How Paige Dansinger Created the First VR Museum

Creative technologies, such as virtual reality, have the incredible potential of building community. But how does it work exactly? And what can technology bring to the table that other mediums cannot? In this new episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talks to Paige Dansinger about her virtual museums and efforts to bring communities together through art and technology. They also explore how PR can disseminate these efforts into the world.  From games to virtual museums Paige started her career in the art industry, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. When she quit her job, she knew she wanted to work with creative technologies, reaching new museum audiences through her phone. She didn’t know what that would look like but she embraced the challenge. Inspired by the popular mobile phone game Draw Something, she started posting re-creation of artworks on social media. As big museums noticed and invited her to speak at big-name events, she knew she had a concept. Yet, she was still unable to tackle hard subjects such as war or social justice. For that, she needed a community. Slowly, through various opportunities, she got to understand the potential of art, social media, and VR to build connections.  What even is a virtual museum? She founded Better World Museum to create resilient individuals, groups, & communities. For example, when she brought the museum to domestic abuse survivors, the victims bonded and connected through drawing. The shared experience of creating together creates a connection, she says. Eventually, Paige took the museum around the world.  As she discovered VR technology, she also understood she could use it to bring people from all around the world together. She created a flower garden people could add to from anywhere. As she traveled around the world, over 4,000 people drew in the garden in the span of 3 months. The pop-up format allowed her to create a mini-moving museum. But thankfully, as the COVID-19 pandemic started, Paige had already experimented with VR enough that she was able to thrive on virtual-only.  Creating community  Paige Dansinger also created the Horizon Museum, where people recreate artworks in VR. Visitors (who thus become artists) can perform via audio sharing buttons and are integral parts of the museum. They even get compensated for their participation. Paige also hosted a pizza party, which brought an intergenerational crowd for a night of fun and connection. Her two museums allowed Paige to bring communities together during a time of crisis.  Interestingly enough, Paige’s PR efforts are directly reliant on her community. While she spends significant efforts on creating her brand, she lets the community share her work while exemplifying their voices. Her main visibility strategy? Creativity. “My mission is to build creative technologies to build resilience” - Paige Dansinger Some topics discussed in this episode include: