The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) enjoyed explosive growth through their groundbreaking research, robust artist-in-residence program, and masterful curation. It wasn’t long until their static website was no longer enough to keep pace, and the question loomed: how do you organize a body of work that goes out of its way to defy description?
The Now and the New
The project began with a full accounting of EMPAC’s extensive archive of events and works, along with any supporting content to be made available on the Web. In collaboration with EMPAC’s Director of User Experience Design and curatorial team, this content was meticulously ordered and organized, centering on context rather than content.
As revisions were made and content gaps were filled, the new website was architected and built from the ground up to support this new method of organizing content, while integrating it fully with the institutional events calendar. Meanwhile, the servers were also completely overhauled to support the new platform, becoming the foundation of an experience that was even faster than the static version before.
Inspirational Results
With the launch of the new EMPAC website, revenue from online ticketing grew by 26%. Thanks to the mobile-friendly redesign of the website, mobile engagement had also grown by 48%. What’s more, EMPAC was able to save over $1 million through improvements to the development and release process, paving the way for even bigger and bolder improvements in the years following.