Hi everyone! My name is Muji Lai and I will be entering my senior year in flute performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. I hope to gain insight into arts administration and arts educational outreach during my Columbus Foundation fellowship at the Columbus Museum of Art! This was my first week at CMA working with Julie Defossez, Assistant Curator of Public Programming. It was wonderful to meet Dr. Lomax and all of the summer fellows at our orientation on Monday at the Columbus Foundation. I am truly looking forward to working with you all this summer! 

In the beginning of the week, I spent a lot of time familiarizing myself with the museum’s current and past public programming and current exhibitions. Public programming at CMA includes workshops, studios, artist talks, and live-music events for children, teens, adults, and all ages. The two main exhibitions are East of the Pacific, showcasing Asian American art, and Greater Columbus Fellowship exhibition, highlighting the works of six artists based in the Greater Columbus region. One of my main projects this summer is to design a program for college-age students (ages 18-25) at the CMA’s Pizzuti location in Short North. I began by compiling a research document of how 8 other leading museums in the US digitally archive their previous programs online. Having clear digital documentation of previous programs on our main website showcases the diversity of outreach at the museum, which is crucial for marketing, funding, and archival purposes. Then, I started my research on what programs for college-age students currently exist at other art institutions. I found that most existing programs fall into one of two approaches: networking/professional opportunities or creative social events. I also began to research what motivates, incentivizes, or dissuades college students from attending extracurricular events focused on the arts. All of this research will serve as a foundation for my own program proposal!

Additionally, I worked two events, one of which was an artist talk and another was a monthly Night Shift event with music, drinks, and art.​​ I also had the opportunity to meet all of the administrative staff at CMA at the meetings I attended, including Curatorial x Advancement, two Curatorial departmental meetings, Engagement touch-base, and Special Events. I am very grateful to the kind and welcoming team here and looking forward to a great summer at the museum! 

– Muji