The Art Engager
Claire Bown
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The Art Engager podcast is here to help educators, guides and creatives engage their audiences with art, objects and ideas. Each week I’ll be sharing a variety of easy-to-learn flexible techniques and tools to help you create participant-centred experiences that bring art and ideas to life.
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1 day ago
Claire's Favourites: 4 Powerful Questions to Supercharge your Museum Programmes
For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With over 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.
This week I’m sharing one of my absolute favourite episodes.
I’m sharing 4 game changing questions that will really transform your museum and gallery programmes. I’ve chosen questions that work for me time after time with all sorts of different groups, different artworks or objects, different types of museums and environments.
These are all worth remembering (and carrying around in your educator 'back pocket').
Links
Support the Show
Slow Looking Club
The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Brilliant Questions (Episode 4)
10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking Questions (Episode 10)
How to use artworks to improve your questioning skills (Episode 15)
Quick ways to improve your questioning technique (Episode 36)
3 Key Ways to Foster Curiosity in your Programme (Episode 38)
How to Stay Curious in your Practice (Episode 39)
‘Bad’ questions - questions to avoid in your art experiences (Episode 48)
Autumn Effect at Argenteuil (1873), Claude Monet, Courtauld Gallery, London, UK, Public Domain https://courtauld.ac.uk/highlights/autumn-effect-at-argenteuil/
Reyhan Hassanzadeh (2004) from the series: Terrorist, Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam, NL
https://khosrow-hassanzadeh.com/project/terrorist-paintings-03/
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Jun 1, 2023
Claire's Favourites: How to Cultivate Curiosity on your Museum and Gallery Programmes
For the next few weeks I’m choosing my favourite episodes from the back catalogue of the podcast. With 100 episodes to now choose from, I’m taking this opportunity to revisit some of the episodes I’ve most enjoyed putting together.
Today's choice is all about curiosity. This was a really popular episode back in February 2022 when it was first published and was the first of two episodes about the subject. In this episode I’m talking about how you can cultivate curiosity with your groups.
This episode talks about what curiosity is and why it matters. Then I'm sharing 3 key ways you can cultivate curiosity in your museum and gallery programmes. How can we really ensure that we are doing all we can to provoke curiosity and wonder amongst the participants on our tours and programmes?
Links
Episode Web Page
Support the Show
Episode 39 - How to Stay Curious in your Practice
Ian Leslie's book Curious
My book is out in September - Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Download the free guide - how to look at art (slowly)
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
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May 25, 2023
Creating Cultures of Thinking in Museums with Ron Ritchhart
In this special 100th episode of The Art Engager podcast, I'm chatting to educator, researcher, author, and speaker Dr Ron Ritchhart.
Ron Ritchhart is an award-winning educational researcher, retired Senior Research Associate at Harvard Project Zero and current Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
His research is focused on developing intellectual character, making thinking visible, and enhancing school and classroom culture to promote deep learning. He is the author of the bestselling books Making Thinking Visible, The Power of Making Thinking Visible, and Creating Cultures of Thinking.
Ron's research and writings have informed the work of schools, teachers, museum and museum educators throughout the world. Making Thinking Visible, from 2011, with Karin Morrison and Mark Church popularised the use of thinking routines to facilitate deep learning and high engagement.
The follow up book The Power of Making Thinking Visible, introduced a new set of routines and shared what has been learned so far about successfully integrating thinking routines as a powerful teaching tool.
I’ve written and spoken about the first time I heard the words Visible Thinking and making thinking visible on the very first episode of this podcast so it seemed fitting to interview Ron for the 100th episode. I’ve also talked about how Ron’s article ‘Cultivating a Culture of Thinking in the Museum in the Journal of Museum Education had a huge impact on me and on my first educational programme to use thinking routines in 2011. So to speak to Ron today was a bit of a ‘pinch-me’ moment.
In this interview, we discuss:
* what making thinking visible is and the difference between 'visible' and 'visual' thinking.
* what strategies we might use to make thinking visible and the transformative impact it has on learning and engagement
* how we can cultivate a culture of thinking in museums through the eight cultural forces that shape group culture and how they can create an environment where thinking is valued, visible, and actively promoted in museum settings.
* The power of thinking routines as structures to support and guide thinking in museums, and how they work in synergy with other practices
* the importance of finding your "why" in teaching and facilitating
Thank you to Ron Ritchhart for being a guest on the podcast. Ron’s new book, "Cultures of Thinking in Action," is out in June 2023.
_Links_
EPISODE WEB PAGE (TRANSCRIPT)
Support the Show
My book is out in September - Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Download the free guide - how to look at art (slowly)
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
Dr Ron Ritchhart links:
Ron's
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May 18, 2023
Striking the right pace in museum programmes: less is more
Welcome to episode 99, where I'm diving into the concept of pacing in museum and gallery programmes, with a particular focus on the idea that "less is more."
Pacing directly influences the participant experience. A well-paced programme ensures that your participants stay engaged, attentive and receptive throughout their journey.
By carefully managing the rhythm and flow of stops, activities and information, we can create a balance that keeps our participants engaged without overwhelming or exhausting them.
"Less is more" is a guiding principle that encourages us to intentionally selecting and presenting a smaller quantity of content, activities, or object, so that we can create more impactful and meaningful experiences for visitors. In this episode, I'll share how this can be achieved by:
* Streamlining content with a carefully curated selection of objects or artworks.
* Being selective, intentional, and thoughtful in programme design
* Incorporating different paces
* Allowing time for participants to engage
* Customizing and adjusting pacing in the spur of the moment
* Emphasizing quality over quantity
Find out why pacing matters and how you can apply the principle of "less is more" in your own programmes to create a more focused and engaged experience for your participants.
_Links_
Support the Show
My book is out in September - Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Download the free guide - how to look at art (slowly)
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
Episodes mentioned in today's episode:
Episode 98 Radio Bart: Exploring Art with Blind Mediators
Episode 42 How to Read a Group
Episode 69 How to use body language to create engagement
Episode 95 How silence is a superpower in museum and gallery programmes
Episode 96 7 Ways to Make Time and Space for Silence
Episode 29 How to Develop a Reflective Practice
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May 11, 2023
Radio Bart: Exploring Art with Blind Mediators
Welcome to a new episode of The Art Engager podcast, hosted by Claire Bown. In this week's edition, we dive into the extraordinary world of Radio Bart, a unique audience engagement programme at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
Joining me are two guests from the museum's Audience Engagement team: An van Hertum and Bart van Peer.
What is Radio Bart?
Radio Bart is a groundbreaking programme where visitors engage in conversations about art with blind mediators. A mobile studio moves through the museum, inviting anyone to join the hosts for a chat in front of selected paintings. Through these dialogues, participants observe, describe, and reflect on the artwork, uncovering deeper meaning and fostering a unique experience.
An and Bart share how Radio Bart started, how it works, and the profound effects it has on participants. They also discuss the training and skills provided to the mediators, ensuring meaningful interactions.
Don't miss this episode as we delve into the transformative power of Radio Bart. Tune in and discover a whole new way to experience and connect with art. Enjoy!
_Links_
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
VTMO Course - VTMO Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Courses start in September, October and November 2023 respectively.
Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (KMSKA) https://kmska.be/en
Radio Bart https://kmska.be/en/event/radio-bart
Radio Bart email radiobart@kmska.be
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May 4, 2023
Collect Connect Create with Denise Greany and Sarah Clarke
In this week's episode we're exploring an innovative project at the National Civil War Centre in Newark developing creative writing skills through art and using thinking routines in really innovative ways.
The visual literacy Collect Connect Create project was developed to raise self-esteem, self-efficacy and motivation for year 10 pupils (14-15 year olds) who had struggled with disrupted learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The longer-term aim was that young people would develop the skills, knowledge and experience to raise their attainment in their English exams, having the confidence to write a “convincing and compelling” piece of fiction, using extensive and ambitious vocabulary and demonstrating the use of different language techniques.
Denise explores the key features of the programme, how it worked for students and the collaboration they had with writer-in-residence, Ioney Smallhorne..
Then we focus on the thinking routines that they used in the programme and specifically the thinking routines that they created for it, such as Look List Lose and Shapescape. They also creatively adapted thinking routines that they had learned with me on my VTMO course.
We talk about how the thinking routines offered tools to the students to assist them with their writing, how they helped them learn how to look as well as write, how they gave them a framework for organising their thinking and were a launchpad to writing.
If you’re interested or curious about incorporating thinking routines into an educational programme at your museum or using art as a prompt for creative writing, then this episode is for you. If you’re interested in creating your own thinking routines, listen in too!
_Links_
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
VTMO Course - VTMO Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Courses start in September, October and November 2023 respectively.
Collect Connect Create Project Resources https://www.maxliteracy.org/case-studies/newark-museum/ Pocket Prompts PDF can be found in the Lesson 1 folder.
Denise Greany on LinkedIn
Sarah Clarke on LinkedIn
Ioney Smallhorne website
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Apr 27, 2023
7 Ways to Make Time and Space for Silence
So following on from last week's episode, talking about the benefits of some silence in your museum and gallery programmes. This week I'm sharing how to do it.
A little bit of silence in your programmes can benefit both you as the facilitator and the audience by promoting reflection, active listening, observation, engagement, and flexibility.
It contributes to a more meaningful and effective experience for all involved. So how can we create more opportunities for silence in our museum and gallery programmes?
Here are 7 easy ways to make time and space for silence.
_Links_
30+ ways to look at art slowly
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
Episodes mentioned in today's show:
Episode 25 3 Thinking Routines for Slow Looking and Drawing
Episode 29 How to Develop a Reflective Practice
Episode 42 How to Read A Group
Episode 44 The 4 Elements of a Great Introduction
Episode 49 Inspiring Creative Writing Through Art with Mary Hall Surface
Episode 61 How mindfulness and drawing can help us to connect with art
Episode 66 7 Ways to Improve your Active Listening Skills
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Apr 20, 2023
How silence is a superpower in museum and gallery programmes
You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘silence is golden’ before. This proverb suggests that staying quiet or not speaking can be beneficial in certain situations.
How is silence a superpower that we can leverage to our advantage in the design and facilitation of our museum and gallery programmes?
Today I’m talking about why silence matters and I'm going to share some insights into why we should be harnessing this superpower to enhance our programmes.
But I’m also going to explore the flip-side - why some people feel uncomfortable around silence and how you can overcome this discomfort.
Then I’m exploring 8 reasons why silence is beneficial for both you as a facilitator and for your participants.
PS This is part 1 of a two-part series on silence. Next week I'll be exploring how you can add more silence into your programmes.
_Links_
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Download the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
Episode 93 Slow Art and the Power of Slowing Down with Carl Honoré
Episode 94 Exploring Slow Art Day and Slow Looking with Phyl Terry
Episode 29 How to Develop a Reflective Practice
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Apr 13, 2023
Exploring Slow Art Day and Slow Looking with Phyl Terry
Episode 94 of the Art Engager features another special guest, Phyl Terry, Founder of Slow Art Day.
Slow Art Day is an annual event that encourages participants worldwide to look at and discuss art slowly. To date, over 1,500 museums and galleries on every continent, including Antarctica's McMurdo Station, have participated in Slow Art Day.
I first got in touch with Phyl back in 2013 when I heard about Slow Art Day. Today, we resume our conversation 10 years later about the importance of slowing down and spending more time with art.
* Phyl talks about how Slow Art Day originated and the hour long experience he had with a painting that started it all.
* We explore about how Slow Art Day has evolved over the years and some of the unique and memorable events that have taken place over that time.
* Phyl also talks about how organisations can participate in hosting their own Slow Art Day events or how individuals can participate even when there are no events near them.
* Phyl discusses the concept of "radical inclusivity" in Slow Art Day, which promotes the idea that anyone can engage with art without the need for prior artistic knowledge, through the act of looking slowly and reflecting.
* Finally, Phyl shares their thoughts on the future of Slow Art Day and how it might evolve as a movement in the coming years.
The conversation is filled with insights and reflections on the importance of slowing down and spending more time with art. Don't miss this one!
_Links_
Episode Web Page (with transcript)
Support the Show
Download my free Slow Art Guide
Slow Looking Club
SlowArtDay.com
https://www.instagram.com/slowartday/
https://www.facebook.com/SlowArtDay
Slow Art Day 2022 Annual Report
Episode 46 What is Slow Art Day
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Apr 6, 2023
Slow Art and the Power of Slowing Down with Carl Honoré
Today on the podcast, I'm delighted to be talking to bestselling author, broadcaster, two-time TED speaker and voice of the Slow Movement, Carl Honoré.
In this episode, Carl Honoré, author of "In Praise of Slow," shares his insights on the benefits of slowing down in every aspect of life.
Our conversation centres around the slow movement, and how slowness can 'rehumanise' us in a culture that values speed above everything else.
We also discuss the slow art movement and how museums and other cultural institutions can be more welcoming for visitors who want to take a slower approach to art.
Main talking points:
* Carl Honoré's book "In Praise of Slow" and the impact it had on society and the slow movement
* How the slow movement is not just about slowing down for its own sake, but about reclaiming our humanity in a culture that treats us like machines.
* How the slow movement fits into the larger cultural conversation about resisting the pressures of a culture that values speed and productivity above all else
* How the pandemic has affected our relationship with time and speed, and whether it has led to a greater appreciation for slowness.
* How slow art can be an antidote to the fast-paced culture we live in
* How museums are finding ways to create slow environments and programmes to invite people to engage deeply with art.
* How blockbuster exhibitions (such as the Vermeer exhibition in the Rijksmuseum)and wall labels can help or hinder us in the experience we might have in a museum.
* The importance of building the muscle to observe, contemplate, and look deeply at art, especially in children
* Four ways we can all incorporate the principles of slow more fully into our own lives
_Links_
Episode Web Page
Download my new Slow Art Guide
Download the resource - how to look at art (slowly)
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Carl Honoré's website:
Useful links www.carlhonore.info
_Carl Honoré on Social Media:_
YouTube Channel
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
TED Talk 'In Praise of Slow'
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Mar 30, 2023
Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing Through Art with Heather Thomas
In Episode 92, I'm chatting to Heather Thomas, the Head of Learning and Engagement at the Lightbox Museum and Gallery in Woking, UK.
Heather talks about how their Art and Wellbeing programme of creative and therapeutic workshops provides opportunities for those that would otherwise not be able to access arts and heritage services.
We discuss the guiding principles behind the Lightbox Museum and Gallery's work in learning and engagement, which has always included helping people with mental health issues or those who are isolated.
We also discuss what the Open Mind project is and how it provides a safe space for individuals to come and learn something new, chat with others and engage with art.
We talk about how Open Mind tours prioritise connection over content and are wholly participant-led, open conversations that take their cues directly from the participants, not the facilitator.
Finally, we talk about the positive outcomes of the programme and the Lightbox's plans for the future.
_Links_
Lightbox website: www.thelightbox.org.uk
Museums Journal (Museums Association UK) article: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/analysis/2022/11/its-time-for-museums-to-address-mental-health/
Baring report: https://baringfoundation.org.uk/resource/creatively-minded-at-the-museum/
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/
Catalyst: https://www.catalystsupport.org.uk/
If you are struggling, please contact Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/
Young Minds website for children and young people: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
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Mar 23, 2023
3 New Thinking Routines to Try in Your Museum and Gallery Programmes
Are you tired of using the same old thinking routines in your museum and gallery programmes? Maybe it's time to try something new? In this week’s episode, I'm sharing three exciting thinking routines that you can add to your repertoire.
These routines will help you engage your audience and encourage them to think creatively about art and objects.
* Start with the basics: building a repertoire of thinking routines.
* Experiment and try new thinking routines to stay curious and inspired.
* Three new thinking routines to try out: Imagine If, Take Note, and Creating Space for Learning
* Imagine If: a thinking routine for looking closely, finding opportunity, and pursuing new ideas.
* Take Note: a thinking routine for distilling ideas in response to a piece of art or an object.
* Creating Space for Learning: a thinking routine that is essentially a grounding exercise that helps us to prepare for any programme, class or task.
Three new thinking routines for you to try out. I…
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Mar 16, 2023
How to Create Intellectual Comfort
Today I’m exploring the concept of creating intellectual comfort in your museum and gallery programmes.
In my (forthcoming) book Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach I have a chapter dedicated to creating a collaborative culture in your museum and gallery programmes. As part of this chapter, I talk about how important it is to make participants feel not only psychologically safe, but also intellectually safe.
Museums can be intimidating spaces. And this is particularly prevalent in art museums and around art in general. So many people feel that museums are not places for them, that there is a prerequisite amount of information required before you can enjoy being in a museum.
Your job as a facilitator is to ensure that everyone feels confident and able to participate fully in your programme, whatever their motivation or knowledge level upon arriving. This is what it means to create intellectual comfort on a museum or gallery programme.
In today's…
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Mar 9, 2023
What if objects could talk with Hannah Cushion
I have a guest for you today on the show. I’m really happy to be talking to Hannah Cushion about her work as an artist and educator.
Hannah is an artist and museum educator working in London and Oxfordshire in the UK. Her work is interested in themes around archiving and preservation. She’s interested in why we keep the things we keep and who we're keeping them for.
Since receiving a creative practice grant from Arts Council England in 2021, Hannah has been looking at ways to directly connect her museum practice with her art practice.
This has led to the development of the Memory Bank Project, a collection of stories and memories connected to everyday objects.
In our chat today, Hannah and I discuss how inclusivity, curiosity, and the opportunity to collaborate with people and to create meaningful connections with objects and between people are really important values in her practice.
Museum labels tell us one story but what if the objects themselves could talk? How do…
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Mar 2, 2023
How to lead playful museum programmes
Today I’m exploring play in museum education practice. How can we create and lead playful museum programmes? How can we bring more opportunities for play into our guided tours and educational programmes?
I was inspired for today's post by our new theme in the Slow Looking Club. Every two weeks we have a new theme and right now we’re exploring play as the focus for our slow looking. We’re looking for depictions of play and playful approaches in art, but also how we can adopt a playful attitude to slow looking when we’re out and about.
This led me to thinking about how we can be more playful in our programmes when we are with visitors (of all ages, not just children) and incorporate more meaningful opportunities for play?
Today I'm sharing 9 ways that you can incorporate play into your guided tours and programmes.
_Links_
Episode Web Page
Download the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)
Episode 56 Learning to Love ‘Boring’ Objects through slow looking
Episode…
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Feb 23, 2023
How to ask more open-ended questions
Today I’m returning to one of my favourite subjects - questions.
I’m going to explore open-ended questions in detail - not just what they are, but why they are important and when you can use them for the best engagement.
Plus, how can you get better at asking open ended questions and ask more of them in your programmes? How can you make sure that you don’t default to closed questions or recall questions?
I'm sharing 4 ideas that will help you to ask more open-ended questions & keep the conversation flowing in an open and engaging way.
_Links_
EPISODE WEB PAGE
The Art of Questioning Class with Claire Bown
Download the 2023 Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Download my free guide - how to look at art (slowly)
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
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Feb 16, 2023
How neutral do I have to be as a museum facilitator?
I often get asked about neutrality as a 'stance' for museum facilitators of discussions around art and objects. So today I'm addressing the question: How neutral do we need to be as a facilitator in the museum?
Facilitation is a key part of creating engaging and interactive discussions around art and museum objects.
As a facilitator, you are guiding the process, creating participation and activating the learning and engagement.
But do you have to be neutral too?
If you look at the general definition of a generic facilitator you will often see the word ‘neutral’ or ‘impartial’ used.
What do these words actually mean? And what should we be neutral about? Is it even possible to be neutral as a museum facilitator?
Neutrality is a tricky concept and this subject is always quite a thorny one in my classes and trainings. Listen to today's new episode to find out what I recommend.
_Links_
EPISODE WEB PAGE
Download the Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Support the Show…
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Feb 9, 2023
6 benefits of using thinking routines with art and objects
I know thinking routines are a huge crowd pleaser.
I’m their biggest fan too - they have fundamentally changed the way I lead discussions around art and objects.
Used in combination with the other 7 practices of the VTM approach such as good questions, a range of facilitation skills, slow looking and more, you can create wonderfully engaging discussions in the museum about art and objects.
Used as part of a holistic approach, thinking routines will transform the way you work with objects and with audiences in the museum.
Thinking routines have wonderful benefits for the participants in your guided tours and educational programmes.
But I also believe thinking routines are incredibly useful and beneficial tools for you too - as a museum educator, guide, docent or teacher.
And so today I’m going to focus on you - and I’m going to share some 6 key benefits you’ll get from working with these magical structures with art and objects.
I going to talk about why ro…
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Feb 2, 2023
Why inclusive language matters with Margaret Middleton
I’m talking to Margaret Middleton today about what inclusive language is and why it matters.
Margaret Middleton is an American independent exhibit designer and museum consultant currently based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
With a degree in industrial design from the Rhode Island School of Design and over 15 years of experience in the museum field, they work at the intersection of design and social justice.
We know museums aim to be welcoming places for everyone, but the ways museums communicate can unintentionally exclude and alienate visitors.
Likewise, when we’re working as museum teachers, guides and educators the words we choose when we communicate can hide unconscious biases and assumptions, especially about subjects like “family.”
10 years ago, Margaret created a tool called the Family Inclusive Language chart which helps us to choose words that avoid labelling and making assumptions about the identities and relationships between museum visitors.
We discuss:…
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Jan 26, 2023
Engaging with Teens in the Museum
What words come to mind when you hear the word ‘teenager’? Or the word ‘adolescence’?
Do you love working with teens or feel a little apprehensive?
I’ve recently been facilitating some team trainings in museums about how to engage with teenagers and so I’ve been thinking a lot about the best ways to work with teens. It's also a subject I get asked about a lot.
Here are some tips and ideas for better ways to engage with teenagers in the museum on your guided tours and programmes.
I'm exploring:
* Why our thoughts shape our attitude towards teens
* Seeing teenage behaviour through a developmental lens
* Positive reasons for working with teens
* Creating an inclusive, warm and friendly atmosphere
* The importance of shared ownership
* The role of open-ended questions and careful listening
* Reading the group and avoiding false clues
* Why less is more
* And why teens like to discuss themes of global significance
_Links_
Support the Show
Join the S…
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Jan 19, 2023
Making space and time for slow looking
I’m talking today about making space and time for slow looking.
So if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you'll know that I've been practising the art of slow looking for a long time now the last 11/12 years. And it's very much a personal practice and also something that I use with groups of all ages with a variety of objects, artworks, situations and places.
But why is it so important to incorporate slow looking into your guided tours, educational programmes and art experiences?
In today's episode you'll hear:
* who inspired my love of slow looking when I first got started in 2011
* myth-busting: about what slow looking is and how it works.
* how slow looking is the key to engagement
* 3 main reasons why it's important to make space and time for slow looking
* how you can incorporate it into your guided tours, your educational programmes your online session, even if you think you don't have the time or the space
* the key benefits to including slow l…
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Jan 12, 2023
7 Ways to Refresh your Practice in 2023
Today I’m sharing a variety of different ways to refresh your practice for 2023 so you don’t get stuck in a rut.
Are you looking forward to designing and leading guided tours, art experiences, educational programmes in 2023?
If, however, you’re not sure about your answers to those questions, or about how you feel about the coming year, then it’s definitely time to shake things up a little.
If you’re feeling tired, jaded or uninspired, then it’s definitely time to make some changes.
It’s a wonderful thing to do at any time of year, but especially at the start of a new year.
If you continue to do things exactly as you've always done them, then you might end up feeling like you’re on auto-pilot, or start feeling a bit restless or even bored.
It’s tempting to stick to the tried and tested formula - especially if it worked well last year - but making a few simple changes to your practice and the way you do things might help you to rediscover a passion and enthu…
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Jan 5, 2023
How to design and lead engaging family tours with Sarah Ciacci
Today I'm really happy to be chatting to Sarah Ciacci about her wonderful work as a family tour specialist. We’re exploring how to engage and inspire families on a guided tour.
Sarah Ciacci has been a Professional Blue Badge Guide for London since 2008 and specialises in family tours and art tours.
She set up Tours For My Kids to provide inspiring and engaging tours to families in London and Rome
She is also a Blue Badge art tutor for trainee guides training in the National Gallery, Tate Modern and Tate Britain. She is an accredited lecturer of the Arts Society, a university lecturer, a gallery educator and runs regular courses and independent lectures on a variety of art historical periods.
In our chat today, we talk about the values and principles that guide and shape her work and What made her decide to focus on working with families
We explore what families actually want from museums and heritage (and what they quite often get instead)
We talk about how she engages chil…
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Dec 15, 2022
5 Thinking Routines for Comparing, Contrasting and Making Connections
Today I’m sharing 5 different thinking routines that you can use to compare, contrast and make connections. I’m exploring how you can use these thinking routines to create engaging discussions with art, objects and ideas.
I'll look first at what comparing & contrasting is and why it’s important. Then I'm sharing some ideas for things you might want to compare and contrast, before sharing different ways to look at similarities and differences.
Then I'm sharing 5 thinking routines help us to make thoughtful and purposeful comparisons.
_Links_
Support the Show
Join the Slow Looking Club Community on Facebook
Download the NEW resource - how to look at art (slowly)
Curated newsletter by Claire Bown
Episode 8 How to use ‘See Think Me We’ thinking routine to create personal and community connections with artworks
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Dec 8, 2022
Throwback Thursday: How to get over a 'tumbleweed moment'
I’ve recently lost my voice so I’m taking some time to recover this week and sharing an episode from the back catalogue.
Today I'm revisiting an episode about to survive tumbleweed moments. This episode first aired in Oct 2021.
It takes a deep dive into what a tumbleweed moment is and how to get over one when it happens.
I'm also exploring 7 ways to avoid one in the first place.
A tumbleweed moment is a moment of silence or dead air. It can happen when you ask a question and you don’t get a response.
Tumbleweed moments happen to all of us - whether we are seasoned pros or just starting out.
Everyone gets them.
This is also something that comes up time and time again when I do trainings. I always get asked the question, ‘But what if no-one says anything?’
So this is the ultimate guide. First I'm sharing some handy steps to work though to help you get over any tumbleweed moments you face. And at the end as I’ll share 7 ways to avoid one in the first place.…
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Dec 1, 2022
8 ways to show up in a resourceful state
Today I’m talking about how we can get ourselves into our best state - our most resourceful state - for when we show up to facilitate art discussions, tours, programmes or lessons. And sharing 8 different ways for you to turn up at your best!
How you show up is important.
Whether you’re leading a tour, teaching an educational programme, teaching a lesson in a classroom or facilitating a training.
You want to make sure that when you arrive, you’re in the best state possible.
This is something that we can all strive for in whatever people-facing commitments we may have - that we are calm, ready and clear to do our work in the best way we can.
In the coaching certification that I’ve been studying for over the past year we’ve been talking about how to show up in a resourceful state.
In today's episode, I'll explain what this means and suggest 8 different ways to get yourself into a resourceful state before every tour, programme or session that you lead.
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Nov 24, 2022
The joy of engaging with objects with Dr Alex Woodall
I’m really happy to be talking to Dr Alex Woodall about her wonderful work with objects. We’re talking about how the joys of working with objects creatively. We’re exploring how you can use objects to spark all sorts of connections, associations and fun in the museum and beyond…
Dr Alex Woodall is a museum professional and academic, inspired by the creative use of objects and rummaging in stores.
She has 20 years’ experience working in learning, interpretation and exhibition management and leadership roles, including at Sheffield Museums, Manchester Art Gallery, the Royal Armouries in Leeds and the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia.
She is currently Programme Director for the Postgraduate Creative and Cultural Industries Management degree at the University of Sheffield, where she teaches a large international cohort about museum management.
In our chat today, we talk about the joys of working with objects creatively. Alex shares how her love for obje…
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Nov 17, 2022
How to Look at Art (Slowly)
We’ve reached another milestone and in honour of 75 episodes, I’m releasing a new FREE resource today.
How to Look at Art (Slowly) shares 30+ different ways that you can look at art or objects in museums.
In today’s special episode I’m talking you through some of these different ways of looking slowly.
I'll share why it's important to slow down and look carefully, before explaining the 4 sections of the guide: Static Looking, Movement, Observation by Drawing, Observation by Writing and Viewfinders.
How to Look at Art (Slowly) is a resource that can be used by anyone.
Whether you’re going to a museum alone and would like some strategies for looking, or if you’re visiting with a friend and are on the lookout for some new ways to engage with what you’re seeing.
Likewise, if you’re an educator or guide, you can use these activities with your groups. All of the activities are coded as either solo or group activities.
These simple activities offer a framework and to…
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Nov 10, 2022
How to enjoy art (without knowing anything about it)
Today I’m chatting to Ben Street about his new book 'How to Enjoy Art: A Guide for Everyone'. We’re talking about how we can enjoy art without needing to know anything about it.
Ben Street is an author, educator and art historian. He’s also been a school teacher and museum educator. He’s a writer of interpretation for museums and exhibitions and a writer of art criticism. He’s an academic and he writes books - “How to Enjoy Art: A Guide for Everyone” (Yale) and “How to be an Art Rebel” (Thames and Hudson) are out now.
In our chat today, we talk about the values that guide Ben’s work and how he’s passionate about us all being able to enjoy art without needing any specialist knowledge.
We talk about slow looking and open questioning and how we can approach art with the tools we already have within us.
We focus on why looking is so important to the art experience, we explore ways in which we can look for longer and we talk about how scale and space affects ho…
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Nov 3, 2022
How to talk about climate activist protests in art museums
Today’s episode follows on from a popular post I wrote on social media recently about how to talk about the recent climate activist protests in art museums with your participants. I wanted to take the opportunity to explore the subject in a bit more detail here.
Art has been hitting the headlines recently with numerous climate activist protests targeting famous paintings in museums - from Van Gogh’s 'Sunflowers' in the National Gallery in London, to Monet’s 'Grainstacks' in Potsdam and Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' in the Mauritshuis in The Hague.
Now, whatever your views about these attacks - and I’m acknowledging here that there are very passionate views on all sides - as educators, how we respond is equally important.
Whether you’re working with groups in the museum or with students in a classroom, people will mention recent events and will want to talk about it. They may even ask you for your opinions
So, in today's episode we'll explore how these events…
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Oct 27, 2022
Reacting to art with our bodies with Rachel Ropeik
Today I’m talking to Rachel Ropeik about her work. We’re talking about how we can use our bodies to react to art & the many ways in which we can incorporate movement into museum learning.
Rachel Ropeik is an educator, facilitator, adventurer, experience builder and pirate who brings thoughtful, playful, and progressive approaches to catalysing change in arts and culture.
She currently works independently, sharing her skills with various clients. Before going independent, Rachel’s arts education career spanned many a major art museum and travel company in New York, London, Paris, and the internet.
I first heard of Rachel’s work more than 10 years ago as part of a small group of educators that I admired and followed for their innovation and experimentation in the art museum education space.
In our chat today, we talk about Rachel's work past and present and the values and principles that guide her practice.
We focus on why movement has been and still is such an impor…
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Oct 20, 2022
The Power of VTM: why I created a new approach to engaging with art, objects and audiences in the museum
Today I’m talking about why I created my method Visible Thinking in the Museum (or VTM for short) and who I created it for.
Why did I go and develop a new teaching method when there were plenty of methods already out there?
So, today I’m sharing exactly what prompted this 11 year mission into creating a method for engaging discussions in museums around art and objects.
Over the years, I have done a lot of research into other methods or strategies for discussing art and objects. So I know a lot about what other methods are out there for educators to use.
From my research and experience, I've drawn key conclusions about what works well and what was lacking in existing approaches such as Visual Thinking Strategies and more.
And these conclusions led me to designing my own method that contained all the elements I wanted in a teaching method
I'm sharing the two basic needs that the new method arose out of, followed by 10 reasons why I created a new approach. And some of the reas…
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Oct 13, 2022
Deconstructing the traditional guided tour with Hanna Piksen
Today I’m so happy to be talking to Hanna Piksen about deconstructing the traditional guided tour and creating a completely new experience where guides are given free rein to design and lead the tour entirely from their own perspective.
Hanna Piksen is the Head of Co-learning at Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam. This is the national museum for digital culture, design and architecture in the Netherlands.
Hanna has a background in art history, art education and in collaborating with artists.
She believes that the most valuable and unexpected things happen when museum education is content based, visitor focused and experiment driven.
In today’s episode Hanna talks to me about the Detour Experiences that she has developed in Het Nieuwe Instituut. Detours are unlike any other guided tour you have been on.
Detours are deconstructed museum tours that give their guides the flexibility to present information in a way of their choosing. Each one is specially designed from the D…
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Oct 6, 2022
How to use body language to create engagement
Body language is defined as ‘the conscious and unconscious movements and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated’.
When we talk about body language we’re talking about a wide range of human expression - such as posture, eye contact, use of space, voice, gesture, and so on.
And these are signals that communicate with us nonverbally, they are ‘wordless signals’ that can be indicators of engagement.
These signals are quite often done instinctively, rather than consciously too.
Being both aware of and able to read these signals helps us to create connections and build rapport with our groups and thus to create engaged groups.
So during this episode think about what signals you are sending to your group through your body language. Are you putting people at ease, building trust and connecting people to you by your body language? Or does your body language undermine what you’re saying or doing in the museum?
And also, how can you use what I’m talking abou…
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Sep 29, 2022
Looking at life like a work of art with Marina Gross Hoy
Today I'm delighted to be talking to Marina Gross Hoy about how to look, and in particular, how to look at your daily life as if you were looking at a work of art.
Marina Gross Hoy is a museum studies PhD candidate and a writer. Her doctoral research at the University of Quebec in Montreal focusing on how museums develop digital projects to create engaging experiences for visitors.
She has a Master's in Museology from the École du Louvre, and she has previously worked on the education team at Agence France-Museums, the French agency that supported the creation of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Marina's writing, which is wonderful, explores how looking at daily life with the same gaze we use with art in a museum can open us up to wonder, wholehearted living, and empowerment.
In today's episode, Marina shares how one evening in 2020, she realised that she would look more closely into a painting of a sunset than looking at the one right in front of her.
And this led her to experimenting with…
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Sep 22, 2022
Mindset shift: how to embrace the power of information
Many of us are experts in our field - possibly art historians, historians or archaeologists - and want to share that incredible knowledge with the groups we lead in our programmes.
But sometimes having that knowledge can be a burden. It can weigh heavy on us.
Knowing what information to share, when to share it and how to share it is tricky. How much is too much?
And how can you share it in way that engages the group, energises the discussion and inspires new thinking?
In today’s episode I want to shift your mindset about information. I want you to encourage you to think carefully about how you view information and how and when you share it in your programmes.
I'm exploring the 6 main problems with sharing contextual information in museum programmes and providing you with a series of coaching questions to help you work out how you really feel about sharing your knowledge.
I'm introducing you to my What? How? When? framework which allows you focus on knowing what information to s…
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Sep 15, 2022
7 Ways to Improve your Active Listening Skills
Most of us think we’re good listeners. But are we really?
What does it mean to be an active listener in an art discussion, guided tour or educational programme in the museum?
Listening is one of the most important skills in our toolbox. But few of us know how to really listen. It's just not something we're taught.
It requires both time and practise to develop effective listening skills. And it’s a challenge - when we’re listening our minds naturally tend to wander and our concentration can come and go..
Listening is an essential skill for us - without active listening, discussions remain on the surface level without truly engaging all the participants.
Today's episode will help you to work on your listening skills. First I'm exploring the 4 different levels of listening.
Then I'm sharing 7 tips with you to improve your active listening skills and help you to choose the right level of listening for when you’re communicating with others.
Share this one widely - listen…
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Sep 8, 2022
Making museums more accessible through art therapy & wellness programmes with Richa Mehta
Today I’m so happy to be talking to Richa Mehta about her work. We’re talking about what a mindful museum is, museum-based art therapy and how art can support the development and exploration of identity and connection
Richa Mehta is a certified art therapist and educator working as a museum education and wellness professional at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Richa believes that the museum space can be more accessible to marginalised community members, through implementing museum-based wellness and art therapy programming and resources,.
In today’s episode we talk about her journey from the classroom to the museum and her recent studies in art therapy.
We discuss the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s journey to being a Mindful Museum and what this means for the staff and for the visitors, the collection and the museum space itself.
We explore what museum-based art therapy is and how it might work in practice. Richa shares a model of how she views museum-based art-therapy and an adaptation of See…
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Sep 1, 2022
4 Powerful Questions to Supercharge your Art Experiences
I don’t really like big lists of ‘good’ or ‘great’ questions - for example, 50 questions to ask about art. These lists are OK for a quick source of inspiration or for a boost now and again, but it’s the list part that I don’t like - you’re not going to be carrying around a list with you in the museum.
Instead it’s much better to work on your questioning technique with exercises and experimentation rather than trying to memorise or use big lists of questions. Working on your technique yourself will help you to phrase questions better in the moment, instinctively and naturally. And this will always work better than parrot-phrasing a question you read on a list.
But there are some questions that I think are worth remembering. And these are the types of questions that have a really powerful effect when they are asked. So today I’m sharing 4 simple questions that will supercharge your art experiences.
These are questions that can be used at any moment during yo…
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Jul 28, 2022
4 Slow Looking Exercises for Summer 2022
In an age where the average person checks their phone at least 85 times a day, our inundated brains are slowing down.
We need to retrain ourselves to get better at sustained attention. And to learn to appreciate the benefits of it too.
Spending time slow looking offers refuge from the rush and time to slow down and see the details. It’s the opposite of scanning and scrolling.
“Always-on” behaviour is about being in a constant state of alertness without giving our full focus to anything. Slow looking is a wonderful alternative to life in the fast lane.
The 4 activities I'll be sharing here are simple, effective ways to slow down, improve your observational skills and focus and notice more details around you.
You can use these slow looking activities throughout the summer - either on your own or with friends and family and children.
All of the activities are designed to help you develop your ability to see - and in doing so, spark creativity, curiosity and impr…
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Jul 21, 2022
Bitesize: 7 Ways to Be Creative with Thinking Routines
When you get started with thinking routines, it’s worth getting to know a small handful of routines and using them repeatedly until you feel comfortable and confident using them.
But once you have that confidence, something magical starts to happen. And this is where we can be more creative with thinking routines.
Thinking routines are not rigid, inflexible structures. Unlike some protocols, you don’t always have to use them exactly as they are written, without any room for creativity.
Think of thinking routines as flexible and malleable structures to guide thinking and conversations around art and objects. Be playful with them and experiment!
In today’s episode I’m sharing 7 ways you can be uniquely creative with thinking routines. Listen in to find out how!
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Our Facebook Group - The Slow Looking Club
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Episode 16 - How to Use See Think Wonder in your Art Discussions
Episode 6 - 6 Essential Thinki…
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Jul 14, 2022
How mindfulness and drawing can help us to connect with art
Today I’m so happy to be talking to Karly Allen about her work. We’re talking about how mindfulness can help us to connect with and engage with art, how we can bring mindfulness practices to the experience of drawing.
Karly Allen is a UK-based gallery educator, drawing tutor and mindfulness teacher. She has worked for the National Gallery, London, over the past 20 years and has taught widely for UK art collections including the National Portrait Gallery, Wallace Collection and Royal Collection. In 2018, Karly co-founded Limina Collective to bring mindfulness and reflection practices to museum and online spaces.
We explore how mindfulness and meditation practices, observation of the artwork and drawing interrelate with each other.
And how drawing with mindfulness creates connections, opens us up to creativity and helps us to overcome any resistance we might have to drawing or the fear of the blank page.
We talk extensively about the benefits and how it help us to tune into…
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Jul 7, 2022
Bitesize: Learn, Unlearn, Relearn
There is a famous quote by Alvin Toffler that goes:
‘“The illiterate of the future are not those who can’t read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
As educators, you’re probably already quite enthusiastic about the learning part. Being a lifelong learner is something that is a part of us. We’re constantly learning new things and updating our knowledge.
But learning is not just about acquiring new things to learn, it’s important to learn, unlearn and relearn.
In today's episode I'm talking about why it's necessary to consistently ‘unlearn’ our habits, unconscious beliefs, assumptions, and our practices so that we can make space for the new.
I'm sharing some tips and coaching questions to get you thinking about where you can declutter and detach, so that you stay fresh and relevant.
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Jun 30, 2022
9 Thinking Routines to Improve your Powers of Observation
In today’s solo episode, I’m talking about observation skills - why they are important and I’m sharing 9 thinking routines that you can use to boost your observation and description skills.
As you’ll know from previous episodes, I’m really fascinated by observation and really interested in developing my skills in this area (I have LOADS of books on this subject!)
Most of the time we are observing passively - missing out on a wide range of life that we simply don’t notice.
The act of looking requires some work to improve it - but like a muscle we can train it to work better.
So, today I'm sharing 9 thinking routines that you can use to improve your powers of observation or with your groups.
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Thinking Routines for Observation - FREE download of 9 thinking routine cheatsheets https://pages.thinkingmuseum.com/observation
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Episode web page
Episode 6: 6 Essential Thinking Routines you Need in your Repertoire https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/05…
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Jun 23, 2022
How to Create Wow Moments with Mitch Bach
Today I’m so happy to be talking to Mitch Bach about what makes a great guided experience and how you can create wow moments in your programmes.
Mitch is one of those people you meet and instantly get on with. He’s warm, witty and whip-smart. We met in New York a few years ago and have been friends ever since. We share the same passions about making guided experiences interactive, participative, memorable and even, transformative.
Mitch is the co-founder of TripSchool, a community of 6,000+ tour guides, tour leaders and entrepreneurs committed to lifelong learning. He's also the leader of Tourpreneur, a community of 4,000+ tour operators. Both organisations offer training, mentorship, meetups, and a wide range of other resources to empower and encourage experience creators.
And that’s what we’re talking about today - guided experiences and tours. We discuss what makes a great guided tour and what makes a great guide. Then we spend some time exploring what a ‘wow’ momen…
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Jun 16, 2022
Bitesize: How to End Well - Creating a Strong Conclusion for your Programmes
It’s time for another bitesize episode - a short and snappy episode that will give you a quick win or something to think about in less than 10 mins.
Today I’m talking about why endings are important and sharing with you a 3 part framework for planning your strong conclusion.
If the introduction is setting the scene for what’s to come, then the conclusion is most definitely when you wrap everything up, tie up any loose ends and leave your participants wanting more.
The way you end your programme or guided tour is super-important. Great guides, educators and facilitators know that how you end things shapes people's memories of the experience.
Find out how to go out with a bang, rather than a whimper in Episode 57!
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Priya Parker 'The Art of Gathering'
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Jun 9, 2022
Learning to Love 'Boring' Objects through Slow Looking
In today’s solo episode, I’m talking about how we can use slow looking to learn to love objects that you might find 'boring' or uninspiring.
We can’t possibly love everything in a museum’s collection. There are always going to be some objects or artworks that we are drawn to for some reason. Equally there will also be objects or artworks that leave us cold.
Equally, every museum or art gallery has its superstar or highlight objects. These are the objects or artworks that get far more attention than others. They are usually well positioned, even spotlighted and quite often have a space all to themselves.
So, as much as this episode is about how we as educators, guides and docents can learn to love so-called ‘boring’ objects, it’s also about how we can get our visitors to love objects that are less well known too.
Today I’m sharing examples of two objects that only came to life for me once I had spent time with them. I hope the examples will provide some inspiratio…
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Jun 2, 2022
Cultivating the Conditions for Inquiry with Jess Vance
Today I’m delighted to be talking to educator, facilitator and newly published author Jess Vance about her work. We’re talking about how questions are her superpower and how we can cultivate the conditions for inquiry to thrive.
Jess and I met on Instagram a while back when we were discussing the importance of the question ‘what makes you say that’. Since then we’ve chatted regularly and I’ve watched her journey to becoming a published author with interest.
I was honoured to be involved with reading some of the early chapters and thrilled to be asked to write a recommendation for the book too. I couldn’t wait to invite Jess to be on the podcast as I think we can all learn so much from her practice. It just so happens to coincide with the publication of her book too.
Jess Vance is an enrichment and environment coordinator with a thorough teaching and leadership background - she’s a former IB PYP Educator & PYP Coordinator.
After about a decade in the classroom,…
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May 26, 2022
Pictures of Practice with Elisa Mosele
Today I’m sharing a 'picture of practice' from art facilitator and English teacher Elisa Mosele.
We’re talking all how she uses thinking routines to overcome the fear of speaking a language and encourage all her students to participate. We also explore how she combines slow looking, church art and spirituality in her work as an art facilitator.
Elisa Mosele is a English language teacher and an art facilitator. She currently collaborates with the Verona Minor Hierusalem Foundation.
She introduced the concepts of VTM and thinking routines to the foundation and in 2020 initiated their first virtual sessions looking slowly and carefully at artworks from local churches.
Elisa wrote a blog for me in 2020 about her very first experience facilitating with thinking routines virtually and it was great to hear in our chat about how she is now facilitating sessions in person too.
In today’s chat we talk about how Elisa uses thinking routines to develop vocabulary and how she comb…
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May 19, 2022
Bitesize: How to Define your Personal Facilitator Style
Today I’m starting something new.
I know we are all busy and sometimes it can be hard to find the time to listen to a full length podcast episode.
So once a month I’ll be sharing a 'bite-sized' episode that will give you a quick win or something to think about in less than 10 mins.
Today I’m going to share a quick episode that will help you to start defining your personal facilitator style.
We'll look at what we mean by personal facilitator style and why it's super-important and then I'll take you through an exercise to help you to define your personal facilitation style.
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May 12, 2022
From Good to Great: Personal Growth & Development for Museum Educators
A willingness to continue growing and developing is at the heart of our practice as museum educators, teachers and guides.
We are never ‘done’ with learning. There is always a strong desire to keep honing our craft.
Personal development keeps us motivated and pushes us out of our comfort zone. It helps us to keep innovating, experimenting and being creative.
But, what are the best ways that we can grow and develop personally?
Today I'm sharing 8 different ways to go from good to great…and can reach your full potential.
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May 5, 2022
What is Visible Thinking in the Museum (and how can it help me to engage my audience?)
Way back in 2011, I discovered the magic of thinking routines and Visible Thinking whilst working at a museum in Amsterdam.
It was at this point that I started developing a new approach for educators, what became Visible Thinking in the Museum or VTM for short.
Visible Thinking in the Museum is an easy-to-follow method that allows educators like you to confidently design and lead engaging inquiry-led sessions with art, objects and ideas for any audience.
But what’s it all about? And why should you use it? Today we’re talking about the foundations, principles and practices of the VTM method and 8 ways it can help you to engage your audiences.
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Episode Web Page
Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) Course
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Apr 28, 2022
Pictures of Practice with Gabrielle Grime
Today on our 50th episode, I'm launching a new series of episodes all about 'pictures of practice'. I'm really interested is in finding out how other museum educators around the world engage their audiences with art and objects. What are some of the practices that are really important to them? How might they use thinking routines, or slow looking, questioning or facilitation?
For our very first Pictures of Practice, I'm talking today to Gabrielle Grime is a Heritage Education Officer at Wanneroo Regional Museum in Australia. She believes museums can be places of sanctuary which foster wellbeing, as well as sparking creativity, wonder and connection.
Gabrielle read about the Peel the Fruit thinking routine on my blog and decided to give it a go with a group of primary school children. She speaks about this powerful experience in today’s chat and how it moved some people in the group to tears. She then followed my VTMO course last year and is now a member of my community of practice…
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Apr 21, 2022
Inspiring Creative Writing Through Art with Mary Hall Surface
Today I’m delighted to be talking to playwright, theatre director, teaching artist and museum educator Mary Hall Surface about her work. We’re talking all things creative and reflective writing through art.
As a museum educator, she uses both theatre and creative writing to expand perspective, uncover complexity, and deepen understanding.
She is the founding instructor of National Gallery of Art’s Writing Salon in Washington DC, and a six-summer faculty member of Harvard’s Project Zero Classroom. Her plays have been produced at major professional theatres, museums, and festivals throughout the US, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, and Canada, including 4 art-inspired productions at the National Gallery of Art.
During the pandemic, she has developed an online presence too - facilitating creative and reflective writing workshops and classes, all inspired by art for museums, schools, and arts centres throughout the US.
Mary Hall and I have a lot in common and in today’s chat we t…
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Apr 14, 2022
'Bad' questions: 10 types of questions you should never ask
I’m back with a new episode today all about my favourite subject .
I'm talking about 'bad' questions, and specifically, 10 types of questions you should never ask (or at least try to avoid!).
Good questions can be many things: clear, simple and purposeful, but also relevant, concise and perhaps, even powerful.
But is there such a thing as a 'bad' question?
And if so, what types of questions are 'bad'? Why types of questions should we be avoiding on our museum tours and programmes?
To find out the 10 types of questions I chose, listen in to today's show!
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EPISODE WEB PAGE
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Join the SLOW LOOKING CLUB Community on Facebook
Other Art Engager episodes about questioning:
Episode 4 The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Brilliant Questions
Episode 10 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking Questions
Episode 15 How to Use Artworks to Improve your Questioning Skills
Episode 36 Quick ways to improve your questioning technique
Find me on Instagram, Facebook, T…
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Apr 7, 2022
Throwback Thursday: 4 thinking routines for perspective-taking
As you may or may not know, I’ve recently had Covid (and you can probably hear it in my voice) I’m taking some time to recover.
So as we’re approaching 50 episodes, I thought I would take the time today to revisit an episode from the back catalogue.
Today we’re revisiting an episode all about thinking routines that you can use for perspective-taking. This episode first aired in July 2021.
It takes a deep dive into what perspective-taking is, and why it matters.
Then I look at 4 essential perspective-taking thinking routines that you can use in your programmes - from the ever-so-useful Step Inside (one of my all-time faves), to new thinking routine Step In Step Out Step Back, via Circle of Viewpoints and little-known thinking routine Point of View.
If you are leading any type of programme with groups then you need to have a perspective-taking thinking routine in your repertoire.
As I say in this episode, perspective-taking is a crucial skill for all types of relationshi…
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Mar 31, 2022
What is Slow Art Day?
Slow Art Day is an international event celebrating looking at art in a different way. This year Slow Art Day is taking place on Saturday 2 April 2022 in over 160 venues around the world (and counting…).
So, what is Slow Art Day all about? Here’s what you need to know.
_LINKS_
Episode Web Page
The Slow Looking Club
Support the Show
Slow Art Day
Annual Report 2021
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Mar 24, 2022
What we can learn from improv with Samantha Boffin
You may remember Samantha Boffin as she was my first guest on the show (Episode 21) and now she is the first guest to come back for a second episode. Besides being a voiceover artist, Sam is also an actor.
Sam also does an improv class every week and believes that we are all expert improvisers - we just don’t realise we are. In this episode, Sam is sharing what improv is and how it can help us as educators in our own practice and when we’re with our groups leading programmes about art.
We also talk about how improv makes you a better listener, how it makes you more confident and flexible and to not be afraid of failure.
We discuss how we might be able to use improv techniques and games with our groups - from Yes, and…, Narrative, Colour, Emotion and line-by-line stories via Humpty Dumpty and Brian the washing machine repair man. We discuss how you can make your audience feel safe and comfortable using improv techniques.
We had a really lovely chat and I hope you enjoy…
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Mar 17, 2022
The 4 elements of a great introduction
A good introduction is essential to foster a great group dynamic.
An introduction is crucial on any type of programme - whether you’re leading a guided tour, an educational programme, a 15 minute in-gallery conversation or an online session.
At this stage, group participants are learning what to do, how the tour or programme is going to operate, what is expected and what is acceptable.
It’s your role to give them the orientation they need.
And more than that, a good introduction is about about placing connection before content - you're establishing trust, forming connections, and building rapport.
Today I’m talking about introductions - why they’re important and the 4 elements of a great introduction.
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EPISODE WEB PAGE
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The ™ Weekly
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Mar 10, 2022
Tips for facilitating meaningful discussions around sensitive subjects
In the light of recent world events and the troubled times we live in, in today’s episode I’m going to share some thoughts about facilitating meaningful discussions with artworks and objects around sensitive subjects in difficult times.
Some programmes, tours or sessions specifically involve sharing difficult narratives and directly addressing challenging subjects.
Other types of programmes might touch on subjects that can be contentious and/or sensitive.
Or you may visit artworks or objects that can surface and bring up emotions, feelings and more.
Particularly now with the devastation occurring in Ukraine, it’s important to be aware of and sensitive to these emotions and to be thoughtful when asking participants to share their personal connections around a subject.
So today I'm sharing some advice that may be beneficial to you when facilitating an art discussion around a sensitive topic. I'm also going to touch on how you can look after yourself and manage your own emoti…
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Mar 3, 2022
How to Read a Group
What does it mean to 'read a group'?
It's the ability to understand the mood in the room and how receptive people are.
When you’re working with groups in the museum or online, it’s extremely helpful to be able to know how to ‘read the room’. Paying attention to others and listening for clues can pay dividends.
Being able to read a group and see how engaged they are, whether they are enjoying the programme, following along or even whether they are listening is extremely important.
It's important to be able to pick up on clues not only from the discussions taking place, but also from the underlying reactions and things that are left unsaid from those in the room as well.
These subtle cues aren’t always easy to pick up on, but you can train yourself to not only be aware of them, but to influence group dynamics, by paying more attention. So, in today's episode here are a few easy ways to read a group.
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Feb 24, 2022
12 Reasons to Get Started with Slow Looking
Slow looking is simply the art of learning through observation. I’ve been working in this way for the last 10+ years and can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone - both as an individual practice and as a way of working with and connecting your participants to art and objects.
But don’t just take my word for it. But, why would you want to slow down and spend time with just one artwork or object? Why is it important to practise paying attention and noticing more details?
Looking at something slowly and carefully is in itself a rewarding process – the object or art work becomes more interesting the longer you look at it. But more than this, there are known benefits of slow looking and in this post, I’m going to take you through 12 reasons why you, yes, you, should get started with slow looking.
LINKS
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The Art of Slow Looking in the Classroom In
The Dis…
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Feb 17, 2022
5 New Thinking Routines to Try in 2022
Have you been using the same thinking routines for a while now?
Maybe you’ve got a few core routines that you’re comfortable with and now you’re looking for some new routines to add to your repertoire?
I’m always looking for new ways to engage with our audiences and love trying out new routines in my membership monthly thinking routine classes. I really enjoy seeing all the possibilities of how this thinking routine might pair with different artworks, themes and situations.
I’ve tried and tested these 5 routines extensively and they all work both online and offline with a variety of materials – artworks and museum objects, written texts, quotes and videos. Which 5 thinking routines did I choose? Listen in to find out!
You can find in-depth classes about each of these thinking routines in the library of my membership programme.
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Feb 10, 2022
How to stay curious in your practice
As we get older, we ask fewer questions. We wonder less. We are less curious.
We don’t lose the ability to be curious, we just don’t use or ‘exercise’ it as much. Further on in life people tend to expect answers rather than questions.
Staying curious and wondering keeps your mind active and strong, makes you more receptive to new ideas, opens up new worlds and possibilities and brings excitement into your life.
Likewise in our work as educators, guides, teachers and creatives, we need to keep curious ourselves in order to keep creating imaginative and lively guided tours, guided discussions and educational programmes.
Today is the second part in our curiosity double-bill. Last week I talked about how to foster curiosity with your groups and gave you 3 ways to think about how you can cultivate more curiosity amongst participants. So in today’s episode, part 2, I’m talking about how we can stay curious ourselves in our practice.
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Feb 3, 2022
3 Key Ways to Foster Curiosity in your Programmes
So in today’s episode is the first of 2 episodes devoted to a subject close to my heart: curiosity.
This week I'll be exploring what curiosity is and sharing 3 key ways you can provoke curiosity and wonder with your audiences on your tours and programmes. Next week, I'll be discussing how we can stay curious ourselves as educators, guides and teachers.
Curiosity is notoriously difficult to define and it’s even harder to work out how to harness and foster it. It could be defined as an eagerness to encounter what is new or unfamiliar and the desire to learn, to understand new things and to know how they work.
We know that artworks, objects and artefacts have the power to inspire, provoke curiosity and interest. We make unexpected discoveries - find new artists, new artworks we didn’t know about, find out information that we hadn’t heard before, and these new finds take us to new places that we haven’t been before.
So how can we really ensure that we are harnessing that…
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Jan 27, 2022
How looking at art can improve your mental health with Yaël van Loosbroek - Speck
This week on the podcast: I’m delighted to be talking to Yaël van Loosbroek - Speck about art and mental health
Yaël believes, like me, that everyone can engage with art, and that it all starts with looking - hence the name of her company, ArtSee.
About ten years ago Yaël herself suffered from depression and severe anxiety disorder. The only place she could find peace of mind was in front of an artwork. This experience motivated her to create Art as Perspective for people going through the same mental issues as she did.
In today’s chat we discuss what Art as Perspective is and how it works. We talk about how to design art programmes for people living with depression & anxiety, the frameworks she uses and the questions she asks.
We also talk about how art discussions help people living with depression, anxiety and negative thoughts and the mental health benefits of looking at and discussing art.
Yaël also shares some really helpful tips for creating art programmes that ha…
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Jan 20, 2022
Quick Ways to Improve your Questioning Technique
The ability to ask powerful, relevant and incisive questions is one of the most useful skills you can have.
With a good questioning technique you can instantly engage people, provoke their curiosity, find out what they already know and make your programmes more interactive.
Questioning is not an innate talent for most of us - we have to work hard at developing a good questioning technique.
It’s a skill and, like all skills, we need to actively work on it to improve it.
So, how exactly can you get better at asking questions? Here are some quick ways to improve your technique.
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Jan 13, 2022
9 Ways Art Can Make you a Better Writer
Today we’re exploring 9 different ways that looking at art can make you a better writer.
Throughout the ages, looking at art has been a unique way of finding inspiration and creativity. If you go as far back as the Greeks, you can find examples of writing inspired by art, called ekphrasis, which means “a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art”
Art is a frequent source of inspiration for many writers and poets over the centuries. John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is a famous example and William Blake said that poetry and art are ‘ways to converse with paradise’.
But how does this work for us, mere mortals with a keen interest in improving our creative or reflective writing? In this week’s episode I’m exploring 9 ways looking at and discussing art can make you a better writer.
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Dec 23, 2021
3 Slow Looking Activities for the Holidays
For our last episode of the year, I'm sharing 3 slow looking activities for over the holidays.
It’s a busy time of year and we’re all rushed off our feet. There’s also still a huge amount of uncertainty around right now just to add to the levels of stress and anxiety.
Slow looking is a wonderful antidote to life in the fast line.
Looking at something slowly and carefully is in itself a rewarding process. More than that, slow looking improves your observational skills, helps us to become less distracted and more focused and develop more patience.
Ultimately, slow looking is GOOD FOR THE SOUL.
I recommend choosing one or all of these activities to do at some point over the festive period - it will give you time out, time to slow down and time to notice the wood for the trees.
You can do these activities on your own or with friends and family and children. Each activity should take no more than 10-15 mins. One is based on drawing, one on looking and thinking and one on wri…
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Dec 16, 2021
Listening with Full Attention with Claire Bradshaw
This week I’m delighted to be talking to Claire Bradshaw.
Claire is an experienced coach, trainer and facilitator who brings a lot of positive energy and curiosity to her work.
In today’s chat we talk about the values that drive her work, listening with full attention, the power of questions, and her passion for outdoor coaching.
We talk about the similarities between her work and the work we do facilitating discussions around artworks with participants.
We discuss the importance of listening skills and what good listening is. Claire shares a variety of tips for how you can develop your listening skills - including some practical exercises too!
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Support the Show
Claire Bradshaw website
Consciously Connected Newsletter
Julian Treasure 5 Ways to Listen Better
Nancy Kline’s Time to Think and other books
John Whittington’s Systemic Coaching and Constellations: The Principles, Practices and Application for Individuals, Teams and Groups
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Dec 9, 2021
6 Ways to Create Awe-Inspiring Experiences with Art and Objects
Awe is an emotion that can be triggered by being around something larger than yourself, that’s not immediately understandable.
It's that feeling you get when you look up and see millions of stars in the night sky; witness a beautiful landscape or set eyes on an artwork for the first time.
Museums and galleries, historic settings and buildings can all provoke awe. And you can foster more of it in your programmes by thinking carefully about the artworks, objects you include, the questions you ask and the information you share.
How about you try to sprinkle some awe-moments throughout your next guided tour or educational programme?
So today, I’m talking about what awe is, why it’s important and sharing 6 ways you can create awe-inspiring experiences with art and objects.
At the end I’ll be sharing 3 things to look for to check you’ve succeeded in inspiring awe in your audience.
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Dacher Keltner quote taken from Psyche - How to Fill your Life wi…
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Dec 2, 2021
How to Teach with Objects with Jo-Anne Sunderland Bowe
This week on the podcast: I’m delighted to be talking to Jo-Anne Sunderland Bowe and we're talking about how to teach with objects.
Jo-Anne is director of Heritec Limited, a UK-based heritage education consultancy which works on European collaborative projects. Jo-Anne has a keen interest in object-based learning and creative and critical thinking.
in today’s chat we talk about the values that drive her work and her passion for object-based learning and teaching.
We talk about what object-based learning means and dive into the processes around it - collective thinking, collaborative action, inquiry dialogue and the acts of wondering. Jo-Anne discusses the many benefits of working with objects and shares her tips for how you can better engage your audience with objects.
I hope our chat inspires you to think about how you might use objects of any kind to engage your audiences.
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Masterclass - How to use slow listening to engage the senses and ma…
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Nov 25, 2021
Art and Dementia with Catherine Chastney
For our thirtieth episode, I’m delighted to be talking to Catherine Chastney.
Catherine is an art educator and owner of social enterprise I Picture This. Catherine’s work focuses on bringing art and the joy of discussing art to older people, from creating conversations in care homes, to creating art cards during lockdown and working with people living with dementia.
In this chat we explore the strong values that guide Catherine's work - she is passionate about that anyone can look at and discuss art, she loves using art to bring people together and to improve wellbeing
We talk to about the toolkit she has just published with the Wallace Collection for Looking at Art designed for anyone working or volunteering in care settings and, of course, her work with people living with dementia.
Catherine shares some wonderful tips for discussing art with people with dementia - from creating trust seeking permission, active listening and creating space.
This conversation will inspire yo…
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Nov 18, 2021
How to develop a reflective practice
So in today’s episode I’m talking about how to develop a reflective practice in your work.
A reflective practice is simply the art of thinking about or reflecting on what you do. It is a way of recognising, capturing and articulating what we’re learning on a moment by moment basis.
By following any of the suggestions in this episode, you will develop a questioning approach to your work. You will stop and pause to think about why things are as they are and how they might be in the future. You will consider the strengths and areas of development in your own practice and consider how to develop your skills.
First I'll share more about what reflective practice is and the benefits of introducing reflection as a practice into your work.
Then I'm going to share 7 different ways you can use to develop your reflective practice and 3 tips to get you started.
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Episode 6 - 6 thinking routines you should have in your repertoire - including ESP+I
CIPD Guide…
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Nov 11, 2021
How to Engage your Audience with Colour in Art Discussions
Today I’m focusing on colour.
Colour is one of the 7 elements of art along with shape, line, form, texture, value and space. It's a vast subject - but today I don't want to focus on colour theory or the science of colour.
Instead, I want to get you thinking about how you approach colour with your audience during an art discussion.
I’m going to look at different ways you can create discussion about colour with your groups to get them engaged in artworks.
Colour is important because it can make you feel something, even if the artwork itself doesn’t at first glance. Colour is the hook to get audiences curious about artworks and wanting to know more.
So, listen in for some different ways that you can engage your audience - any audience - in discussion about colour.
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Colour Shape Line
Colour Shape Line video
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Nov 4, 2021
Slow Looking and Empathy
Today I’m delighted to be talking to Kenia Santos - an educator based in Brazil with specialisations and interests in art history, philosophical inquiry, social and emotional learning, thinking routines and slow looking.
We discuss how she uses thinking routines in her work to encourage and develop slow looking, how she keeps her teenage students engaged for 3 hours in her art classes and how we can develop empathy through slow looking.
Kenia is a passionate educator, slow looking enthusiast and a self-described art history nerd; a cat lover, free spirit and a friendly soul. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!
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Masterclass - How to Develop Empathy through Slow Looking
CLIL - Content and Language Integrated Learning
Kenia Santos Website
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Oct 28, 2021
10 Easy Ways to Make your Guided Tours More Interactive
The traditional lecture-style guided tour is dead, long live the interactive tour!
Well, it’s not actually, it’s still alive and kicking in some quarters, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be the way we think about guided tours in the 21st Century.
Traditional lecture-style ‘walk and talk ‘ guided tours with an expert guide are still fairly common and in some places are still a standard way of ‘presenting’ an historic site, a city or a museum to the public.
Things have definitely changed in the last 10 years since I started this journey of teaching others how to transition to a more discussion-based approach, but there is still work to be done.
If you feel you talk too much on your tours or you overshare information, this podcast episode is for you. If you would like to have more interaction with your participants then today I’m sharing 10 easy ways you can implement NOW to make your tours more interactive - that means more of a two-way conversation rather than a one-w…
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Oct 21, 2021
3 Thinking Routines for Slow Looking and Drawing
This week’s episode is inspired by recent classes in the Visible Thinking Membership where we've been exploring the concept of using drawing and sketching for slow looking and observation.
When people are learning how to draw, they actually learn how to observe first. And being a sketcher makes you a better observer - it’s as though you are seeing something for the first time when you’re trying to draw it.
Today I’m talking about using drawing as an observational exercise. It’s not a test of how good your drawing skills are, it’s a test of how to use your eyes. 👀
Using drawing as a tool for slow looking enriches and enhances what you see.
So here are 3 thinking routines that you can use for slow looking, extended observation and drawing.
And at the end of this episode I’ll be sharing some ways to get over drawing apprehension - that feeling of nerves when someone asks you to draw. How can you help your group to feel comfortable and enjoy drawing with…
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Oct 14, 2021
Using art and objects to learn wellbeing skills and improve mental health with Louise Thompson
Today I’m really excited to be chatting to Louise Thompson - a museums and wellbeing consultant as well as the health and wellbeing manager at Manchester Art Gallery for the past 9 years. We’re talking how about art and objects can be used to learn wellbeing skills and improve mental health.
Louise has over 12 years experience of arts and health practice and is hugely passionate about using culture and creativity to improve people’s wellbeing.
We discuss:
* Louise’s work and some of the wonderful projects she’s worked on recently - the Becoming a Mum art therapy project during lockdown and the pioneering Mindful Museum at Manchester Art Gallery.
* how artworks can create a sense of community and how art and cultural collections can make us feel less alone and more connected.
* how attitudes to mental health have changed over the past few years and how museums, art and objects can play a role in improving wellbeing and mental health
* mindfulness and the particular…
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Oct 7, 2021
How to get over a 'tumbleweed moment' (and avoid one in the future)
Have you ever asked a question that was greeted with nothing but silence? You look around and all you can see are blank faces.
The silence is scary because you don’t know what people are thinking. It could mean anything.
You wait a little longer and still nothing happens. Just the sound of tumbleweed rustling by….
You've just experienced a 'tumbleweed moment' - a period of dead air or silence.
And it’s awkward and uncomfortable - not just for you but also for your participants too.
You don't know what people are thinking and your mind races to think of something to fill the silence.
But what if you had some steps to work though to help you get over this moment? Well, help is at hand. Today I'm sharing some practical ways to get over a tumbleweed moment.
And at the end I’ll be sharing some advice about avoiding these moments in the first place - so stick around and together we’ll make sure you never have to hear the terrifying sound of silence again!
_LINKS_
S…
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Sep 30, 2021
13 Tips for Getting Started with Thinking Routines
In the past week I’ve just started teaching my Visible Thinking in the Museum Online course (VTMO) to a group of international educators excited to start confidently leading discussions around art and objects.
There’s always a buzz when we get going and an enthusiasm to learn as much as you can as quickly as possible.
But I always try to slow down participants, so that they can take it one step at a time and build up their practice (and confidence) slowly.
So this week’s episode is for all the new VTMO-ers and for anyone who has just started out using thinking routines to engage their audiences with art. Here are my top 13 tips for getting started!
_LINKS_
Support the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
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Sep 23, 2021
How to Use your Voice to Engage your Audience
Today I’m really excited to be introducing our first guest chat on the podcast - Samantha Boffin.
Samantha is a voice actor, director and audio drama coach working with clients on voice technique, voiceover and communication.
Your voice is one of your biggest assets when it comes to storytelling, entertaining and engaging your audience. In this episode, you will discover how to look after it, use it and make the most of it with simple, fun and actionable techniques.
Samantha shares some wonderful tips and techniques that we can all use to make the most of our voice and use it in the best way possible.
We discuss:
* Why your voice is important
* Tips / techniques for optimising your voice before you start a session (e.g an art discussion or a guided tour or a classroom lesson for teachers!)
* How to use your voice to ENGAGE your audience
* How the voice can be a tool in your educator toolbox to keep your audience tuned in, curious and eager to participate.
Sam is ve…
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Sep 16, 2021
The 6 core elements of my VTMO course (and why they're important)
Today I’m talking about the 6 core elements in my popular Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) course - elements that you should also have in your educator repertoire to connect with your audience and engage them with art and objects.
I'm sharing with you:
* How the course came about during the start of the pandemic in 2020
* How it was designed and why
* The 6 core elements of the course and why they're important to you
* What you will get out of VTMO
Next week, I’m teaching VTMO for the final time in the Visible Thinking membership. We start on 20 September!
_LINKS_
Support the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) course - www.thinkingmuseum.com/vtmo
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Sep 11, 2021
What to Expect from The Art of Engagement Challenge
Would you love to learn how to design and lead engaging discussions around art and objects in just 4 days?
On Monday through to Thursday next week, I’ll be sharing 4 principles that are key 🔑 for creating engagement and connection when you're designing and leading art discussions.
In this BONUS podcast episode (a first for The Art Engager!) you’ll learn everything you need to know about what happens when you join the challenge, who it's for and how it will work.
Join in the 4 day Art of Engagement Challenge next week to make concrete progress on your journey to designing and leading engaging discussions around art and objects.
So, what are you waiting for? Take some steps today and join me for the challenge on Monday - sign up today via the link below!
_LINK_
Join The Art of Engagement Challenge - SIGN UP HERE https://mailchi.mp/4fc80dab0b8a/artofengagement
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Sep 9, 2021
Success Factors for Leading Discussion-Based Programmes Around Art
Today I’m sharing some thoughts about how you can successfully design and lead engaging discussion-based programmes around art and objects.
I’ll be talking briefly about the difference between different types of 'talking' in museum education - conversations, discussions and dialogue - before moving into 11 tips for success in creating conversations around art and objects.
_Links_
Support the Show - https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Sign up for The Art of Engagement Challenge - https://mailchi.mp/4fc80dab0b8a/artofengagement
Episode 18 Common Fears Around Leading Discussion-Based Programmes ( and How to Deal with Them)
https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/09/01/common-fears-around-leading-discussion-based-programmes-and-how-to-deal-with-them/
Episode 9 - Creating a Great Group Dynamic in the 'New Now' https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/06/16/creating-a-great-group-dynamic-in-the-new-now/
'Teaching in the Art Museum: Interpretation as Experience' - Rika Burnham and Elliot Kai-Kee
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Sep 2, 2021
Common Fears Around Leading Discussion-Based Programmes (and How to Deal with Them)
Leading tours and educational programmes that are based on discussion, inquiry and interaction can be a scary business. Both for you and for your participants.
And if you’re about to take your first steps, it might seem really daunting. However, do remember that any concerns you have are perfectly normal and you’re not alone (we’ve all been there and had to start somewhere).
Take it one step at a time and with time, practice and guidance, it will get easier (I promise!).
In this podcast episode, I’m going to summarise the most common fears and concerns about leading discussion-based programmes that I’ve heard over the last 20 years, along with suggestions for ways to overcome them.
LINKS
Support the Show - https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) - www.thinkingmuseum.com/vtmo
The Art Engager, Episode 12: Best Practices for Sharing Information - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/edd22a39-daa0-46f4-9444-5d6eb656164b
The Art Enga…
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Aug 26, 2021
13 Ways to Make your Online Experiences More Engaging and Interactive
Over the past year, I’ve attended some fantastic interactive online sessions and I’ve led hundreds of my own.
I’ve also attended some pretty dull one-way presentations and long lectures.
No matter what type of session you are leading - be it a virtual tour, an online art discussion, an online class or course - you need to keep your session interactive to stop participants from tuning out.
You need to find a variety of ways to engage people throughout the session.
Online experiences that emphasise personalisation, active learning, interaction and engagement will be here to stay.
If you haven't levelled up your skills yet, it's time you took some action
When it’s done right, online sessions are JUST as (and in some cases MORE) rewarding and engaging online.
But how do you make it interactive and keep everyone fully engaged? Here are my 13 ways to get you started...
_LINKS_
Support the Show! https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Recorded Masterclass: Zoom Confiden…
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Aug 19, 2021
How to Use See Think Wonder in your Art Discussions
Today I’m doing a deep dive on the most famous and well-known thinking routine of them all - See Think Wonder.
I’m going to share with you how you can use this thinking routine in your art discussions and why it’s one of the best routines for getting started with Visible Thinking in the Museum - my method for engaging and connecting with audiences, art and ideas.
It’s actually the first thinking routine that I teach when I do a training with teams of educators or guides in a museum and the first routine that I teach on my popular VTMO course.
STW is a GREAT thinking routine to use when you are new to Visible Thinking and a really good one to use at the beginning of a guided tour or museum programme.
But what is it, how can you use it and, importantly, what's so special about it? All will be revealed today in episode 16!
_Links_
Support the show
The Ultimate Thinking Routine List
Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) Course
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Aug 12, 2021
How to Use Artworks to Improve your Questioning Skills
How can you improve your questioning skills without resorting to reading long lists of tips and techniques and do's and don'ts?
What can you use to help you create, sort and evaluate better questions?
The simple answer is: ART.
I’ve been using artworks for years to help me to brainstorm, sort, re-word and improve my questions.
Artworks (and objects) provide an engaging and focused way to work on your questioning skills.
I’m not an ‘expert questioner’ by any means and have found that this is a skill that I have had to consistently work at to improve. But by using artworks, I really enjoy the process too.
In today’s episode I’m going to share with you some practical ways you can use art as a tool to become a better questioner!
NOTES
Support the Show: https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Wikiart.org - https://www.wikiart.org/
How to Ask Brilliant Questions Masterclass https://thinkingmuseum.com/product/how-to-ask-brilliant-questions-that-get-results/
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Jul 22, 2021
5 Simple Slow Looking Activities for Summer
Today I’m sharing 5 simple slow looking ideas for the summer.
In our fast-paced society, we scan, we skim and we scroll. We have forgotten what it’s like to really look at something.
Slow looking is a wonderful alternative to life in the fast lane.
The 5 activities I'll be sharing in this episode are simple, effective ways to slow down, improve your observational skills and focus and notice more details around you.
You can use these slow looking activities throughout the summer - either on your own or with friends and family and children.
All of the activities are designed to help you develop your ability to see - and in doing so, spark creativity, curiosity and improve focus.
By the end of this episode you’ll have a range of great ideas to keep yourself and others engaged in slow looking in a range of different environments (outside and inside), some involve art and some do not.
All are designed to help improve your observation skills, help you to slow down and to have…
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Jul 15, 2021
How to Use the Unveiling Stories Thinking Routine to Investigate Multiple Layers of Meaning in a Photograph
Today I’m talking all about how to use the ‘Unveiling Stories’ thinking routine to investigate multiple layers of meaning with a photograph.
This is part of a new series of episodes on the podcast where I share a thinking routine with you and all the insights for how you might be able to use it with an artwork or object with groups - either in-person or online.
Unveiling Stories was our ‘thinking routine of the month’ for June in my Membership Programme. Every month we have a specialist thinking routine online class that gives us the opportunity to discover a new thinking routine or to dig a bit deeper into one we already know.
Discover in this episode:
* What is ‘Unveiling Stories’ thinking routine?
* 5 Steps of Unveiling Stories
* About ‘Unveiling Stories’
* How we structured the discussion using 'Cross-Border Love' - a photograph by Roland Schmid
* My key takeaways and tips for using this thinking routine
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Jul 8, 2021
6 Best Practices for Sharing Information
Many of us are experts in our field - possibly art historians, historians or archaeologists - and want to share that incredible knowledge with the groups we lead in our programmes.
But knowing what information to share, how to share it and when to share it is often tricky – especially on interactive, discussion-based programmes. And what happens when you add too much information? And how much is too much?
Sharing information that is engaging and memorable (without overloading your participants) is a great skill to master.
In this week's episode I'm sharing some thoughts on information delivery and 6 best practices for how to share your knowledge AND keep your audience engaged and curious (as opposed to bored and frustrated).
Make your knowledge work for you. Learn how to use information as a tool to create curiosity and engagement in episode 12!
_LINKS_
Support the show
Mini-Course From Monologue to dialogue: How to Share Information to Engage and delight your Audience availa…
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Jul 1, 2021
Step Inside: Thinking Routines to Foster Perspective-taking
Perspective-taking is about seeing a situation or understanding a concept from an alternative view point, such as that of someone else. It is a skill that needs to be encouraged - particularly in children.
Your brain has to work quite hard to get good at perspective-taking. And in the opposite direction of what it is hard-wired to do - which is to place YOU at the centre of everything.
Engaging in perspective-taking means moving away from this starting point in order to understand others.
THE GOOD NEWS is that like most things, it gets easier with practice and our perspective-taking skills do improve. In today's episode I'm going to introduce you to 4 thinking routines that are specifically designed to foster this disposition. You can use these thinking routines with artworks to create discussions that consider multiple solutions to a problem and look at situations or people from multiple perspectives.
_Links_
Support the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
Elle…
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Jun 24, 2021
10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking Questions
So, this week in honour of our 10th episode I’m talking about 10 common traps to avoid when asking questions! For some people questioning comes easily. But for the majority of us, we are not asking enough questions AND we’re not phrasing them in the best way.
The good news is that we can all become better questioners with time and practice.
To become a better questioner, it’s really important first all to avoid these 10 common mistakes.
Which ones of these are you guilty of? I’ve certainly done a few of these in the past!
And stay tuned until the end where I’m sharing a follow-up exercise you can do to work on your own questioning skills!
_LINKS_
Support the show_ _https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown
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Jun 17, 2021
Creating a Great Group Dynamic in the 'New Now'
Welcome back to the Art Engager podcast! Today I’m talking about building rapport and creating a great group dynamic in the 'new now'.
Creating a great group dynamic is even MORE important now after the last year or so. We will need to take extra care to create social comfort and psychological safety, we will also need to build trust and social interaction.
In this episode I'm talking about :
* what group dynamics are
* the different types of groups you might come across
* the roles people play in groups
* the size of groups
* how to use space
I'll end by talking about how to still create a great group dynamic even when you’re wearing a face mask, so stay tuned for that at the end of this episode.
So, the big questions for today’s episode are:
* how we are going to lead engaging in-person group experiences around art and objects going forwards?
* how might we make our audience, our participants feel socially comfortable – what will group dynamics look…
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Jun 10, 2021
How to use the ‘See Think Me We’ thinking routine to create personal and community connections with artworks
Today I’m talking all about how to use the ‘See Think Me We’ thinking routine to create personal and community connections with artworks.
This is part of a new series of episodes on the podcast where I share a thinking routine with you and all the insights for how you might be able to use it with an artwork or object with groups - either in-person or online.
See Think Me We was our ‘thinking routine of the month’ recently in the Visible Thinking Membership. Every month we have a specialist thinking routine online class that gives us the opportunity to discover a new thinking routine or to dig a bit deeper into one we already know.
Here’s how we used See Think Me We thinking routine to discuss Kerry James Marshall's ‘SOB, SOB’ (2003).
LINKS
Kerry James Marshall, ‘SOB, SOB’ (2003) https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/sob-sob-7874
Andrew Wyeth, ‘Christina's World’, (1948) https://www.moma.org/collection/works/78455
Amy E Herman, 'Visual Intelligence: Sha…
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Jun 3, 2021
How to Develop a Daily Slow Looking Practice
Slow looking is not only an important part of my work, it is also a personal practice - something that I’ve been doing regularly for the last few years. I’m really interested in developing my observational skills and I’m also fascinated by what happens when we spend a longer period of time looking at something.
Our general approach to looking is, however, flawed and we try to look at things as briskly and efficiently as possible.
We need to slow our looking down and give our brain the time and space to focus on what is in front of us.
Developing a daily slow looking practice will enable you to improve your observational skills and start noticing more details.
And if we are better at this ourselves, as educators, then we are in a far better position to guide others through the process of slow looking too.
So, here are 6 ways you can start to develop your own daily slow looking practice - I’ve included a number of ideas, some outside, some inside, some to do with art, so…
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May 27, 2021
6 Essential Thinking Routines You Need in your Repertoire
In this episode, I’m discussing 6 essential thinking routines you should have in your educator repertoire. These are thinking routines that you can use to create engaging discussions with art or artefacts or routines that will help you develop and grow in your work as an educator. I’ve found it really hard to select just 6 thinking routine out of the 100+ routines out there, but I’ve come up with a list that every educator should have in their repertoire to draw upon in different situations or for different purposes.
I’ve chosen :
* An all-rounder thinking routine
* A thinking routine to focus on observation and description
* A thinking routine for perspective-taking & opening up thinking
* A routine to help capture the heart and summarise
* A thinking routine for formulating and sorting questions
* A thinking routine that will foster meaningful reflection
To find out which 6 thinking routines I chose, listen to this week’s episode!
Plus, if you’d like a…
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May 20, 2021
The Art of Facilitation
Facilitation is a key part of creating engaging and interactive discussions around art and museum objects.
But developing the skills of a good facilitator is an art form in itself – it requires practice, patience and the best facilitators MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY.
Sometimes people wonder why I chose the word 'facilitator' - rather than guide, educator, teacher, docent, or interpreter - to describe people who lead participative, discussion-based experiences around art and objects.
It’s certainly not the easiest word to say, but it does sum up what we do. As a facilitator, you are guiding the process, creating participation and activating the learning and engagement.
In this week's episode, I’m talking about facilitation - how can you develop the skills of a good facilitator (and make it look like you were born to do it), and what are the different roles you will be expected to play?
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May 13, 2021
The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Brilliant Questions
In this week's episode, I’m sharing my 5 golden rules for asking brilliant questions.
But what is a brilliant question?
Asking more questions is one way to get more interaction and engagement in your programmes.
But asking the wrong types of questions can actually shut down the discussion and stop people participating at all.
So, in this episode, I'm sharing 5 rules that will help you to ask questions that create interaction and engagement, open up discussions and encourage everyone to participate fully!
_Links_
The Art of Questioning - Improve your questioning technique with tools and exercises for creating, sorting, and evaluating brilliant questions.
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May 4, 2021
The Magic of Thinking Routines
Thinking routines are an essential part of the Visible Thinking in the Museum method and my core course, Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO).
They have been a magical ingredient in helping me to confidently create engaging discussions around objects and artworks over the past 10 years.
They’ve also been a great way to engage audiences to get them really interested in art and objects, making them curious and asking questions and, of course, getting them thinking. But what are thinking routines and how can you use them? And where does the magic happen? That’s what we’re discovering in episode 3!
_Links_
The Ultimate Thinking Routine List https://mailchi.mp/4dd4fbc3e870/ultimatethinkingroutinelist
Making Thinking Visible : How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners By Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison
The Power of Making Thinking Visible: Practices to Engage and Empower All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church
Ar…
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Apr 30, 2021
What is Slow Looking and How Can I get Started?
I believe engagement starts with slow looking.
I’ve been practising the art of slow looking for the last 10 years as a personal practice and with groups of all ages with a variety of objects, artworks, situations and places. Slow looking has played a pivotal role in the most engaging discussions I've led over the last 10 years.
Slow looking has played a pivotal role in the most engaging discussions I've led over the last 10 years.
Recently, slow looking has become more popular with Tate ‘recommending’ slow looking for their Bonnard exhibition and the National Gallery offering slow looking art sessions for lockdown.
In this podcast I’m going to take you right back to the basics and walk you through an introduction to slow looking - what it is, why it matters and how you can get started - and I'll be sharing lots of practical tips and suggestions too!
_Links_
Jennifer Roberts The Power of Patience https://harvardmagazine.com/2013/11/the-power-of-patience
Peter Clothier…
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Apr 30, 2021
The moment when I first heard the words ‘Visible Thinking’
In this first episode, I’m going to be talking about the main method I use to engage audiences with art and ideas - that’s my Visible Thinking in the Museum method which I started developing 10 years ago this year.
The Visible Thinking in the Museum method is an easy-to-follow framework that allows educators to confidently lead engaging discussion-based sessions with art, objects and ideas with any audience.
It takes elements of a framework called Visible Thinking from Harvard's Project Zero and combines them with museum education practices, facilitation techniques and questioning strategies.
I didn’t know it at the time, but hearing the words ‘Visible Thinking’ was about to change everything.
This method has influenced everything I’ve done in the past 10 years and has completely revolutionised the way I work.
So, what is this Visible Thinking? How did I hear about it and how did I start to use it in my method?
All will be revealed in this episode.
_Links_…
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Apr 21, 2021
Introducing the Art Engager Podcast
Welcome to The Art Engager podcast! This podcast here to help educators, guides and creatives engage their audiences with art, objects and ideas. Each week I’ll be sharing a variety of strategies, ideas and inspiration to help you to engage and connect with your audiences and confidently lead lively art and artefact discussions.
Show highlights:
* What The Art Engager podcast is all about
* How & why creating real engagement with art and museum objects can be tricky
* What is Visible Thinking in the Museum?
* What we're going to be talking about on this podcast
Links:
For more details please see the thinkingmuseum website.
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