I’m talking today about making space and time for slow looking.So if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you'll know that I've been practising the art of slow looking for a long time now the last 11/12 years. And it's very much a personal practice and also something that I use with groups of all ages with a variety of objects, artworks, situations and places.But why is it so important to incorporate slow looking into your guided tours, educational programmes and art experiences?In today's episode you'll hear:who inspired my love of slow looking when I first got started in 2011myth-busting: about what slow looking is and how it works. how slow looking is the key to engagement3 main reasons why it's important to make space and time for slow lookinghow you can incorporate it into your guided tours, your educational programmes your online session, even if you think you don't have the time or the spacethe key benefits to including slow looking onto your programmes - whatever format they takeIf you're not making space and time for slow looking, then you're really missing a trick - listen to today's episode about making the space and time for slow looking and embed it as a fundamental part of all your programmes. LinksEpisode 2 - What is slow looking (and how can I get started?)Episode 7 - How to Develop a Daily Slow Looking PracticeFree resource - Thinking Routines for ObservationFree guide - how to look at art (slowly)Support the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookCurated newsletter by Claire Bown

Today I’m sharing a variety of different ways to refresh your practice for 2023 so you don’t get stuck in a rut. Are you looking forward to designing and leading guided tours, art experiences, educational programmes in 2023?If, however, you’re not sure about your answers to those questions, or about how you feel about the coming year, then it’s definitely time to shake things up a little. If you’re feeling tired, jaded or uninspired, then it’s definitely time to make some changes. It’s a wonderful thing to do at any time of year, but especially at the start of a new year. If you continue to do things exactly as you've always done them, then you might end up feeling like you’re on auto-pilot, or start feeling a bit restless or even bored. It’s tempting to stick to the tried and tested formula - especially if it worked well last year - but making a few simple changes to your practice and the way you do things might help you to rediscover a passion and enthusiasm for your work. And this renewed enthusiasm will of course come across to your participants and might even be contagious. This episode is for you even if you’re not feeling stuck, perhaps you’re  more than happy with the way you do things. But you may hear something here that you’d like to try out at some point this year. And your audience will thank you for it!So here are 7 different ways you can refresh your practice for the coming year. This episode is not about sweeping changes, this is about small changes that will have a big effect. Enjoy!LinksThe Art of Questioning - A 45 minute self-paced masterclass taking you step-by-step through the process of improving your questioning technique. Full of takeaway tools and exercises to help you consistently create, sort & evaluate your own questions.Other episodes to help you refresh your practice:Episode 29 - How to Develop a Reflective PracticeEpisode 52 - From Good to Great: How to Develop and Grow as an EducatorEpisode 53 - How to Define your Personal Facilitator StyleEpisode 60 Learn, Unlearn, Relearn Episode 77 - How to Show up in a Resourceful StateEpisode 64 - 4 Powerful Questions to Supercharge your Art Experiences Support the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookDownload the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)Curated newsletter by Claire Bown

Today I'm really happy to be chatting to Sarah Ciacci about her wonderful work as a family tour specialist. We’re exploring how to engage and inspire families on a guided tour. Sarah Ciacci has been a Professional Blue Badge Guide for London since 2008 and specialises in family tours and art tours. She set up Tours For My Kids to provide inspiring and engaging tours to families in London and Rome She is also a Blue Badge art tutor for trainee guides training in the National Gallery, Tate Modern and Tate Britain. She is an accredited lecturer of the Arts Society, a university lecturer, a gallery educator and runs regular courses and independent lectures on a variety of art historical periods.In our chat today, we talk about the values and principles that guide and shape her work and What made her decide to focus on working with familiesWe explore what families actually want from museums and heritage (and what they quite often get instead)We talk about how she engages children and their parents with art and history and the techniques she uses. How she designs AND facilitates for engagement using variety and pace. We talk about whether it’s all about the kids or whether the parents get involved too. And how you might design intergenerational tours. I’ve led  many many family tours in the past too and we have a good chat about what works and what doesn’t with family tours. Sarah and I seem to be on the same wavelength about so many things!This is a lovely chat about creating engaging family experiences with art, objects and even buildings.  Enjoy! LinksSupport the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookDownload the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)Curated newsletter by Claire BownTours for My Kids Website: www.toursformykids.comSocial Mediawww.instagram.com/toursformykidshttps://twitter.com/toursformykidshttps://www.facebook.com/toursformykids/

Today I’m sharing 5 different thinking routines that you can use to compare, contrast and make connections. I’m exploring how you can use these thinking routines to create engaging discussions with art, objects and ideas. I'll look first at what comparing & contrasting is and why it’s important.  Then I'm sharing some ideas for things you might want to compare and contrast, before sharing different ways to look at similarities and differences. Then I'm sharing 5 thinking routines help us to make thoughtful and purposeful comparisons. LinksSupport the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookDownload the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)Curated newsletter by Claire BownEpisode 8 How to use ‘See Think Me We’ thinking routine to create personal and community connections with artworks

I’ve recently lost my voice so I’m taking some time to recover this week and sharing an episode from the back catalogue. Today I'm revisiting an episode about to survive tumbleweed moments. This episode first aired in Oct 2021. It takes a deep dive into what a tumbleweed moment is and how to get over one when it happens. I'm also exploring 7 ways to avoid one in the first place.  A tumbleweed moment is a moment of silence or dead air. It can happen when you ask a question and you don’t get a response. Tumbleweed moments happen to all of us - whether we are seasoned pros or just starting out. Everyone gets them. This is also something that comes up time and time again when I do trainings. I always get asked the question, ‘But what if no-one says anything?’So this is the ultimate guide. First I'm sharing some handy steps to work though to help you get over any tumbleweed moments you face. And at the end as I’ll share 7 ways to avoid one in the first place. LINKSOriginal Episode: Episode 23 How to Get Over a Tumbleweed Moment (And Avoid One in the Future)Episode 44 The 4 Elements of a Great IntroductionEpisode 10 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking QuestionsEpisode 36 Quick ways to improve your questioning techniqueEpisode 42 How to Read a GroupEpisode 69 How to Use Body Language to Create Engagement

Today I’m talking about how we can get ourselves into our best state - our most resourceful state - for when we show up to facilitate art discussions, tours, programmes or lessons. And sharing 8 different ways for you to turn up at your best!How you show up is important. Whether you’re leading a tour, teaching an educational programme, teaching a lesson in a classroom or facilitating a training.You want to make sure that when you arrive, you’re in the best state possible. This is something that we can all strive for in whatever people-facing commitments we may have - that we are calm, ready and clear to do our work in the best way we can.In the coaching certification that I’ve been studying for over the past year we’ve been talking about how to show up in a resourceful state.In today's episode, I'll explain what this means and suggest 8 different ways to get yourself into a resourceful state before every tour, programme or session that you lead. LinksSupport the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookDownload the NEW resource - How to Look at Art (Slowly)Curated newsletter by Claire BownEpisode 69 How to Use Body Language to Create Engagement Episode 52 From Good to Great: How to Develop and Grow Personally as an Educator 'Everyday NLP' written by Florence Madden & Eleni Sarantinou - a really good read if you'd like an accessible introduction to NLP https://florencemadden.co.uk/the-story-of-everyday-nlp/Stephen Gilligan and Robert Dilts Generative Coaching: Coach vs Crash state

I’m really happy to be talking to Dr Alex Woodall about her wonderful work with objects. We’re talking about how the joys of working with objects creatively. We’re exploring how you can use objects to spark all sorts of connections, associations and fun in the museum and beyond…Dr Alex Woodall is a museum professional and academic, inspired by the creative use of objects and rummaging in stores. She has 20 years’ experience working in learning, interpretation and exhibition management and leadership roles, including at Sheffield Museums, Manchester Art Gallery, the Royal Armouries in Leeds and the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia. She is currently Programme Director for the Postgraduate Creative and Cultural Industries Management degree at the University of Sheffield, where she teaches a large international cohort about museum management. In our chat today, we talk about the joys of working with objects creatively. Alex shares how her love for objects started when she was very small rummaging through her dad’s ‘museum’ full of amazing finds that he’d dug up in the garden - rocks and fossils and clay pipes and so on. And how that developed into a career-long fascination with all kinds of objects.We talk about what objects do, ​​ how we can use them and what we can get out of working with objects. Alex tells us what an object dialogue box is and how you can use objects to spark all sorts of connections, associations and fun in the museum. She takes us through a wonderful activity that I did with her at the ICOM CECA conference in Denmark recently that helps us to notice more details and find stuff in museums that we would normally overlook. We also talk about how we can use objects to inspire more creativity and imagination organisations in for example meetings, in teams, programming, brainstorming etc. And she shares two wonderful books to read if you’re as fascinated by objects as we both are. This is a delightful chat about creating joyful engaging experiences with objects -Enjoy! LINKS HOW TO LOOK AT ART (SLOWLY) - a free guide for looking with 30+ activities!Support the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebookwww.alexwoodall.co.ukAlex Woodall on Twitterhttps://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/Karl and Kimberley Foster - Object Dialogue Boxes https://www.sorhed.com/http://www.marymaryquitecontrary.org.uk/Books mentioned:Sandra Dudley (2010) Museum Materialities: https://www.routledge.com/Museum-Materialities-Objects-Engagements-Interpretations/Dudley/p/book/9780415492188Pablo Neruda (1994) Odes to Common Things: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Common-Things-First-Pablo-Neruda/dp/B0058WGC84Written by Alex Woodall: Woodall A (2020) 'Storehouses of Unimagined Treasures': Delightful Rummaging and Artists' Responses to 'Unloved' Collections In Woodham A, Hess A & Smith R (Ed.), Emotion, Care, and Engagement in Museums: Interventions in Unloved Collections Arc Humanities Press View this article in WRROWoodall A (2015) Rummaging as a Strategy for Creative Thinking and Imaginative Engagement in Higher Education In Chatterjee H & Hannan L (Ed.), Engaging the Senses: Object-Based Learning in Higher Education (pp. 133-155). Surrey: Ashgate. View this article in WRROWoodall A (2015) Object Dialogue Boxes and Unknowing In Farnell G (Ed.), Interpreting the Art Museum (pp. 366-377). MuseumsEtc 

We’ve reached another milestone and in honour of 75 episodes, I’m releasing a new FREE resource today.How to Look at Art (Slowly) shares 30+ different ways that you can look at art or objects in museums.In today’s special episode I’m talking you through some of these different ways of looking slowly. I'll share why it's important to slow down and look carefully, before explaining the 4 sections of the guide: Static Looking, Movement, Observation by Drawing, Observation by Writing and Viewfinders. How to Look at Art (Slowly) is a resource that can be used by anyone. Whether you’re going to a museum alone and would like some strategies for looking, or if you’re visiting with a friend and are on the lookout for some new ways to engage with what you’re seeing. Likewise, if you’re an educator or guide, you can use these activities with your groups. All of the activities are coded as either solo or group activities.These simple activities offer a framework and tools for looking at art and objects for longer.Choose a variety of different ways to look as you move around the museum. You may want to choose activities that appeal to you or you might want to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. All of the activities will help you to see more. Download this free guide via the link below and then listen to the episode!LINKSHOW TO LOOK AT ART (SLOWLY) - a free guide for looking with 30+ activities!Support the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook

Today I’m chatting to Ben Street about his new book 'How to Enjoy Art: A Guide for Everyone'. We’re talking about how we can enjoy art without needing to know anything about it. Ben Street is an author, educator and art historian. He’s also been a school teacher and museum educator. He’s a writer of interpretation for museums and exhibitions and a writer of art criticism. He’s an academic and he writes books - “How to Enjoy Art: A Guide for Everyone” (Yale) and “How to be an Art Rebel” (Thames and Hudson) are out now.In our chat today, we talk about the values that guide Ben’s work and how he’s passionate about us all being able to enjoy art without needing any specialist knowledge. We talk about slow looking and open questioning and how we can approach art with the tools we already have within us. We focus on why looking is so important to the art experience, we explore ways in which we can look for longer and we talk about how scale and space affects how we relate to art. We discuss why we rarely feel we need to read about a piece of music before we listen to it, but with art, we feel we need to know something about it to look at it. And that artworks come ‘wrapped in text’ before we can even get to them. Why is this? How has this come about?This chat is jam-packed with ideas and inspiration for you. Here’s my chat with Ben. Enjoy!LINKSSupport the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookBen Street - WebsiteTwitterInstagramLinkedInBooks - How to Enjoy Art; How to be an Art Rebel

Today’s episode follows on from a popular post I wrote on social media recently about how to talk about the recent climate activist protests in art museums with your participants.  I wanted to take the opportunity to explore the subject in a bit more detail here. Art has been hitting the headlines recently with numerous climate activist protests targeting famous paintings in museums - from Van Gogh’s 'Sunflowers' in the National Gallery in London, to Monet’s 'Grainstacks' in Potsdam and Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' in the Mauritshuis in The Hague.Now, whatever your views about these attacks - and I’m acknowledging here that there are very passionate views on all sides - as educators, how we respond is equally important. Whether you’re working with groups in the museum or with students in a classroom, people will mention recent events and will want to talk about it. They may even ask you for your opinionsSo, in today's episode we'll explore how these events are an opportunity to engage in perspective-taking and discussion with visitors, rather than voicing our own opinions. It means listening to a range of perspectives and keeping an open mind, creating discussion with visitors and inviting them to explore and even understand the different perspectives involved. But, importantly, you have to feel comfortable creating conversations about contentious issues such as these and know that you will be able to facilitate objectively. So, first I’ll talk about the kinds of discussions you could facilitate around this subject and will share a range of thinking routines and questions that you can use to create conversations. And secondly, I’ll take you through a super-useful exercise that will help you to get to know yourself and your feelings better - this is an exercise that will ultimately help you to facilitate subjects around all kinds of sensitive and contentious topics.There are lots of resources associated with today's episode too, including a free PDF summary sheet - and I've shared all the helpful links below. LINKSDownload the summary sheet of today's episode - Resources for talking about contentious issues (free PDF) 6 thinking routines for perspective-taking (free PDF) Episode 11 Step Inside: Thinking Routines to Foster Perspective-TakingEpisode 43 Tips for facilitating meaningful discussions around sensitive subjectsSupport the ShowJoin the Slow Looking Club Community on FacebookMy Friday newsletter