The Joy of Virtual Connection

Author: Isaac Pleta

I surely don't have to express how strange this year is, but I would like to discuss how important social media and virtual experiences have been in the current context. Social Media has been a staple for some time now, but it became nearly essential over the course of this year. It gained a new power as one of the only ways to escape our quarantined space and live vicariously through the images, words and videos that were generously posted. My internship allowed me to add to this virtual experience. 

The incredible task that I was able to work on for my internship at Associated Artists of Pittsburgh was to create weekly videos that highlighted the artworks and creative places that can be found across Pittsburgh. These videos were posted to Associated Artists of Pittsburgh’s Instagram. The Executive Director, Madeline Gent, hatched this plan along with my input as she insisted I was to be involved in a project I would enjoy and be proud of. While I was also involved in a variety of day-to-day tasks, my main objective was the production of these videos. To do this, I would visit various galleries and organizations and make a video that would last no more than one minute. This was done to show AAP support for local art galleries, museums, organizations, and artists.  

Through this opportunity, I was able to learn how important social media is and how it can be beneficial to the development of a company's digital outreach. People would view these videos and sometimes even contact me to thank me for showing them a new place or artist. I was so happy to increase audience for these arts venues and provide a virtual experience with art at a moment when it was most difficult to visit in person. 

This was a tough year for so many reasons but art could provide an uplifting form of human expression or even a form of escapism. Social media became the most important museum in the world, and one in which all are eligible to participate and explore. This internship opened my eyes to both the importance of being social and also the inner workings of a cultural sector non-profit. It was an incredible experience and I’m so glad I was able to be involved and happy I could put something positive out for people to view.

Isaac Pleta, Museum Studies Intern at Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Fall 2020

Constellations Group