ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
By VALENTINE BRKICH ’97
Redefining creativity in a creative space
A
s part of her job at the Carnegie Museum of Art in
Carnegie Museum of Art is to find solutions to both of these
Pittsburgh, Laura Zorch McDermit ’06 is responsible
problems. “It’s certainly challenging,” she says. “You have to be
for thinking up creative events aimed at bringing in
able to think differently and more creatively in order to change
younger, more diverse audiences. For example, last winter she organized a silent disco, where people danced in silence while listening to different types of music through headphones. And this past December, she had an ice skating rink brought inside the museum—yes, inside!—for an over-21 skating party. “We really pushed the envelope on that one,” admits
people’s perspective of museums and what they’re all about.” One of the events she’s initiated is the museum’s Third Thursday program, which partners with local organizations who work with their target demographic. This monthly afterhours (8-11 p.m.) program offers unique and fun activities at the museum for people 18 and over. “We’re situated between four
McDermit, who serves as the museum’s manager of social and
universities,” says McDermit, “so we definitely want to attract
entrepreneurial experiences. “But it was a blast. Sometimes I
that audience.”
can’t believe I get to do this for a living.” The general demographic of museum attendees is aging,
Other initiatives she’s spearheaded at the museum include a wellness program offering things like yoga and meditation,
and museums all over are looking to attracting new audiences.
and the FEAST program, which brings in chefs from around the
And with less federal money available for the arts, they’re
world to create a “unique, one-night-only immersive cultural
also looking for new revenue streams. McDermit’s job at the
experience” to coincide with current art expositions. Since the
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