Modern Public Relations
By Liz Rector
Serenity and stimulation meet in a space forged in concrete, glass and light that houses world famous modern artwork from a myriad of talented artistic personalities. When one thinks of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth so many visual and emotional responses may spring to life, but it is the behind the scenes work that allows for every experience.
Around the corner from a seven-foot sculpture there is an unmarked grey door that is the gateway to the Public Relations Department at the Modern. “I’m still kind of blown away that I’m getting paid to be at a museum every day. It’s a fantastic job, and the environment is incredibly stimulating. I feel like I learn/notice more the longer I work here,” Online Media Coordinator Andrea Duffie said.
Public Relations is an integral part of any functioning institute and is especially important for an organization that fully depends on the support of the community. The museum is an artistic staple in Fort Worth that touches many areas of the community in the hopes of generating and sustaining the appreciation of modern art.
“Our role isn’t any more important than any other role,” Media Relations Coordinator Dustin Van Oren humbly said. “Every department creates the brand, we just communicate the brand. The challenging part is that we have such an important international brand to maintain.”
Even with such an important job at hand, the atmosphere at the PR department is a positive one. “We have a great time working together and we all get along,” Van Oren said. “I can’t imagine working in a better environment.”
It is that positive attitude that makes the department that much more effective. Each employee in the PR department maintains a unique public relations angle. Duffie is responsible for the Modern’s Blog, Facebook and Twitter profiles, the museum’s presence on the internet and the designing of invitations/notifications among other things.
“I do whatever needs to be done, and because of that, I have my hands in a wide variety of things,” Van Oren said. Some of his duties include writing press releases, pitching stories, tracking attendance figures, collaborating with other departments and making sure that the museum has one collective voice.
Van Oren has come a long way since his start as a PR intern in 2002. After which, he took a position in coat check just to be able to continue working at the Modern. From there, Van Oren worked at the information desk then the Curatorial Research Assistant position upon his graduation. Van Oren has been working in the PR department since 2004 and his position has grown to include more responsibilities.
Although it is a small department, Public Relations at the Modern accomplishes a lot and is vital to the smooth functioning of the museum.
“Museum PR is unique because, unlike a typical for-profit business, we aren’t trying to sell you Product X for $19.99. Instead, we’re trying to get you through the door and provide you with the best experience possible once you’re here,” Duffie said. “Rather than talking up the ways that our product can make you run faster / jump higher, I try to make my promotional efforts interesting, enlightening, or intellectually-provoking, in hopes that people will be inspired to visit.”
Controlled Chaos 