The Worcester Art Museum, established in 1898, has often been considered one of the three superpowers of American art museums. In its early days, WAM was the first museum in America to add multiple Monets to its collection and, more recently, the museum has received accolades from national press about having adopted non-traditional approaches to every aspect of the organization. This was readily apparent when the Wall Street Journal highlighted WAM’s [remastered] installation—where Old Master paintings were hung in medallion style groupings “in ‘medallion style’ groupings, common in 17th- and 18th-century stately homes, that hinge on visual connections.”
Apart from the museum’s usage of its gallery walls, WAM has undergone a lot of internal changes as well. This includes revamping its marketing department in an effort to position the museum to take even bolder strides forward in every aspect, big and small. This model has even trickled down to the volunteer groups within the museum, often made up of trustees, corporators, and members councilmembers. With the Gala Auction (“A Renaissance Celebration: A Revelrous Feast and Auction featuring Music, Mead and Merriment”) approaching (Saturday, June 14th), the 14-person auction marketing committee has come up with a unique deliverable for sponsors: The Look.
The Look is billed as a fun way to suggest attire for the gala auction by involving local businesses within the fashion world: Couturier James Hogan is assembling ten dresses to be accessorized by both Neal Rosenblum Goldsmiths and Perfect Focus Eyecare. The models, which represent Karon Shea Model Management, were under the expertise of hair and makeup Angel Ortiz and Jackie Betancurt from Tu Moda Spa for hair and make up. The end result were beautiful photographs taken by fashion photographers Erb Photography and Dana Lane Photography that highlighted fashion forward thinking with suggestions of locally available options for the Gala in June.
The Look does more than provide viewers ideas for attire; it helps each of the participating businesses get an instant return on their investment. The final products are disseminated in various was, both in traditional and digital marketing means, that promote the event and in turn promote the advertisers.
John Mackey, the founder and President of Whole Foods, once said, “If you want to shift the paradigm, you have to be willing to do bold things…it will be controversial, but it will also be catalytic.” While The Look isn’t controversial, it certainly is bold and unconventional. In taking a sneak peek of the Worcester Art Museum’s photo shoot, we know that the final results will certainly accomplish the goals of both the advertisers and the Worcester Art Museum.
We look forward to seeing what you wear to the Gala Auction on June 14th.
About A Renaissance Celebration: A Revelrous Feast and Auction featuring Music, Mead and Merriment – Saturday, June 14, 2014
Step back into the Renaissance period with lords, ladies, and of course, knights at the Gala Auction in June. Dine on elegant fare, bid on fabulous items, be entertained with jesters and minstrels, and dance the night away at the Worcester Art Museum’s (WAM) gala auction. Evening attire is creative black tie and 500 people are expected. . Proceeds from A Renaissance Celebration will fund the new home for the Higgins Collection.
About The Worcester Art Museum
WAM, the leading art museum in Central Massachusetts, has a collection of over 35,000 objects spanning 50 centuries. Founded in 1896, WAM has a rich history noted for many precedent-setting initiatives. WAM was the first museum in the country to purchase works by Claude Monet, to establish a partnership with local public schools, to bring a medieval building to the U.S. and to focus its contemporary art program on art of the last 10 years. WAM welcomes 90,000 visitors annually from around the world.
WAM is poised for another noteworthy chapter in its history – incorporating the 2,000-piece Higgins Armory Collection. Integration is already underway and involves creation of exhibition space as well as proper storage and conservation facilities – a costly undertaking.