The Art Engager

In today's solo episode, host Claire Bown focusing on one of the key Questioning Practices from her book, The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums. In this episode, we’ll be exploring The Universal Questioning Practice in detail, how it came about and how you can use it with art and objects. The Universal is an all-purpose and versatile Questioning Practice that can be applied to all types of art and objects, across any museum setting. The Universal's 4 stages provide a logical structure to guide conversations around artworks and objects. This episode explores takes an in-depth look at how to use the Universal Questioning Practice to support your guided experiences.Links'The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums' is now available worldwide through your favourite online platforms and retailers. Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengagerThe Art Engager book website: https://www.theartengager.com/Support the show with a simple monthly subscription on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager

Discover the power of structured questioning practices that enhance engagement in museums. The discussion highlights ten innovative approaches that promote critical thinking and participation. Learn how flexible inquiry methods can foster deeper connections and curiosity among visitors. Ideal for museum educators and guides, these practices help craft memorable experiences and enrich discussions. Tune in to unlock the secrets of making every museum visit more engaging!

In today's episode, host Claire Bown talks with museum educator and project manager Anja Høegh. Anja shares her passion for creating engaging experiences in museums and cultural spaces, emphasising the importance of building trust and making meaningful connections with visitors.Anja reveals practical techniques to enhance visitor engagement, including the use of "chatterboxes" to spark conversations, sensory experiences to deepen artwork connections, and slow looking practices to encourage thoughtful observation. She also discusses innovative methods like drawing yoga and role-playing exercises to make museum visits more interactive and memorable.Throughout the conversation, Anja highlights the challenges of limited time frames and the need for coordination among museum staff. She stresses the importance of allowing visitors to feel seen and heard, adapting approaches for different age groups, and effectively wrapping up visits to solidify memories and encourage return trips. Listen to this episode to gain practical, innovative strategies to transform museum visits into engaging, interactive experiences that foster deeper connections between visitors, artworks, and museums.**My book 'The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums 'will be published soon as an e-book and a print edition too. If you want to hear more about it and be one of the first to get your own copy, sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/thinkingmuseum/bookEpisode LinksAnja Høegh on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anja-h%C3%B8egh-92032389/Museum Salling@oplevkulturensammen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oplevkulturensammen/https://vardemuseerne.dk/museum/nymindegab/https://www.museumsalling.dk/laering/kunst-og-kulturlaboratorium/The Art Engager LinksSign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationMake a donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebownThe Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown.

In today's episode host Claire Bown talks with museum consultant Rebecca Shulman.Rebecca has a wealth of experience in museum education and leadership, and is passionate about how we can make museums better places to work through improving organisational culture.Listen in to discover why museum educators are naturally suited for leadership roles through our skills in fostering inquiry, trust, and psychological safety. Rebecca also discusses the current challenges museums face, such as generational divides and the need for clear goals. This conversation is packed with practical advice and fresh ideas. Enjoy!**My book 'The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums 'is out now as an e-book and a print edition too. https://www.theartengager.com/The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Episode LinksMuseum Questions website - https://museumquestions.com/Information about SEED:Management and Culture Shift - https://museumquestions.com/museums-and-organizational-culture/DEI: Deconstructed https://www.amazon.com/DEI-Deconstructed-No-Nonsense-Guide-Doing/dp/1523002778/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1677818933&sr=1-1Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work https://www.amazon.com/Power-Middle-Managers-Hold-Future/dp/1647824850The museum values framework: a framework for understanding organisational culture in museums https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09647775.2013.831247The Art Engager LinksSign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationMake a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebown

In this episode, host Claire Bown talks with Linda Norris, a Senior Specialist in Methodology and Practice at the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. Linda is known for her work in museum capacity-building, leading training and workshops for major museums and historic sites like the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the War Childhood Museum.Listen in to uncover practical frameworks (such as the 4 Truths and the Arc of Dialogue) for facilitating productive dialogues and handling conflicts effectively. Linda discusses essential skills for leading conversations that foster understanding and address contentious issues. Linkshttps://www.sitesofconscience.org/Library of videos on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/SitesofConscience/videos but particularly the short intro to the Arc of Dialogue https://youtu.be/IhiPUh_l49k?si=nUCgXR8u3RPtoZPhArticle: Life-long Anti-Oppression for Museum Professionals by Braden Paynter and Linda Norris;  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10598650.2022.2140555Book recommendation: Clint Smith - How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America

Today, I'm talking to Sasha Igdalova about the exciting research she’s been conducting over the past few years around aesthetic experience, slow looking and social interaction in museums.Aleksandra (Sasha) Igdalova is an interdisciplinary researcher in the final year of her Psychology PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London conducting large-scale, experimental studies on slow looking within exhibition spaces at Manchester Art Gallery. Her work investigates how popular engagement strategies may be used to increase aesthetic experience and well-beingListeners to this podcast will know that slow looking has gained in popularity in museums worldwide over the last decade or so. But there hasn’t been much research on its effectiveness, until now. In today's chat, we explore two studies -  the first study to look at the impact of slow looking in an online environment. This study explores how different audio contexts and types of art affect people's moods and engagement levels in online viewing. The second study is the first large-scale experiment to investigate how social interaction impacts the art museum experience. This study took place in Manchester Art Museum’s fabulous dedicated slow looking space known as Room to Breathe. We discuss the implications of both studies for educators..and so much more! This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in slow looking, aesthetic experiences in museums, and the benefits of group interactions for overall well-being in museum environments.Episode Links:Episode 24 Using art and objects to learn wellbeing skills and improve mental health with Louise ThompsonAleksandra (Sasha) Igdalova Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-sasha-igdalova-a66770106/Website: www.aleksandraigdalova.com Researchgate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aleksandra-Igdalova Articles on slow looking:First ever study examining how social interaction impacts art viewing: https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/x9wrtFirst ever study looking at slow looking in an experimental manner (online study): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-59333-001 Free access to it here: https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/33048/9/Igdalova%20&%20Chamberlain%20(2023)%20Slow%20looking%20at%20still%20art.pdfCREA interdisciplinary workshop: www.crea-workshop.com The Art Engager Links:The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums - sign up for the waitlist to hear when my book will be published!Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationJoin the Slow Looking Club CommunitySupport the show here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebownDownload my free resources: How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museumSlow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow lookingUltimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one placeIf you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show by emailing info@thinkingmuseum.com

How can we use our sense of smell to engage visitors? My guest today, Sofia Collette Ehrich is an art historian and curator of multisensory experiences. She was a key researcher on Odeuropa - a European funded Horizon 2020 project that advocated for smell as an important part of Europe’s cultural heritage. We discuss when she first realised her passion for working with scents and how smell can make museum experiences more engaging. We cover her creation of a scent-based tour for Museum Ulm in Germany and a 'Scratch and Sniff' self-guided tour for the Amsterdam Museum.We also look at the Olfactory Storytelling Toolkit, 'smell walks,' and the idea of a 'sniffer in residence.' Sofia shares lots of practical tips for adding olfactory elements to your programmes.If you want to infuse the sense of smell into your practice or incorporate more multisensory approaches into your programmes, you'll learn a lot from this episode.Episode Links:Sofia Collette Ehrichhttps://sofiaehrich.wordpress.com/https://thesensesationalexplorer.substack.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-collette-ehrich/https://www.instagram.com/thesensesationalexplorer/Museum Ulm Links:https://odeuropa.eu/2022/04/now-open-follow-your-nose-at-museum-ulm/https://museumulm.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SELECTION-OF-WORKS-NEW-GUIDED-TOUR-CONCEPT-FOLLOW-YOUR-NOSE-MUSEUM-ULM-1.pdfhttps://odeuropa.eu/2023/01/update-follow-your-nose/City Sniffers Links:https://odeuropa.eu/2022/08/launch-of-city-sniffers-a-smell-tour-of-amsterdams-ecohistory/Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7utP_pAx_EOdeuropa Impact:This is an interesting report about the interviews Cecilia Bembibre conducted with museum professionals who have used smells in GLAMs: https://odeuropa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/D6_1_Guidelines_on_the_Use_of_Smells_in_GLAMs.pdfOlfactory Storytelling Toolkit:Download it here: https://zenodo.org/records/10254737Guidelines for conducting an olfactory guided tour here: https://zenodo.org/records/10102080Guidelines for conducting a smell walk here: https://zenodo.org/records/10101016A talk Sofia gave for the Swedish Heritage Commission which included many practical examples:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YByb-wbXw6EThe Art Engager Links:Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationJoin the Slow Looking Club CommunitySupport the show here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebownDownload my free resources: How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museumSlow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow lookingUltimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one placeIf you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show by emailing info@thinkingmuseum.com

Trevor MacKenzie is an experienced teacher and inquiry consultant who champions inquiry-based learning. In this engaging discussion, he emphasizes the transformative power of inquiry and effective questioning in education. Trevor shares insights from his new book, revealing ten high-impact question routines that can boost student engagement. He also delves into the importance of self-awareness and patience for educators. Listeners gain practical strategies to foster curiosity and reflection in the classroom, enhancing the overall learning experience.

How can we engage children with classical music in the museum environment?  Today, I'm talking to Cecilie Skøtt about how to engage students with the music of Carl Nielsen through a blend of philosophical questioning and the art of slow listening. Cecilie Skøtt is a mediation designer at Hans Christian Andersen’s House and the Carl Nielsen Museum in Denmark. Cecilie plays a key role in crafting and delivering school programmes for both museums, as well as interacting with visitors of all ages on weekends and holidays. With a passion for literature and dialogical teaching in the arts, Cecilie focuses on easing classroom-related anxiety and uses her expertise to create memorable museum experiences for children and familiesToday we’re chatting about how the Carl Nielsen museum engages students in classical music. At the museum, they’ve been teaching from an Open Questioning Mindset (OQM) and using Philosophical Dialogue for a few years now. OQM is both a teaching method and a mindset developed by Peter Worley to engage students in different topics, concepts, and stories. The method offers different tools and techniques for asking open and engaging questions, and to quickly create an environment where children feel safe and comfortable speaking their minds. Slow listening is a natural extension to the philosophical questioning environment and allows children to deeply connect with Nielsen's music . In two new programmes developed for schools the Carl Nielsen Museum combines all three to engage students with classical music.Listen to discover more about the Carl Nielsen Museum, philosophical questioning techniques and slow listening. Episode Links:Episode web page + transcript: Cecilie Horup Skøtt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilie-horup-sk%C3%B8tt-b60a93ab/Carl Nielsen Museum website: https://museumodense.dk/carl-nielsen-museet/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlNielsenMuseetOpen Questioning Mindset and philosophy with children: https://www.philosophy-foundation.org/YouTube links for the music:Symphony no. 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agPrhTFqD0oNielsen’s paraphrase on Nearer, My God, to Thee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5FUNK2wZmsTågen Letter, played during Music Dynamite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_-wkidKX54Maskerade, Keraus, played during Music Dynamite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TFfRwq-lrMThe Art Engager Links:Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationJoin the Slow Looking Club CommunitySupport the show here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebownDownload my free resources: How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museumSlow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow lookingUltimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one placeIf you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show by emailing info@thinkingmuseum.com

Kylie Neagle, the Education Coordinator at the Art Gallery of South Australia, discusses innovative approaches to self-guided field trips in art education. She emphasizes empowering teachers to foster curiosity and critical thinking instead of relying on traditional booklets. A standout tool mentioned is the Curiosity Cards, which enhance student engagement and encourage 'long looking' at artworks. Kylie also highlights the importance of community partnerships and the impact of interactive resources on enriching the gallery experience for underserved students.