve with the information age. Many theorists agree that the Internet has sparked a revolution for the consumer, who now has new power and a desire to participate. In the art world, this translates into a call to co-create and challenge expert culture. MIMA’s path evidences that catering to these challenges while staying relevant in the eyes of funding institutions is a tough balancing act. However, this new vision for museums paints a promising picture: an opportunity for museums to take an even more relevant part in politics.