The High Museum of Art has been selected to partner with ArtBabble.org, an online art initiative that allows the Museum to post its art video content to an ever-growing online community. Launched by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in April 2009, ArtBabble.org features high-definition videos of cultural highlights from more than 20 organizations, including institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.
“This new partnership will add to the High’s burgeoning efforts to provide a fresh perspective on our collections and exhibitions through engaging video,” said Philip Verre, the High’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are delighted to join this ever-growing online community and share our content directly with art enthusiasts from around the world.”
Videos vary from original documentaries to exclusive information and behind-the-scenes footage about the museum’s installations. ArtBabble.org currently features High Museum of Art videos of past, current, and upcoming exhibitions, as well as exclusive interviews with featured artists, museum curators and directors. Videos vary from original documentaries to exclusive information and behind-the-scenes footage about the museum’s installations.
Designed to be user-friendly, the site’s mock dictionary entry self-defines ArtBabble as “a place where everyone is invited to join an open, ongoing discussion—no art degree required.” The site offers full transcripts of most posted videos, the option for viewers to download content directly and use of the “notes” section, which allows viewers easy access to more information and additional online resources relevant to the subject matter.
ArtBabble.org
ArtBabble.org is an online community created to showcase educationally focused videos about art and artists. Created by the Indianapolis Museum of Art and launched in April 2009, the groundbreaking site allows visitors to explore art online through a collection of high-definition videos, including interviews with artists and curators, original documentaries and video about art conservation and installation. Making smart use of innovative cloud computing technology, ArtBabble is a global platform that features in-depth associated content and social media integration to give viewers easy access to a wide range of art content.
With 27 internationally acclaimed partners, ArtBabble highlights the best art video content produced by museums and cultural organizations both large and small. Awarded the 2009 Gold MUSE Award for Best Online Presence by the American Association of Museums and, more recently, the 2010 Best Overall Site by the International Conference of Museums and the Web, ArtBabble has been identified by its peers as an outstanding example of institutional collaboration. ArtBabble was developed by the award-winning new media and technology departments at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and made possible by a grant from the Ball Brothers Foundation.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Encompassing 152 acres of gardens and grounds, the Indianapolis Museum of Art is among the ten largest encyclopedic art museums in the United States, and features significant collections of African, American, Asian, European and contemporary art as well as a newly established collection of design arts. The IMA offers visitors an expansive view of arts and culture through its collection of more than 54,000 works of art that span 5,000 years of history from across the world’s continents. The collections include paintings, sculpture, furniture and design objects, prints, drawings and photographs as well as textiles and costumes. Additionally, art, design and nature are featured at 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park and Oldfields-Lilly House and Gardens, a historic Country Place-era estate on the IMA grounds.
Recognizing the IMA’s positive impact on its community, the museum was awarded a 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Services—the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries. The IMA’s commitment to free general admission, programming for schools and teachers, environmental leadership and online initiatives were among cited community contributions in the museum’s selection for the award.
High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art, founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, is the leading art museum in the Southeastern United States. With more than 12,000 works of art in its permanent collection, the High Museum has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American and decorative art; significant holdings of European paintings; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography and African art. The High Museum of Art is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists and is distinguished as the only major museum in North America to have a curatorial department specifically devoted to the field of folk and self-taught art. The High’s media arts department produces acclaimed annual film series and festivals of foreign, independent and classic cinema. In November 2005 the High opened three new buildings by architect Renzo Piano that more than doubled the Museum’s size, creating a vibrant “village for the arts” at the Woodruff Arts Center in midtown Atlanta. For more information about the High, please visit www.high.org.
The Woodruff Arts Center
The Woodruff Arts Center is ranked among the top four arts centers in the nation. The Woodruff is unique in that it combines four visual and performing arts divisions on one campus as one not-for-profit organization. Opened in 1968, the Woodruff Arts Center is home to the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art and Young Audiences. To learn more about the Woodruff Arts Center, please visit www.woodruffcenter.org
Image: The High Museum of Art