The Three Bells

In the first episode of Season 6, Adrian Ellis speaks with Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, about how art fairs shape cities and cultural ecosystems. Their conversation explores the evolving role of Art Basel as a cultural platform operating at the intersection of culture, capital, and place – and what that means for the cities that host them.

External references:

• Art Basel: Global art fair platform founded in Basel in 1970, with editions in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar.
• MCH Group: Swiss-based live marketing and events company and parent company of Art Basel.
• UBS & Art Basel – The Art Market Report: Annual research report referenced in the discussion of market dynamics and collecting trends.
• Art Basel Paris: Art Basel’s Paris edition, held at the Grand Palais.
• Art Basel Qatar: Newly announced Art Basel edition, launching in Doha, Qatar, 5-7 February 2026.

About our guest:
Noah Horowitz, is CEO of Art Basel. Previously Director of Americas for Art Basel, he has also held leadership roles at Sotheby’s and The Armory Show. Trained as an art historian, his work sits at the intersection of the art market, cultural institutions, and urban life. +

In this last Reflections from The Three Bells of our 2025 season, a mural becomes the starting point for a deeply personal exploration of the quiet ways individual stories slip into collective narrative. Through the story of a tiny knit hat, Stephanie Fortunato reflects on Providence as an adopted home, the threads that bind people to place, and the communities we call home.

External Links

• AS220, Providence: independent arts organisation in Providence.
• PVDFest: Providence’s annual citywide arts festival.
• The Avenue Concept: Providence-based nonprofit public art organisation responsible for coordinating the mural installation.
• Shey Rivera Ríos – Artist who created the mural featured in the episode.
• Amber Art & Design – Artist and fabrication collective that installed the mural using parachute cloth.

About our Contributor

Stephanie Fortunato is Director of Special Projects of the Global Cultural Districts Network. Her expertise sits at the intersection of cultural planning and urban development, collaborating with local communities on creating policies and partnerships to strengthen neighbourhoods and transform public spaces. + 

Adrian Ellis speaks with Charlotte Burns, Founder of Studio Burns, about how the art world constructs its stories – and what happens when data complicates them. From representation and market dynamics to institutional culture, they explore how research can surface patterns that would otherwise remain invisible and help inform future practice.

External references: 

• Studio Burns – Independent editorial and research studio founded by Charlotte Burns, producing investigative journalism, data-driven projects, and podcasts about the art world. 
• The Burns Halperin Report – a longitudinal data study on representation in US museums and the international art market, co-created by Charlotte Burns and Julia Halperin.
• Artists Speak: The Anonymous Was A Woman Artist Survey – written by Charlotte Burns, Julia Halperin, and SMU DataArts, synthesising responses from over 1,200 women artists on careers, finances, family, and identity. 
• Museums Moving Forward – study on workplace equity and organisational culture in US art museums, offering longitudinal data on pay, promotions, discrimination, and job satisfaction. 

Bio:
Charlotte Burns, is a journalist, researcher and founder of Studio Burns and the co-founder of The Burns Halperin Report, the largest data study of its kind tracking representation in museums and the market. She is also the host and producer of the podcasts The Art World: What If…?!, and Hope & Dread and In Other Words with Schwartzman& in New York. +

In this episode of Reflections from The Three Bells, Hilary Knight explores how WEIRD bias shapes AI – and how artists are challenging algorithmic monoculture with radical acts of cultural imagination.

External references: 

• “The Weirdest People in the World?” – Henrich, Heine, and Norenzayan (2010)
• Stephanie Dinkins – Not The Only One
• Ameera Kawash – Tatreez Garden
• Minne Atairu – Artist using AI to speculate on looted Benin Bronzes and postcolonial memory.
• “Reimagining Looted Artworks Using AI” – Art in America
  Article profiling Minne Atairu’s work with AI and the politics of restitution.
• Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias – The Costs of Connection
  A foundational text on data colonialism and digital power structures.
• Google AI Glossary for African Languages: Google’s initiative to improve AI access and inclusion across African languages.

About the host:
Hilary Knight  is a creative leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategy, innovation, and digital transformation for cultural organisations worldwide. Currently a Senior Associate with AEA Consulting, she has held senior roles at the BBC, Channel 4, Film4, and Tate, where she led pioneering initiatives that embedded digital thinking and expanded audiences. + 

Our host, Stephanie Fortunato speaks with Andrea Dempster Chung, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Kingston Creative, about their long-term strategy to build a cultural district in downtown Kingston – and what it takes to turn natural talent into a thriving creative ecosystem.

External references: 

• Kingston Creative – the official site of the initiative.
• Paint the City – a large-scale mural programme aimed at beautifying downtown Kingston and supporting local artists.
• Artwalk Kingston – monthly activation by Kingston Creative in downtown Kingston.
• CreateTech Caribbean – a regional programme launched by Kingston Creative to support creative entrepreneurs through training and access to finance.
• Climate Change Art Park – a public art project by Camille Chedda developed in collaboration with GCDN and Alserkal Advisory as part of A Feral Commons.

About the guest:
Andrea Dempster Chung, is an engineer, entrepreneur and executive. She is the Cofounder and Executive Director of Kingston Creative an organisation seeking to transform Downtown; the founder of Bookophilia, a bookstore that promotes Caribbean literature and the founder of Go Global Art, an art marketing platform which helps artists from developing countries gain access to global markets. +

Hilary Knight speaks with Rachel Parent, Directrice Générale HUB Montréal about building a global creative network at the intersection of culture, tech, and business – and why keeping things human is more important than ever.

External references: 

• HUB Montréal – Annual international fair and gathering for digital creativity
• Moment Factory – Montreal-based multimedia studio producing immersive experiences globally
• La Piscine – Montreal-based cultural and creative industries business accelerator
• TeamLab – Tokyo-based art collective producing immersive art and running permanent museums in Japan and internationally
• Science Museum Group – Referenced for museum innovation and variation in tech adoption
• Cleveland Museum of Art – Referenced for integrating tech such as AI and digital experiences into museum practice
• Codaworx – A platform connecting artists and commissioners of public art, referenced as an international partner
• ABBA Voyage – The hologram-based immersive concert experience mentioned in the discussion
• The Golden Key – Immersive AI-powered installation referenced by Rachel, co-presented at Milan Design Week and HUB Montréal

About our guest:
Rachel Parent, is Directrice Génréale of HUB Montréal, an international market event for digital creativity. She leads strategy and development for HUB’s global network of cultural, technological, and creative sector participants. Previously active in the music and screen industries, Rachel brings a cross-sectoral perspective to how innovation happens in cultural ecosystems. +

In this new episode of Reflections from The Three Bells, Adrian Ellis reflects on the slow unravelling of downtowns – and what it will take to reimagine them as civic, cultural, and residential spaces fit for the 21st century.

External reference: 

• Los Angeles: adaptive reuse ordinance (expanded citywide)
• Times Square Alliance (BID model in New York) 
• How Minneapolis, St. Paul leaders plan to revitalize their downtowns
• Detroit offers St. Paul a downtown turnaround blueprint

About our contributor:

Adrian Ellis is the founder of AEA Consulting (1990) and the Global Cultural Districts Network (2013). He has worked in senior management and as a board member in both museums and the performing arts and as a strategy consultant to leading clients in the cultural, public, and business sectors around the world. + 

Adrian Ellis speaks with Katrina Sedgwick, Director & CEO of MAP Co, to discuss the ambitiously complex transformation of Melbourne’s arts precinct – and how principles of collaboration, creativity, and care are guiding one of Australia’s largest cultural infrastructure projects.

External references: 

• Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation (MAP Co) – The official site detailing the AU$1.7B redevelopment, including Federation Square, the new NGV Contemporary, and Laak Boorndap garden.
• NGV Contemporary – The Fox: NGV Contemporary – Australia’s largest gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design, currently under development.
• Arts Centre Melbourne Redevelopment – Major upgrades underway to the State Theatre and Theatres Building, including new underground facilities.
• Laak Boorndap – A new 18,000m² public garden designed with Traditional Owners, led by landscape architecture firm Hassell.
• Laak Boorndap Test Garden – a living window into the future of Laak Boorndap.
• Koorie Heritage Trust – A First Nations cultural organisation and anchor tenant at Federation Square.
• Lendlease – Construction partner leading both the Northern and Southern project packages.

Guest bio
Katrina Sedgwick OAM, is the inaugural CEO of MAP Co. She has held leadership roles across festivals, film, broadcasting, and museums – including as Head of Arts at ABC Television and Director & CEO of ACMI, Australia’s national museum of screen culture. She led ACMI’s $40 million transformation before joining MAP Co in 2022. +