The Art Engager

In today's episode , we explore the urgent need for rest in the cultural sector, specifically in museum education. My guest, educator and leader, Kate Oliver, a freelancer with extensive experience in museums and learning, recently co-founded the "Radical Rest Network" to address this critical issue. In today's conversation, Kate shares insights into the Radical Rest Network's research, which reve...

Today I’m talking to Rob Walker, author of The Art of Noticing and its spinoff newsletter. He’s a columnist for Fast Company, a longtime contributor to The New York Times and many other publications. His latest book, co-edited with Joshua Glenn, is “Lost Objects: 50 Stories About The Things We Miss and Why They Matter.”  In today’s conversation Rob shares how he got into this work around noti...

Today, I'm responding to a question I get asked a lot: How do you approach groups that are more used to a traditional approach and say they don't want to participate? How can we work with these expectations while delivering an engaging and educational museum experience? In this episode, I'm exploring some of the reasons behind resistance to participation and offering some solutions. From setting c...

In today's episode, Claire Bown engages in conversation with the authors of a groundbreaking new book, " Activating the Art Museum: Designing Experiences for the Health Professions. " Ruth Slavin, Corinne Zimmermann, and Ray Williams share their insights into the powerful intersection of art and healthcare. This book is the first-ever guide to creating art museum experiences tailored specifically...

This week we're exploring engagement for all with Sam Bowen, a passionate advocate for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inclusion in museums. Sam shares her extensive experience in the museum sector and explains how her role as a mother to a child with SEND has fuelled her advocacy work. Highlights: Personal Journey: Sam discusses her background in museums and how her personal exp...

Museum education is evolving, and so are the ways we engage our audiences. The days of traditional lecture-style tours are numbered, as more and more museums offer more dynamic, participant-driven, discussion-based experiences.  Whether you're just starting out with inquiry-based learning in the museum or looking to enhance your existing approach, this episode is for you. It’s packed wit...

Today, I'm joined by Rachel Nicholson (Director, Visitor Engagement & Research at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) and Christine Murray (Head of Content at Art Processors) to discuss an art experience that revolutionises the way visitors interact with Impressionist art. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has collaborated with Art Processors to bring to life "A Beautiful Disruption: Experiencing t...

Today I’m talking to Jackie Armstrong, Associate Educator Visitor Research and Experience at MoMA in New York, about trauma-informed practice in museums. We’re exploring trauma-informed practice in museums, what it is, what it looks like and how museums can implement it into their culture and into their programming.  We discuss MoMA's Artful Practices for Well-Being initiative, which offers t...

In today's episode I'll be exploring a topic that every museum educator can relate to: being prepared for the unexpected. When was the last time you were facilitating a programme and something unexpected came up? Maybe it was a spontaneous discussion sparked by an unexpected object or a group with unique accessibility needs. These moments remind us of the value of being ready for anything. As muse...

Today I'm exploring Heart for Art with Gundy van Dijk, Head of Education and Interpretation at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Discover how this impactful outreach programme use Vincent van Gogh's life and art to engage children, foster their personal development, and ignite their passion for art. With over 20 years of experience in museum, art, and cultural education, Gundy is well-known for he...

Immersive art experiences have become quite the sensation in recent years. You've probably heard of them or even had the chance to attend one yourself. Immersive art experiences are driven by technology, engage multiple senses and transport you into a living artwork or a different world. Imagine stepping into a space surrounded by larger-than-life visuals, captivating sounds, and interactive eleme...

Over the past few weeks, I've been picking my favourite episodes from the podcast's archive. Today, I want to share some helpful advice about starting to use thinking routines in your art or object discussions. In September I’m going to start teaching my Visible Thinking in the Museum Online Beginners course or VTMO Beginners as it’s affectionately known. Around the same time, I'll also be publish...

For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With over 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.  This is a classic episode exploring the benefits of slow looking. Slow looking is simply the art of learning through observation. I’ve been immersed in slow...

For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With over 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.  This week we're exploring the art of how to read the room. When it comes to working with groups in a museum or any other setting, being able to "read the roo...

For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With over 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.  This week I’m sharing one of my absolute favourite episodes. I’m sharing 4 game changing questions that will really transform your museum and gallery program...

For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.  Today's choice is all about curiosity. This was a really popular episode back in February 2022 when it was first published and was the first of two episodes about...

In this special 100th episode of The Art Engager podcast, I'm chatting to educator, researcher, author, and speaker Dr Ron Ritchhart. Ron Ritchhart  is an award-winning educational researcher, retired Senior Research Associate at Harvard's Project Zero and current Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research is focused on developing intellectual character, making thinking vi...

Welcome to episode 99, where I'm diving into the concept of pacing in museum and gallery programmes, with a particular focus on the idea that "less is more." Pacing directly influences the participant experience. A well-paced programme ensures that your participants stay engaged, attentive and receptive throughout their journey.  By carefully managing the rhythm and flow of stops, activities...

Welcome to a new episode of The Art Engager podcast, hosted by Claire Bown. In this week's edition, we dive into the extraordinary world of Radio Bart, a unique audience engagement programme at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Joining me are two guests from the museum's Audience Engagement team: An van Hertum and Bart van Peer. What is Radio Bart? Radio Bart is a groundbreaking programme...

In this week's episode we're exploring an innovative project at the National Civil War Centre in Newark developing creative writing skills through art and using thinking routines in really innovative ways. The visual literacy Collect Connect Create project was developed to raise self-esteem, self-efficacy and motivation for year 10 pupils (14-15 year olds)  who had struggled with disrupted le...

So following on from last week's episode, talking about the benefits of some silence in your museum and gallery programmes. This week I'm sharing how to do it. A little bit of silence in your programmes can benefit both you as the facilitator and the audience by promoting reflection, active listening, observation, engagement, and flexibility. It contributes to a more meaningful and effective exper...

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘silence is golden’ before. This proverb suggests that staying quiet or not speaking can be beneficial in certain situations. How is silence a superpower that we can leverage to our advantage in the design and facilitation of our museum and gallery programmes? Today I’m talking about why silence matters and I'm going to share some insights into why we should be har...

Episode 94 of the Art Engager features another special guest, Phyl Terry, Founder of Slow Art Day. Slow Art Day is an annual event that encourages participants worldwide to look at and discuss art slowly. To date, over 1,500 museums and galleries on every continent, including Antarctica's McMurdo Station, have participated in Slow Art Day. I first got in touch with Phyl back in 2013 when I heard a...

Today on the podcast, I'm delighted to be talking to bestselling author, broadcaster, two-time TED speaker and voice of the Slow Movement, Carl Honoré . In this episode, Carl Honoré, author of "In Praise of Slow," shares his insights on the benefits of slowing down in every aspect of life. Our conversation centres around the slow movement, and how slowness can 'rehumanise' us in a culture that val...

In Episode 92, I'm chatting to Heather Thomas, the Head of Learning and Engagement at the Lightbox Museum and Gallery in Woking, UK. Heather talks about how their Art and Wellbeing programme of creative and therapeutic workshops provides opportunities for those that would otherwise not be able to access arts and heritage services. We discuss the guiding principles behind the Lightbox Museum and Ga...