For the best in visual communication for museums, art institutions and galleries

For more information consult the IMCA website. Registration: 15 february - 15 july 2007.

The brain child of two communications experts

Corinne Estrada, director of communications agency Agenda in Paris and Raoul Thill, director of Bizart, a design agency in Luxembourg, first met in 05 to work on European capital city of culture 2007- Luxembourg and Grande Région. Then in early 06, they teamed up again for the opening of MUDAM, a new museum of contemporary art in Luxembourg, designed by the architect Pei and led by Marie Claude Beaud. Most recently, in August 06, they decided to pool their European expertise to create IMCA. The aim of the awards is the recognise expertise: the expertise of museums and art galleries that use design and graphics effectively to communicate.

The Awards ceremony - 29 November 07

The Awards will be biennial with the first awards ceremony taking place in Brussels on Thursday 29 November 07 at Bozar, the Palais des Beaux Arts. We chose Brussels because it is at the geographic and symbolic heart of Europe, particularly since the European Union will celebrate its 50th birthday next year in 2007. Moreover Brussels is an international capital, full of dynamism and artistic talent, a fitting venue for over 500 museum professionals and design experts.

Damien Whitmore leads the Jury

Damien Whitmore is the President of the Grand Jury who will decide the winners of the awards. He is a leading figure in the arts and media world, with over 20 years’ experience. As Director of Communications at the Tate, he launched Tate Modern, which gets more visitors than any other modern art gallery in Europe. Since 01, he has been Director of Programming at the V&A in London and has successfully re-branded the museum as one of the leading design museums in the world.

He says: "The IMCA's have been created to reward creative flair and innovation in branding within the cultural and design world. They will showcase the very best in graphics, advertising, branding and print from museums and cultural organisations from across the world. Take part and register - and show us your best. The awards will only be as good as the work submitted. Good luck to all the competitors."

Thalys support for IMCA

Delegates at the 06 Communicating the Museum conference in Rotterdam will already know Jean Michel Dancoisne, General Director of Thalys International which provides high speed trains in Europe. His interest in art and museums inevitably draws him towards a cultural partnership with IMCA, the terms of which will be defined shortly.

Record-breaking Velázquez

The National Gallery in London has broken all records for ticket sales before an exhibition opening - 12 000 tickets were sold for the Velázquez exhibition which runs from 27 October 06 to 3 January 07. Agenda organised a special train from Paris for the exhibition, in partnership with the Friends of the Louvre (Les Amis du Louvre) and Eurostar.

European union and diversity

The next Europalia festival will be held in Brussels from 3 October 07 to 3 February 08. It will showcase art and culture from all 27 member states of the European Union, making it the largest arts festival since the European Union was created 50 years ago. During the four months of the festival, audiences will be able to explore both a common European heritage and also the diversity that makes each country unique.

Antenna Audio to work with Bozar

Antenna Audio, international producer of audio tours and multi-media interpretation, has signed a contract to work with Bozar, the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. Now music, images, video and sound effects will bring new life to an outstanding cultural venue.

2 new exhibitions in London about Surrealism and Design

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London will exhibit 300 pieces explaining the influence of Surrealism on today’s design. The show will focus on theatre, fashion, interior design, advertising and film.
Surreal Things : Surrealism and Design
29 March – 22 July 2007

The Tate Modern will also have an exhibition about Surrealism and Design.
Dali & Film
1 June – 9 September 2007

New Museum in Cairo scheduled for 2009

Agenda and Bizart have teamed up with UNESCO to launch the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Cairo in 09. The launch has been announced at the opening of the exhibition Les Trésors Engloutis at the Grand Palais in Paris on 8 December 06.

Communications events for Museum professionals

9-11 March 07, Luxembourg
Colophon, the international magazine symposium.
Magazine makers, art directors, photographers, illustrators, journalists, brand managers, students and a larger public will come together for a three-day event to exchange ideas, experiences and see examples of good practice. Colophon

17-19 May 07, Berlin
Typo Berlin.
TYPO is not a meeting of experts, a congress of crazy typographers, but TYPO has developed itself into becoming the largest designer event in Europe. It is interdisciplinary, open-minded, and outward looking. It offers an annual focus, and a combination of presentations, lectures, and panel discussions. It is a showcase for graphic, motion, web, game, typography, sound, corporate and boundless design, from all over the world, compacted and condensed into a 3-day programme, in three parallel series of discussion themes. Typo Berlin

4-7 July 07, Madrid
The 7th Communicating the Museum conference.
The Committee organising this international conference for museums met on 13 November 06 at the Pompidou Centre in Paris and agreed on the theme: New Media for New Audiences - how to use new media to attract different types of audience and how to enrich their experience once they are inside the museum. The Chair of the conference will be Will Gompertz, Director of Communications at the Tate.
The event will be held in three prestigious museums in Madrid: the Prado, the Reina Sofia and Thyssen Bornemisza.