The Art Engager Claire Bown

In this episode, we take a closer look at museum visitor teams with Dickon Moore, Visitor Experience Manager at Wellcome Collection in London. Discover how these teams master the art of informal engagement, creating meaningful interactions that enhance visitors' museum experiences.
Key Points:
Understanding the importance of informal engagement in fostering meaningful interactions.How the role of visitor teams has changed over time from a more security-focused role to their current role as facilitators of engagement.Insights into the strategies and techniques employed by museum visitor teams, for informal, spontaneous interactions and structured engagements.Why visitor teams are uniquely placed to engage with museum visitorsHow museum visitor teams expertly navigate interactions with strangers, based on curiosity and open questioning.Learn about the three areas of impact: how visitors might think differently, feel differently, or act differently after engaging with museum content or staff.Discover how museum visitor teams are supported during challenging interactions, including skills development, duty manager support, de-escalation techniques, and reflective practice sessions.
Episode 127 LinksWellcome Collection https://wellcomecollection.org/
Dickon Moore on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/dickonmoore
Transcript available here:
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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!

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 exhibitionTechniques for engaging participants, including a deep dive into one of Wong's artworksConsiderations in programme design: ensuring comfort, choosing artworks, and managing durationDesigning a slow looking programme in a busy museum (hint: it can be done!)"In Silence with Matthew Wong": silent slow looking experience with one artworkReflections 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!
Episode Links: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/
H.vanUffelen@vangoghmuseum.nl
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!

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:
Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationJoin the Slow Looking Club CommunitySupport the show hereDownload 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 lookingUltimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one placeOther 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:
Sign up for my Curated newsletter - a fortnightly dose of cultural inspirationJoin the Slow Looking Club CommunitySupport the show hereDownload 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 lookingUltimate Thinking Routine List - 120 thinking routines in one placeOther 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
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