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Why is economic planning so vital to any new museum project? **NEW PODCAST** An Economic Planner’s Advice to Museums, with James Stevens What happens if you don’t do it? What is “dark tourism”? Why do economists think about audiences? Can a museum have “ROI”? Which is more important, a profitable museum event, or one that advances a museum’s mission? What can economics teach us about how to make our projects better? James Stevens, AICP (Vice President, ConsultEcon, Inc.) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “An Economic Planner’s Advice to Museums”. Along the way: double-edged swords, vocal impersonations, and the Museum of Forks. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + HOW TO LISTEN: Apple Podcasts https://lnkd.in/ejbfAr5y Spotify https://lnkd.in/efXhegGi Everywhere https://lnkd.in/gSCci2_b + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Talking Points: 1. Know your audiences (plural). 2. Be both curious and skeptical. 3. Formulate your “mission test”. 4. You’ll be able to take time, but not too much time. 5. Establish strict budgets and fundraising goals. Then change them. About Making the Museum: Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://lnkd.in/ebuPuVfW The Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/e7bu8Vhy

How do new museums make money — really? ** NEW PODCAST ** The Money Pie Chart, with Amy Kaufman In this episode, we lift the veil on new museum projects and money. What is “the peril of the bicycle wheel”? Is it bad to rely on “anchor funding”? How many kinds of revenue should a new museum project have? What happens if you have the wrong number? (Hint: eh, not so good.) How much money do endowments make? And what’s so magical about thirds? Amy Kaufman (Principal, Amy Kaufman Cultural Planning) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “The Money Pie Chart” on Making the Museum, the podcast. Along the way: Latin American Art curator jokes, coat-checking 200 motorcycle helmets at once, and a pharmaceutical metaphor Jonathan will never live down. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + HOW TO LISTEN: Search for “Making the Museum” at any podcast service, big or small (Apple, Spotify). Or start here for links to every service: makingthemuseum [dot] transistor [dot] fm (Swap in real dots. This avoids the penalty for external links. — Yep, that’s a thing.) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Talking Points: 1. Museums have to make money 2. Introducing the pie chart 3. Pac Man, peace signs, and anacins 4. The peril of the bicycle wheel 5. What happens when you don’t diversify 6. What’s next: Living wages and climate action About Making the Museum: Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: www [dot] cgpartnersllc [dot] com The Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at: www [dot] makingthemuseum [dot] com

What if chaos in cultural projects is something to embrace, not fear? NEW PODCAST: Embracing Chaos, with Jon Maass Can chaos theory give us new insights about how to manage complex work? Are we advocates for the owner of a project, or for the project itself? What are the three things upon which the success or failure of a project depends? Sometimes, is it better to let a few things change, rather than fight those changes for even longer? Museum staff are rarely experts in managing building projects or large exhibition productions. Why would we expect them to be? And how can we help? Jon Maass (Director, MAASS) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Embracing Chaos” on Making the Museum. Along the way: high-performance buildings, that word “program” again, and whether projects need overseers, therapists or cheerleaders. Talking Points: 1. Chaos theory studies things that are impossible to predict. 2. Museum projects are chaotic and that’s a good thing. 3. A project is a cultural exercise, with its own diverse culture. 4. Museum owners are not built to build buildings. 5. Teams who excel at museum projects are rare. 6. Change during the process is inevitable, so embrace it. How to Listen: Find "Making the Museum" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else. Or start here: makingthemuseum[dot]transistor[dot]fm (Replace the [dot]s with real dots. This gets around the LinkedIn penalty for external links. Yep, that's a real thing.) About MtM: Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn more at: cgpartnersllc[dot]com Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe: makingthemuseum[dot]com

Looking for evidence on the effectiveness of slow looking? How do different audio contexts and types of art affect mood and engagement while looking? How does social interaction impact the art museum experience? Today on The Art Engager Podcast, I'm talking with Aleksandra (Sasha) Igdalova) about her research on aesthetic experiences, slow looking, and social interaction in museums. Listeners to this podcast will know that slow looking has gained popularity in museums worldwide over the last decade. However, until now, there hasn’t been much research on its effectiveness. Until now. In today's chat, we explore two groundbreaking studies. The first study examines the impact of slow looking in an online environment, exploring how different audio contexts and types of art affect people's moods and engagement levels during online viewing. The second study is the first large-scale experiment to investigate how social interaction impacts the art museum experience. It took place in Manchester Art Gallery’s dedicated slow-looking space, Room to Breathe. We discuss the implications of both studies for educators and much more! Essential listening for anyone interested in slow looking, aesthetic experiences in museums, and the benefits of group interactions for overall well-being in museum environments. Episode 132 is out now! Listen via the links in the comments. cc: Louise Thompson Fiona C. #slowlooking #museumeducation #podcast

Podcast: Uncover the challenges museums face in connecting with young people, what are the practical solutions through the nine building blocks. Young people are the future of museum visitation and involving them isn’t just a choice, it’s a necessity.

Pirates, Fires, and Not Being Heard: A colleague tells me that a metaphor of mine resonates with people she shares it with. She just spoke about it on Claire Bown’s (very good) The Art Engager Podcast. It’s a slightly broader topic than the normal MtM beat. Here it is: There are pirates attacking the ship. Also, the ship is on fire. The captain is frantically running around above deck, fighting pirates and putting out fires. But the crew, below deck, don’t see pirates or fire. Instead, they feel that they are not being heard by the captain. The captain is a little busy. The crew has an understandable grievance. But the ship is in existential danger. The metaphor is about museums today. At several recent conferences, director sessions were about existential threats: pandemic-accelerated attendance problems, financial issues, competition. While staff sessions were more about the staff wanting to have a voice. Both perspectives are real. Here’s the thing: Existential issues — pirates, fires — have to come first. But maybe if everyone on the boat rowed fast together, and found some buckets, maybe working together on the existential issues would also solve the communications problems. Best of all, the boat wouldn’t sink. Arrr. Warmly, Jonathan P.S. If that was interesting, try Making the Museum, the only newsletter (and podcast) on exhibition and experience planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams, and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe to both at: makingthemuseum[dot]com MtM is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture.

What’s the secret to success, when a project lasts years longer than planned? ** NEW PODCAST ** The New Louis Armstrong Center, with Regina Bain and Sara Caples What keeps us going when our work takes more time? How does the subject matter of a project relate to its form? Why should we think equally about the budget for what happens after a project opens? What is the “architecture of delight”? Why do “reverberations matter”? Which is more important: patience, or pushing? (Hint: it’s a trick question.) And most importantly, why should everybody visit the house of Louis and Lucille Armstrong in Queens, New York? Regina Bain (Executive Director, Louis Armstrong House Museum & Archives) and Sara Caples, (Principal and co-founder of Caples Jefferson Architects) join host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss the new Louis Armstrong Center project that all three worked on. Along the way: why everyone should take acting classes, and what it’s like being inside a cello. Chapters: 1. Louis and Lucille’s House 2. We’ll Open in Three Months 3. A Golden Curve 4. Serious Acting 5. The Reverberations Matter 6. Patience and Pushing 7. Letter to Your Earlier Self 8. Budget Beyond Opening Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are found. Or start here: makingthemuseum [dot] transistor [dot] fm (But replace the [dot]s with actual dots. This disguises the link to get around LinkedIn's penalty for external links. Yes, it's really a thing!) Guest Bios: Regina Bain is an artist and educator serving as the Executive Director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum. This year, Ms. Bain recently opened the new 14,000 sq. foot Armstrong Center housing a multimedia exhibit curated by Jason Moran, a 75-seat performance space, and the 60,000-piece Armstrong Archives — the largest archives of any jazz musician and one of the largest of any Black musician. Sara Caples, AIA, is Principal and co-founder of Caples Jefferson Architects PC. Since founding the firm in 1987 with Everardo Jefferson, she has remained committed to designing cultural, educational, and community centers for neighborhoods underserved by the design professions. She has served as a visiting professor at Syracuse, CCNY, University of Miami, and Yale. CJA's most recent book is "Many Voices: Architecture for Social Equity." About MtM: Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Give it a listen!

On this episode of Experience by Design Podcast, Adam Gamwell, Ph.D. and I welcome Dr. Jessica Mudry to the show. Dr. Mudry is a Professor and Chair at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Director of the The Healthcare User Experience (HUE) Lab at The Creative School . Dive deep with us as we explore vital themes around healthcare, the human experience, and academia. 🌟 Listen as Jessica Mudry sheds light on the power of storytelling, the wisdom of retirees, and innovative approaches in science communication. 🔑 Key Takeaways: - **Collective Well-being and Health Impact**: Dr. Mudry emphasizes the need to value retirees' wisdom and address ageism, while also stressing the importance of arts-based inquiry in healthcare to understand and enhance the human experience. - **Innovative Academic Methods**: We discuss the limitations of traditional academic metrics and the need to embrace participatory action research. Jessica Mudry advocates for non-traditional forms of communication and knowledge mobilization to foster a more inclusive and impactful academic environment. - **Science Communication and Complexity**: The conversation tackles the challenge of communicating complex scientific stories to diverse audiences. We delve into the American pursuit of the "magic bullet" in science, the role of narrative in science communication, and the necessity of approaching science as a process of inquiry rather than a monolith. Tune in now to gain fresh perspectives on how we can collectively enrich our understanding and impact in both healthcare and academia! 🎧👇 LINK IN COMMENTS

I am thrilled to share my latest Fast Company article, "Embracing the Art of Curation." Beyond museums, curation in our careers and lives empowers us to navigate complexity with creativity and confidence. By actively selecting experiences, knowledge, and relationships, we enhance innovation and strategic thinking. This piece offers a guide to becoming an expert curator for transformative personal and professional growth. Check out the comments for a link to the article. #CareerDevelopment #LifeEnrichment #ArtOfCuration #Innovation #StrategicThinking

Collaborating can bring a multitude of benefits to your career development and career journey: contacts, resources, expertise, advice, feedback, new ideas, different perspectives, creativity, challenges and friends! Sometimes the benefits/outcomes of a collaboration are obvious but they can be unexpected.  The #WorkingScientist podcast series from Nature Careers has six podcasts that explore the relationship between art and science.  This episode explores 'The unexpected outcomes of artist-scientist collaborations' https://lnkd.in/d644xdsG