REGIONALIZING SOCIAL MEDIA

A collaborative project to connect arts organizations and audiences in Waterloo Region through digital tools

By design, social media has a flattening effect: no matter where an individual or organization is located, they are positioned in the “same place” online. This is great for connecting people across geographies, but this effect limits the capacity for placemaking and collaboration for people within the same geographic region. There is a general saturation of content posted online; this, combined with a lack of consolidated geographically-relevant information pose a barrier to entry to the arts for newcomers to our community, as well as for people who have long been engaged in the arts. While we can be anywhere online, “we don’t live nowhere” (Jenny Odell): we are embedded in communities within a specific region. Arts organizations are all trying to serve our regional audiences well with the digital tools we have.

Social media platforms will not change to address the gaps we perceive. Therefore, we see this project as a strategic opportunity to explore ways of regionalizing social media output across arts organizations of similar sizes within Waterloo Region. We have not yet seen any organizations undertake this kind of research and development to collaboratively respond to the challenges social media imposes on community-building.

Inter Arts Matrix is leading this project in collaboration with CAFK+A, Green Light Arts, MT Space, Neruda Arts, NUMUS Concerts, and Open Ears Festival of Music and Sound. The project is funded by a Digital Greenhouse Grant from Canada Council for the Arts. The project will take place in fall 2024.