Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me.

MAMmontclair
  • 4.7 (10)
  • VISUAL ARTS
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No museology or art history degree required! Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me, is a podcast focused on inviting listeners who may have never been exposed to or had an interest in the arts to learn more about the culture of museums from somebody who, even while working in the industry, still sometimes wonders, "why is that not on display? or "should I know who painted that?" Join Alex Pavljuk, Digital Content Strategist of the Montclair Art Museum (MAM), as he talks with museum professionals, other museum-goers, and exhibiting artists about how to approach and feel comfortable exploring museums. Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me is a podcast by the Montclair Art Museum. Visit us at https://linktr.ee/themontclairartmuseum for more information on how to get involved, or visit MAM!

  1. 2D AGO

    European vs American art museum experiences

    This week on, "Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me.," Alex, Creative Media Producer at the Montclair Art Museum sat down with Ming-Jing, the Museum's Marketing Intern to dicuss their recent adventures abroad and how the art museum's they visited across Europe compare to their American counterparts. They discuss key experiential differences in wait times, collecting practices, attention to detail, curation decisions and audience flow among other things. Learn more about the Montclair Art Museum by visiting— https://www.montclairartmuseum.org Recorded on 04/17/2026

    43 min

  2. APR 15 ·  BONUS

    Restless. | From the "Read it Now" Series

    The Montclair Art Museum welcomed, Arianna Jobst, as it's first ever Writer-in-Residence this Spring. Arianna Jobst is a New Jersey native and emerging writer working primarily in creative nonfiction — short stories, essays, and novel writing that explore family, queerness, and identity. She graduated from the Literary Prose program at the Univeristy of Virginia. Her piece My Turn, voicing the frustrations of queer women and their female friendships, was published in the Virginia Literary Review. During the duration of the exhibition, See It Now: Contemporary Art from the Ann and Mel Schaffer Collection, her literary interpretations of art on view in the show will be published weekly, with readings, such as this, released in our podcast feed bi-weekly. This piece, titled "Restless." is an interpritation of the artwork, Face, by Natalie Frank. Disclaimer: All works presented here are interpretive prose written by Arianna Jobst, Writer-in-Residence at the Montclair Art Museum. The views, interpretations, and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent or reflect the positions, values, or views of the Montclair Art Museum.

    7 min

  3. APR 8

    A conversation with Nick Cave

    This week on Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me, host, Alex traveled to Chicago to sit down with the world renowned contemporary artist Nick Cave for wide ranging conversation. Recorded at Nick's studio, Facility, in Old Irving Park, the conversation offered an intimate look into Cave’s expansive practice, from his iconic Soundsuits to his more recent explorations in bronze and performance. Cave’s work, featured in major institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Montclair Art Museum, blends art, fashion, and social commentary, addressing urgent themes such as racism, gun violence, and climate change. Though unable to attend MAM’s Spring Art Gala as Honorary Artist Chair due to his participation in the Venice Biennale, Cave welcomed the conversation in his studio, offering reflections on his upbringing, storytelling, and the evolution of his work. Framed through an exploration of the studio as both a physical and psychological space, this episode traces the connections between environment, process, and artistic expression, beginning with a discussion of the studio itself.

    57 min

  4. APR 1 ·  BONUS

    Maybe, I wasn't supposed to see it. | From the "Read it Now" Series

    The Montclair Art Museum welcomed, Arianna Jobst, as it's first ever Writer-in-Residence this Spring. Arianna Jobst is a New Jersey native and emerging writer working primarily in creative nonfiction — short stories, essays, and novel writing that explore family, queerness, and identity. She graduated from the Literary Prose program at the Univeristy of Virginia. Her piece My Turn, voicing the frustrations of queer women and their female friendships, was published in the Virginia Literary Review. During the duration of the exhibition, See It Now: Contemporary Art from the Ann and Mel Schaffer Collection, her literary interpretations of art on view in the show will be published weekly, with readings, such as this, released in our podcast feed bi-weekly. This piece, titled "Maybe, I wasn't supposed to see it." is an interpritation of the artwork, Face, by Natalie Frank. Disclaimer: All works presented here are interpretive prose written by Arianna Jobst, Writer-in-Residence at the Montclair Art Museum. The views, interpretations, and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent or reflect the positions, values, or views of the Montclair Art Museum. Read more by Arianna by visiting the following link— https://www.montclairartmuseum.org/read-it-now-interpretive-works-see-it-now *** Natalie Frank (b. 1980), Face, 2011. Oil on board. Courtesy of Ann and Mel Schaffer.

    7 min

  5. MAR 26

    Why Does Public Art Matter?

    This week Alex, Creative Media Producer at the Montclair Art Museum, sat down with Audrey Roclore, MAM's Curatorial Assistant to discuss the purpose and importance of public art and civic beautification. Learn more about MAM— https://www.montclairartmuseum.org

    34 min

  6. MAR 11

    Art collecting & Jazz (a conversation with Brandee Younger)

    This week on Maybe, Actually, Museum are for me, Alex sits down with renowned harpist, bandleader, and jazz performer, Brandee Younger. Brandee is a harpist, composer and bandleader whose music connects spiritual jazz and classical training to the rhythmic soulfulness of R&B and hip-hop. In this episode the two discuss the intersection between fine art and jazz music, if playing a show inside a museum has any influence, and how Brandee has started to develop an interest in art collecting. You can see Brandee Younger perform at the Montclair Art Museum on Thursday, March 19, 2026 at the Museum's annual Art Meets Jazz concert hosted and supported by the African American Cultural Commitee (AACC). You can find tickets here— https://www.montclairartmuseum.org/events/events-and-programs/art-meets-jazz-brandee-younger

    23 min

  7. MAR 4 ·  BONUS

    "Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me," Returns!

    This week, Alex Pavljuk, Creative Media Producer at the Montclair Art Museum (MAM), is back! In this solo, bonus episode Alex let's listeners behind the scenes to know where we've been the past couple of months. Going forward, expect a new episode every two weeks with supplemental content here and there. Learn more about MAM by visiting, https://www.montclairartmuseum.org

    5 min

  8. 12/17/2025

    What makes a museum more accessible? (Audience Q&A)

    This week, Alex Pavljuk, Digital Content Strategist at the Montclair Art Museum (MAM), chats again with his colleague Melissa Casale. In this episode, they answer some more burning questions asked by our listeners. They talk about accessibility in the arts, how we come up with show topics, trends or movements in contemporary art that excite us and more!

    26 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

No museology or art history degree required! Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me, is a podcast focused on inviting listeners who may have never been exposed to or had an interest in the arts to learn more about the culture of museums from somebody who, even while working in the industry, still sometimes wonders, "why is that not on display? or "should I know who painted that?" Join Alex Pavljuk, Digital Content Strategist of the Montclair Art Museum (MAM), as he talks with museum professionals, other museum-goers, and exhibiting artists about how to approach and feel comfortable exploring museums. Maybe, Actually, Museums are for me is a podcast by the Montclair Art Museum. Visit us at https://linktr.ee/themontclairartmuseum for more information on how to get involved, or visit MAM!

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