From Collections to Communities
Spring 2026
Drawing on global expert interviews, docent perspectives, and secondary research, From Collections to Communities: Museums' Metamorphosis explores how museums are evolving from object-centered repositories into civic platforms where participation, trust, and relevance elevate institutional value alongside preservation. The SCADask team examined five areas of transformation: civic role, generational engagement, digital strategy, curatorial practice, and operational resilience. Across each, a consistent pattern emerged: the most resilient institutions prioritized human connection over spectacle, participation over authority, and depth of relationship over reach. The report offers frameworks, case studies, and strategies for museum leaders navigating this transition.
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SCADask generates timely research at the intersection of commerce, creativity, and culture. With a purpose of educating the public with new insights on trending topics as well as elevating SCAD as the preeminent source of knowledge in the disciplines we teach, SCADask equips external partners to address a wide range of emergent business opportunities. Under the supervision of qualified university leaders, SCADask identifies, formulates, and tackles research questions that are relevant to SCAD disciplines and appealing to a general interest audience. The qualitative and quantitative results and strategic insights produced from SCADask research synthesize existing knowledge from SCAD programs and new research assignments with external partners.
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