Maria Paula Arias

Maria Paula Arias is a Lecturer in Digital Media and Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University and an active researcher within the Institute for Cultural Practices Research (ICP). Her work critically examines the dynamic relationships between social media platforms, audience engagement, and institutional branding in cultural institutions, with a focus on museums and galleries.

Her research centers on sociological approaches to digital museology, employing Actor-Network Theory to deconstruct how museum brands function as actor-networks shaped by human and non-human actors. She investigates ethical frameworks for social media research in cultural contexts, digital literacy in museum education, and the impact of online crises (like the Manchester Art Gallery 'Nymphgate' incident) on institutional identity. Arias advocates for mixed-methods and creative methodologies to analyze platform-mediated interactions.

Analysis of her publications reveals a consistent focus on Twitter and Instagram as critical sites for understanding audience-museum dynamics. Her work demonstrates how viral online events destabilize institutional narratives while creating opportunities for brand reconstruction, emphasizing the performative nature of digital engagement in cultural heritage spaces.

Arias supervises undergraduate and Master's dissertations and has co-convened museum studies courses across UK universities. Her teaching integrates practical social media analysis with ethical considerations, reflecting her commitment to preparing students for digital challenges in the cultural sector through collaborations with institutions like Manchester Art Gallery.

As a core member of the Institute for Cultural Practices Research, she contributes to interdisciplinary projects exploring digital media's role in cultural production, with ongoing work examining algorithmic curation's impact on visitor experiences and institutional accountability in networked environments.