The Night of The Museums — Tatiana Cruz

The Night of The Museums

In 2020, one of the largest cultural events in Porto Alegre – the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil – was at risk of being cancelled. And for good reason: we were in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic. “Noite”, as the event is affectionately known, typically brought over 100,000 people to the city centre at night, filling local museums with music and vibrant crowds. The challenge was clear: how could we hold the event without gathering, and still keep everyone safe?

I was invited to lead the Content division at the event’s production company and help find a way to make it happen despite the pandemic. That’s when we developed the concept: Mobilise Without the Crowd.

We produced an eight-hour livestream, broadcasting live performances from inside the museums—without an audience—directly to people at home, safe and sound. Over 15,000 people tuned in live, well into the early hours of the morning. We sent small gifts to viewers’ homes, allowed them to send messages to our on-air host in the studio, and ask questions to the musicians.

The event was a success and became a defining moment in my career. It proved that events will never again be solely in-person—they must mobilise both offline and online.

Marisol