Between control and creativity: challenging co-creation and social media use in a museum context

Abstract

This article addresses the challenges and limitations of co-creation processes in museums based on an exemplary case of the design of a Danish museum-related campaign on Facebook. The article adds to the ongoing discussion on the paradigm shift in the museum by analysing potential problematical issues of including multiple agents in creative processes in museums. It concludes that it is arduous to establish a truly creative co-creative process, when the design team needs to accommodate to a well-established artistic vision as well as to the limited resources of the museum and the other participants. We argue that one cannot in advance predict or ascertain that social media users will find a campaign compelling and want to participate and engage with the content, even if substantial resources have gone into its creation. Furthermore, the complexity of many art projects is likely to make their dissemination on social media difficult.