The Art Engager

Today, in a special BONUS episode for Slow Art Day, I’m talking to Harma van Uffelen.

Harma works as a curator of education for the Van Gogh Museum where they have just created a brand new slow looking programme and a slow looking experience for the Matthew Wong exhibition. 

Listen in to hear:

• How the programme started and why they chose the Matthew Wong exhibition
• Techniques for engaging participants, including a deep dive into one of Wong's artworks
• Considerations in programme design: ensuring comfort, choosing artworks, and managing duration
• Designing a slow looking programme in a busy museum (hint: it can be done!)
• "In Silence with Matthew Wong": silent slow looking experience with one artwork
• Reflections on the pilot programme and future plans

If you’ve ever thought about designing and facilitating slow looking programmes in your museum, you will learn a lot from this episode!

Matthew Wong, The Realm of Appearances, 2018, 

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/about/news-and-press/press-image-bank/images-matthew-wong/the-realm-of-appearances

Matthew Wong exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/visit/whats-on/exhibitions/matthew-wong-vincent-van-gogh

Slow Looking Programme at the Van Gogh Museum

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/nl/bezoek/agenda-en-activiteiten/rondleidingen/matthew-wong-vincent-van-gogh

Open up with Vincent

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/about/organisation/inclusion-and-accessibility-policy/open-up-with-vincent#collaborations

Harma van Uffelen on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harma-van-uffelen-4b50b721/

[email protected]

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How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museum

Slow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow looking

Ultimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one place

If you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show!

In today's episode: what is rapport, why is it important and how can we build it in our museum and gallery programmes? 

I recently wrote an article for the Journal of Museum Education inspired by the coaching training I did in 2022.

In ' Fostering a coaching mindset: applying coaching competencies to enhance museum educator practice and visitor experience' I explored how museum educators can benefit from using coaching skills to enhance their teaching and improve the visitor experience.

One of the competencies I talked about in this article is building rapport. 

Rapport is quite a subtle or nuanced concept. It’s also not something that comes up  in everyday conversation. So what is rapport, why is it important for us as educators? I'll also be sharing 5 ways to build rapport in your museum and gallery programmes.

Links

Journal of Museum Education article: 'Fostering a coaching mindset: applying coaching competencies to enhance museum educator practice and visitor experience' https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10598650.2023.2283400

Episode 44 The 4 Elements of a Great Introduction

The Art Engager Links:

Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspiration

Join the Slow Looking Club Community

Support the show here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebown

Download my free resources: 

How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museum

Slow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow looking

Ultimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one place

If you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show!

Today, Bianca Boska, an award-winning journalist and author of 'Get The Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See' discusses her new book and her journey into the art world with Claire Bown, host of The Art Engager podcast.

Bianca immersed herself for 5 years into the New York art scene as a gallery assistant, artist assistant, curator, museum security guard and more as part of a journey to understand why art matters and how we can engage with it more deeply. 

In this chat, Bianca shares what she discovered about the art world, how her relationship with art has evolved, and how her experiences with various artworks have changed the way she sees the world.

Links for Bianca Bosker and Get the Picture:

Bianca Bosker Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Picture-Mind-Bending-Inspired-Obsessive/dp/1911630466

Bookshop: https://www.waterstones.com/book/get-the-picture/bianca-bosker/9781911630463

The Art Engager Links:

1. Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspiration
2. Join the Slow Looking Club Community
3. Support the show here
4. Download my free resources: 

• How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museum.
• Slow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow looking
• Ultimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one place
• Other resources

If you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show!

Host Claire Bown chats with Sofie Vermeiren, about The Art Bridge, a long-term collaboration between Museum Leuven and a local school, exploring how art can boost children's self-confidence and visual literacy.

Episode links

Episode webpage + transcript

Sofie Vermeiren on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofie-v-172093167/

More info about the Art Bridge:

https://www.mleuven.be/en/about-m/m-community/art-bridge

https://www.mleuven.be/sites/default/files/2023-04/Publication_MaterDei_TheArtBridge.pdf

Blog (in Dutch):

https://kunstzone.nl/author/sofie-vermeiren/

The Art Engager Links:

1. Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspiration
2. Join the Slow Looking Club Community
3. Support the show here
4. Download my free resources:

• How to look at art (slowly)- 30+ different ways to look at art or objects in the museum.
• Slow Art Guide - six simple steps to guide you through the process of slow looking
• Ultimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one place
• Other resources

If you have any suggestions, questions or feedback, get in touch with the show!

In this episode of the Art Engager podcast, host Claire Bown talks with Dr. Tasha Golden about the role arts and culture can play in public health, discussing Tasha's journey from singer-songwriter to public health scientist and the impact of social prescribing on healthcare.

They delve into the ways museums are becoming active participants in community health, sharing examples and practical tips for cultural institutions. The conversation also covers the practical application of the Arts on Prescription field guide and the importance of inclusive access, diversity training, and self-care for educators and creatives in the arts.

(0:00:13) - Dr. Tasha Golden's journey from musician to public health scientist and the success of the CultureRx pilot program.

(0:12:15) - An in-depth look at social prescribing and arts on prescription's potential impact on social isolation.

(0:18:14) - Museums promoting health and well-being through innovative programming and partnerships.

(0:27:42) - The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion training, trauma-informed practice, and self-care for creatives and educators.

(0:38:11) - Wrap-up and resources.

Links

Arts on Prescription Field Guide https://www.tashagolden.com/fieldguide

https://www.tashagolden.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tasha.golden/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashagolden/

“How We Human,” Mental Health and Trauma-Informed Practice training — designed specifically for artists and arts organizations: http://www.tashagolden.com/training

Episode transcript

Get in touch with the show!

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Curated newsletter by Claire Bown

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Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List

Today I’m talking to Cecilie Monrad, Art Health Manager at Frederiksberg Museums in Copenhagen. We’re talking about See Listen Talk, a unique slow looking programme that helps young psychiatric service users in their recovery.

See Listen Talk is a 15-week long programme with weekly meetings taking place outside of the museum's visiting hours. Participants were young psychiatric users aged 18 to 29. Some were still hospitalised during the course but were able to attend the museum sessions. The project had a co-therapist attached, who was both the participants' contact person and motivator.

Listen to today's episode to hear:

• insights into the programme's framework and philosophy, discussing why slow looking was chosen as an approach and how it works in practice.
• what a typical session might involve and the methods and approaches that are used. 
• how the programme creates connections within the group and how they create a ‘safe space and brave space’ for the participants through a broad trauma-sensitive framework. 
• about the feedback the project has received so far and the positive impacts that the programme has had on the participants both inside and outside of the museum.
• the potential application and expansion of See, Listen, Talk, and  the recent recognition of Cecilie's work in the intersection of health and culture, including a recent visit to the Parliament for an open hearing.

This research by Kasper Levin at Roskilde University is ongoing and results are anticipated in March 2024. 

Links:

https://frederiksbergmuseerne.dk/en/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilie-monrad-b43729269/

https://journals.uio.no/museolog/article/view/6662  - in Danish [The museum as a catalyst for loneliness prevention in the elderly]

Upcoming article (in Danish) in https://www.magasinetmuseum.dk/ ”Museer som trivselsrum: Slow Looking og Visible Thinking / ”Museums as spaces for wellbeing: Slow Looking and Visible Thinking

Episode 24 Using art and objects to learn wellbeing skills and improve mental health with Louise Thompson

Suggest a guest or ask a question for the show - get in touch here

Download my free Slow Art Guide

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Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook

Free guide - how to look at art (slowly)

Curated newsletter by Claire Bown

Today I’m talking to Andrew Westover, Eleanor McDonald Storza Director of Education at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, about how values-engaged teaching can transform gallery experiences and foster deep connections.

Andrew Westover leads the learning team at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, focusing on connecting people with art and ideas to inspire civic life. In this role, Andrew develops initiatives, partnerships, and diverse programming to engage Atlanta's communities. 

Andrew previously served as the Keith Haring Director of Education at the New Museum in New York, shaping the vision for the education department. Their diverse experience includes roles at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum, and the Phoenix Art Museum. 

In this chat we’re exploring:

• what values-engaged teaching is in a gallery setting and how it can be applied.
• the importance of self-knowledge and understanding your own values as essential foundations for effective teaching in a gallery setting. 
• the 5 values that underpin the work of High Museum of Art’s education department and how their work is rooted in listening, engaging in dialogue, building consensus, and designing spaces for various communities. 
• how four key words—experiences, identities, affinities, and beliefs—serve as a bridge in connecting the museum's collections and exhibitions with its visitors. 
• the importance of genuine connection in the museum, and how connection is essential for experiences to be meaningful and not merely a superficial interaction. 
• practical strategies and examples of how to navigate conflict during gallery discussions, including a detailed example of addressing emotional responses. 

Andrew concludes by sharing tips for listeners  looking to adopt similar strategies for values-engaged teaching in their practice or organisation. 

There is so much in this conversation - you might want to have a pen and paper handy!

Links

Andrew Westover - High Museum of Art

• High Museum of Art’s Educational Values and Methodologies
• Museum Magazine article: Transcending Dogma
• Edmonia Lewis’s sculpture Columbus: Columbus - High Museum of Art
• Teaching in the Art Museum by Elliott Kai-Kee and Rika Burnham
• Forum for Leadership in Art Museum Education (professional network for heads of education at art museums): Forum for Leadership in Art Museum Education - My FLAME (gatherlearning.com)
• High Museum of Art LinkedIn and Instagram
• Andrew Westover LinkedIn and Instagram

Ask a question or suggest a guest for the show

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Curated newsletter by Claire Bown

Today I'm talking to Briony Brickell, the director of Magic Lantern, an educational charity delivering interactive art history workshops in schools across the UK. We chat about the organisation's work, its values, and the interactive art history sessions they conduct in primary schools for children aged 4 to 11.

We explore Magic Lantern's unique cross-curricular approach, incorporating art history into various subjects like science, geography, history, English, maths, and more.

We discuss a variety of specific strategies used in sessions, such as inviting students to step into artworks, creating soundscapes, exploring colours and patterns, and engaging students in the making process through dry painting.

Briony also details a session involving Henri Rousseau's painting "Surprised" and shares how information is shared in the sessions.

Briony concludes with tips for engaging children with art, emphasising the importance of cultivating a culture of looking, letting paintings speak for themselves initially, and gradually introducing historical and narrative context.

Hope you enjoy our chat!

Links

Henri Rousseau Surprised (1891)

Hans Holbein The Ambassadors (1533)

The Townley Discobolus statue

Magic Lantern is an award winning charity that has been turning primary school classrooms into pop-up art galleries for nearly 30 years. Children are given the opportunity to explore, discuss and bring to life famous artworks, and discover the world of art from cave paintings to Cubism, Gothic to Graffiti, and Turner to the Turner Prize. These unique art history workshops are designed to support classroom topics across the whole curriculum and incorporate elements of drama, soundscape, writing and dialogue.

Magic Lantern website

Follow Magic Lantern on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

 In today's episode, Dr. Stephanie Smith, Learning Manager at the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) in Canberra, shares insights into MoAD's innovative approach to engaging visitors in historical spaces.

Steph talks about MoAD's educational programmes, focusing on their inquiry-based approach and how they encourage an 'inquiry mindset' through active student participation.

We also explore the team's teaching methods and how they use intentional and scaffolded open-ended questions to spark student curiosity and participation. We discuss the importance of making students feel heard, encouraging them to share thoughts, and creating a positive, participatory learning environment.

We also talk about MoAD's unique professional development model, built on collaboration, continuous learning, and reflective practices. We explore 'slow looking pd' where the team think and learn together by reflecting on various provocations and questions (including episodes of The Art Engager!). 'Slow Looking PD' is a deliberate practice that helps the team at MoAD to improve how they teach and support students.

Throughout the episode, Steph shares lots of strategies for student engagement and reflective growth. Whether you're interested in engaging with students, innovative teaching methods, or a facilitation-focused approach to team PD, there are so many takeaways from this episode.

Links

https://www.moadoph.gov.au/

Museum Educators Facebook group

Instagram @stephi_smith_inquirer

In today's new episode I'm talking to researcher and practice assistant, Leonie Delaey, discussing how museums engage with young people through youth boards and organisations.

Leonie come from a rich background in socio-cultural studies and Cultural Management. She currently serves as a Practice Assistant for the Master in Cultural Management program at the University of Antwerp.

This year, Leonie completed her master's thesis, centring around the theme of youth engagement in museums. In today’s conversation:

• We delve into the challenges museums face in effectively engaging and connecting with younger audiences.
• We explore existing initiatives with young people, such as Antwerp’s Photography Museum or FOMU's Nightwatch Youth Program, and discuss how these programs aim to involve and empower young individuals.
• We talk about her research and the 9 building blocks she’s identified to help museums set up and work with youth advisory boards. These blocks provide a comprehensive guide for museums to reflect on their strategies, address challenges, and enhance the effectiveness of their youth engagement initiatives.

Listen in to explore the challenges, strategies, and potential solutions around the subject of youth engagement in museums.

Links

Download my free Slow Art Guide

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Support the Show

Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook

Download the free guide - how to look at art (slowly)

Curated newsletter by Claire Bown

Get in touch with Leonie Delaey to discuss her research on LinkedIn