The Art Engager

Claire Bown
  • 4.9 (20)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Art Engager Podcast with Claire Bown is your go-to resource for creating engaging experiences in museums and cultural spaces. Explore practices that deepen connections with art, objects, people and ideas. Learn techniques to spark curiosity, foster dialogue, and transform how you engage with your audience. Each episode offers practical insights to enhance your skills and bring your museum experiences to life.

  1. Co-Designing a Pedagogical Approach at the National Gallery of Australia

    1D AGO

    Co-Designing a Pedagogical Approach at the National Gallery of Australia

    In this episode Claire Bown is joined by Georgia Close and Harriet Body from the National Gallery of Australia, alongside Naomi Zouwer from the University of Canberra, to explore how the gallery co-designed its Creative Learning approach. The conversation traces an 18-month process of articulating a shared pedagogical framework shaped by national context, cultural responsibility, and First Nations-led principles. Rather than adopting an existing model, the team worked through workshops, observation, interviews and iterative “campaigns” to develop a cohesive, values-led approach. A key commitment was centring the artist’s voice, placing artist intention in conversation with students’ existing knowledge. From this, the team developed a Creative Learning strategy planning tool that supports inquiry-led, multimodal, embodied and reflective practice. Across the episode, they explore: How to develop a context-specific learning approach rather than importing a modelWhat it means in practice to centre the artist’s voiceHow small, iterative “campaigns” can embed reflective practice in a teamHow multimodality and embodiment deepen engagement beyond discussionWhy joy is understood as a serious pedagogical commitmentWhat co-design and participatory action research look like inside a museum setting This episode will resonate with anyone working in museums, galleries or cultural institutions who is thinking carefully about pedagogy, reflective practice, and how to articulate an approach that genuinely reflects their context and values. The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon Episode Links:https://nga.gov.au/learn/our-creative-learning-approach/ The Creative Learning Project Digital Publication: https://nga.gov.au/media/dd/documents/NGA_The_Creative_Learning_Project_Digital_Publication.pdf Zouwer, N. & Hamilton, O. (2026). The Creative Learning Project: Defining the National Gallery of Australia’s Creative Learning Approach. 10.13140/RG.2.2.35063.28324 Zouwer, N., Hamilton, O., Menser Hearn, N., & Ali, I. (2026). Using Practice-Based Methods to Co-create, Define, and Articulate a New Approach to Art Education in the National Gallery of Australia. Australian Journal of Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00049441261421257 Georgia Close, Head of Learning, National Gallery of Australia Harriet Body, Creative Learning Convenor, National Gallery of Australia Harriet Body on LinkedIn Naomi Zouwer, artist, teacher, and researcher. Lecturer of Creative Arts Teacher Education and a researcher in the...

    54 min
  2. Early encounters with art and museum habits of mind

    FEB 5

    Early encounters with art and museum habits of mind

    In this episode Claire Bown is joined by Clare Murray to explore how early encounters with art and museums shape the way people learn to participate, belong, and engage over time. Our conversation focuses on how what Clare describes as museum habits of mind begin forming early in life, shaped by access, culture, and experience, and what can be at risk when early encounters with art and museums are uneven, delayed, or absent. Clare’s perspective is shaped by her work as co-founder and executive director of cARTie, Connecticut’s first nonprofit art museum bus for young children, alongside her doctoral research into how people come to understand what museums are and who they are for. She describes research and practice as running in parallel, rather than as separate phases. The conversation looks at why early childhood matters as a time when confidence, hesitation, and ways of taking part in museum-like spaces begin to take shape. Clare shares what she notices when children encounter art and museum environments for the first time, and what they appear to be learning beyond information about the artworks themselves. Across the episode, they reflect on: how early encounters with art begin to shape museum habits of mindhow confidence and hesitation show up and evolve through repeated encounterswhat children seem to pick up about how to take part in museum-like spaceswhat can be missed when access to art and museum experiences is uneven or delayedhow research and practice can run in parallel, with each informing the other This episode will be of interest to anyone working with children, art, or learning spaces, and to museum educators, guides, and facilitators interested in how early experiences shape longer-term relationships with museums. The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon Episode Links:Clare Murray on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/murrayclare Museum Design with, by and for Children: Innovative, International Approaches https://www.routledge.com/Museum-Design-with-by-and-for-Children-Innovative-International-Approaches/Murray/p/book/9781032774404 cARTie https://www.cartie.org/ cARTie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ctcartie/ Show Links✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/ Buy it here on Amazon.com: a href="https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager"...

    39 min
  3. Designing person-centred museum experiences for people living with dementia

    JAN 22

    Designing person-centred museum experiences for people living with dementia

    In this episode, Claire Bown is joined by Laurie Kilgour Walsh, Head of Programs and Learning at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, to explore what it takes to create meaningful, person-centred museum experiences with and for people living with dementia. Our conversation centres on Artful Moments, a gallery-based, small-group programme for people living with dementia and their care partners. Based at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the programme supports shared experiences, connection, and wellbeing through guided engagement with artworks. In this episode, we talk about: What Artful Moments is and how the programme was developed in collaboration with healthcare partnersHow assumptions shifted as the work developed, and what has helped sustain the work over time.What person-centred practice looks like in programme design and in the moment as a facilitatorPlanning with care while staying responsive to participants during each sessionWhy success in this work is understood through connection and wellbeing rather than traditional learning outcomesWhat an Artful Moments session looks like in practice, from first communication and arrival to gallery conversations, making activities, and leaving the museumWhy attention to the whole visit experience really matters A great listen if you are developing or evolving programmes for people living with dementia, or are interested in how dementia-inclusive practice can inform everyday museum engagement and deepen your approach to inclusion, pacing, and person-centred facilitation. Laurie is also the co-author of Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia, which is discussed throughout the episode. The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon Episode LinksArt Gallery of Hamilton website: www.artgalleryofhamilton.com Artful Moments eLearning site: www.artfulmoments.ca A link to the book - Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia : https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/artful-moments-9781538195420/ Laurie's two favourite videos from the website: Janis’s Story https://vimeo.com/801998446/77939bc3d0 Rosemary's story: https://vimeo.com/809930852/fb94d13a5d Also: An article about virtual programs (2022) https://www.artgalleryofhamilton.com/artful-moments-fostering/ A lovely review of the website by Dementia Trust (2024): a...

    49 min
  4. Reclaiming Our Attention with Menka Sanghvi

    11/27/2025

    Reclaiming Our Attention with Menka Sanghvi

    In this episode, host Claire Bown is joined by Menka Sanghvi, researcher, writer, guide and founder of Just Looking. Menka’s work explores attention through science, culture and creativity, and encourages us to slow down and notice more in our everyday lives. Together, we talk about why ordinary moments matter, how our attentional filters shape what we see and the social dimension of noticing. We also explore the pull of digital technology, the difference between algorithmic seeing and intentional looking, and how small shifts can help us reclaim our attention. Whether you work with visitors in museums, guide groups through artworks or simply want to nurture a more spacious way of looking, this conversation offers practical ideas you can apply directly to your facilitation practice (and to your life!). The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon Episode LinksMenka is the founder of Just Looking, a global community of people looking at everyday life with slowness and curiosity. She is also the co-author of Your Best Digital Life. Her work invites people to notice more, reflect more and reconnect with both the digital and physical worlds. Just Looking newsletter Just Looking’s Instagram 60 Experiments in Looking Your Best Digital Life Menka Sanghvi’s website Show Links✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/ Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager

    39 min
  5. The Art Engager x NEMO: Who Cares? Museums, Wellbeing and Resilience

    11/13/2025

    The Art Engager x NEMO: Who Cares? Museums, Wellbeing and Resilience

    In this special episode created in collaboration with NEMO – the Network of European Museum Organisations, I’m sharing voices and ideas from the 2025 NEMO European Museum Conference ‘Who Cares? Museums, Wellbeing and Resilience’ in Horsens, Denmark. Recorded during the conference itself in the unique setting of the FÆNGSLET Prison Museum, this episode features eight speakers from across Europe and beyond. Together, we explore how museums are engaging with wellbeing and care – for their communities, their staff, and the wider world. You’ll hear from museum professionals, researchers and cultural leaders reflecting on what care looks like in practice – from building organisational resilience to creating spaces for recovery, reflection and connection. The episode weaves together their experiences to to show how museums are finding new ways to care for people and communities. In this episodeHow museums are rethinking their roles in wellbeing and resiliencePractical examples of care-centred work in actionThe emotional and organisational challenges of supporting wellbeingThe importance of caring for the people who care for others FeaturingJulia Pagel (Germany) • Vera Carasso (Netherlands) • Elizabeth Merritt (USA) • Inga Surgunte (Latvia) • Sinéad Rice (Ireland) • Yurii Horpynych (Ukraine) • Roberto Casarotto (Italy) • Dr Nuala Morse (UK) The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon LinksNEMO – Network of European Museum OrganisationsNEMO 2025 Statement on Museums and WellbeingConference webpage with recordings ✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/ Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager

    52 min
  6. Slow looking, leadership and the neuroscience of perspective-taking

    10/30/2025

    Slow looking, leadership and the neuroscience of perspective-taking

    In this episode of The Art Engager, I’m talking with Dr Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, Executive Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and a visual neuroscientist whose work explores the intersection of art, perception and leadership. Zab’s research asks one key question: how does what we see guide our decisions, actions and behaviours? Her work combines neuroscience, visual perception and museum-based learning to show how what we see shapes how we think, communicate and lead. At Wharton, Zab leads sessions for business executives that bring slow looking and perspective taking together — helping leaders strengthen empathy and communication through shared experiences of looking at art. We talk about her journey from researching colour and form processing in the brain to designing slow art experiences that build leadership skills. You’ll hear why museums are ideal for practising perspective taking, what happens when groups spend an hour with a single artwork, and how slow looking in dialogue with others fosters deep learning and connection. We also discuss the neuroscience behind these practices, the ‘no pointing’ rule, and why words like ‘obviously’ can shut down conversation. This episode offers plenty to think about for anyone interested in how collective looking can enhance empathy, attention and leadership. The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. ✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/ Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager Episode Links https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/perspective-taking-brain-hack-can-help-make-better-decisions/ Visual Marketing: A Practical Guide to the Science of Branding https://www.routledge.com/Visual-Marketing-A-Practical-Guide-to-the-Science-of-Branding--Retailing/Kahn-Johnson/p/book/9781032731322 Dr Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-johnson-phd-a3160932/ Wharton Neuroscience website:https://neuro.wharton.upenn.edu/

    53 min

  7. 10/16/2025

    Ask Me Anything: Your Questions on Museum Engagement and Facilitation

    In today's solo episode, host Claire Bown celebrates the one-year anniversary of The Art Engager book with our first-ever Ask Me Anything format. She answers 10 practical questions from listeners about facilitating guided experiences in museums. From how long to let people look at artworks to building psychological safety with established groups, Claire tackles the real challenges educators and guides face every day. Does everyone have to talk to be actively engaged? How do you pull a group back when disengaged? What's a good way to redirect someone who's going on too long? When should you share the artist's perspective if the group's discussion is quite different? Resources mentioned in this episode: Book anniversary quick survey The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums (Claire's book)Episode 148: How to create active engagement on guided experiencesEpisode 142: Building Trust and Psychological Safety on guided experiencesThe 10 Questioning Practices (QPs) from The Art EngagerThe Thinking Museum® Approach The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support the show on Patreon. As mentioned in the episode, share what's been most helpful from The Art Engager book and what you'd like to see next: Share your input here. https://clebown.typeform.com/to/l9e6mzN9

    39 min
  8. Exploring Poetry Through Museums and Visual Art with Tina Demirdjian

    10/02/2025

    Exploring Poetry Through Museums and Visual Art with Tina Demirdjian

    In this episode of The Art Engager Claire Bown talks with Tina Demirdjian, a poet and educator who has spent over 30 years transforming how people connect with poetry and visual art. Tina is someone who in her own words 'changes people's minds' about poetry, about themselves and about their capacity for creative expression. Working primarily with second language learners and immigrant communities in Los Angeles she has developed unique approaches that use visual art as a gateway into poetry writing. The conversation explores why museums are 'sacred spaces' that support creativity, practical techniques for facilitating poetry writing in galleries and how to help people overcome their intimidation about writing. Listen to this episode if you want to: Learn practical techniques for poetry programming in museums, including spine poetry and found poetry using curator and wall textsDiscover why the museum environment uniquely supports creative confidence and expressionExplore how visual art can serve as a bridge to poetry for diverse audiencesUnderstand how to help visitors overcome intimidation about poetry and writing This episode offers practical insights into poetry programming and how to create the 'ease' that helps everyone discover they have at least one powerful poem in them. The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support the show on Patreon and find more resources at thinkingmuseum.com ‘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/buytheartengager The Art Engager book website: https://www.theartengager.com/ Support the show with a simple monthly subscription on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager Episode Links:  Art inspires youth poetry at MOCA   ARTful Conversations  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-demirdjian-a102488/ https://www.instagram.com/poetinastudio/ https://www.poetryconsults.com/museums-libraries

    42 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

The Art Engager Podcast with Claire Bown is your go-to resource for creating engaging experiences in museums and cultural spaces. Explore practices that deepen connections with art, objects, people and ideas. Learn techniques to spark curiosity, foster dialogue, and transform how you engage with your audience. Each episode offers practical insights to enhance your skills and bring your museum experiences to life.

Information

  • Creator
    Claire Bown
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    164
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Claire Bown
  • Show Website
    The Art Engager

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