Engaging, Activating, Storytelling: A Case For “Jargon” in Cultural Organizations

Think twice before you complain about these words. They can be valuable tools to move the cultural industry forward.

I’ll kick off this article with a shameless brag: I am fluent in museum and cultural organization jargon. Fluent. I could spend all day discussing ways to increase symbolic capital that underscores an institution’s brand equities to enhance their transformative experiences. Sometimes, I even utilize the word “utilize” (when “use” would work just fine), for no discernible reason. I know that I am not alone in this talent. Indeed, this kind of word usage can be off-putting or confusing. While it...