Ben Templeton is a writer, creative director and facilitator in the field of games and playful technology. For almost 20 years Ben has helped organisations around the world create fun ways of bringing audiences together to interact with art, culture and science. The Robin Hood Experience at Nottingham Castle is a series of immersive arcade games in four renovated coach arches. Supported by real-time motion tracking, custom electronics and large screen projections, players can grab an authenti...
A great conversation with Paula Bray. Paula is Chief Digital Officer at State Library Victoria in Melbourne. Over the last twenty years Paula has held digital leadership roles at organisations including the State Library of NSW, Powerhouse Museum, Art Gallery of NSW and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Innovation and experimentation runs through much of Paula's work, which is one of the reasons I wanted to have a converation with her. At the State Library of NSW she founded Aust...
A chat with New York-based creative director and choreographer, Brandon Powers. Brandon works with technology to create experiences across physical and virtual spaces. We talked about his early experiences with technology, inter-disciplinary teams, the various ways that technology and virtual spaces can enhance and extend experiences for both artists and audiences, rethinking audience agency in the work he's been doing on Fortnite, and loads more. If you're interested in hearing f...
A conversation recorded in-person (hurray!) with the BFI's Exec Director of Technology and Digital Transformation, Neil Williams. Neil writes a regular 'fortnight notes' post on his blog, which you can find here neilojwilliams.net
A wide-ranging chat with Tash Willcocks (Head of Learning Design at TPX Impact) on organisational culture, leadership, and how to deal with change and uncertainty. Tash mentioned a whole load of ideas, articles, books, and thinkers - a few of which I've linked to below: Tash's Medium lives here: https://medium.com/@tash-willcocks This is the first post I read from Tash, which touches on Kotters Dual Operating System, and cheese toasties https://tash-willcocks.medium.com/dont-micromanage...
A great chat with the National Theatre's outgoing Managing Director - Digital, Emma Keith. We talked about how digital practice has developed at the NT and how that differs from other performing arts organisations. The history of the NT Live programme, and the importance of pilots and testing ideas. The hidden value of digital infrastructure, remote audiences, thinking about outcomes rather than outputs, leadership, creating a culture of learning, and loads more.
A chat with Beks Leary, Senior Social Media and Content Lead at the National Gallery in London. We talked about Beks's career, which has encompassed working at a diverse range of organisations including the Bush Theatre, BBC, and National Theatre before Beks's current role at the National Gallery. Beks explained the opportunities and challenges that come with working in smaller vs larger organisations, the different ways that broadcasters, performing arts, and collections-based organisa...
A conversation with Art Fund's Associate Director of Digital Experience, Mike Keating. Most of our chat focused on Mike's relatively recent work in developing Art Fund's first AI policy. The collaborative, open, and pragmatic approach that Mike and colleagues took to this work feels like a useful model that other cultural organisations could borrow from. We also talk about the benefits and downsides of being a digital generalist, Mike's feelings about technology in general, the impact o...
A conversation with Watershed CEO, Clare Reddington. Watershed is an independent cinema, cultural hub, and home of the creative technology community, Pervasive Media Studio. Clare was one of the keynote speakers at this year's Digital Works Conference and in our chat she expanded on some of the themes and ideas that were touched on in her keynote session. Ideas of digital confidence, leadership in difficult times, embracing risk, understanding who your audience is (and is not), and acknowle...
The thirteenth episode of Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 (or 4) things from the latest Digital Works Newsletter. In this episode we'll be discussing some of the links in the newsletter that went out on Sept 3rd. We talk about: Matt Stasoff on the State of Social in 2024Rob Cawston on the National Library of Scotland's AI StatementCarly Ayres on "how design's oldest org torched a decade of design discourse"You can sign up for the newsletter at thedigital.works.
Dr. Martin Poulter is Wikimedian in Residence at the Khalili Foundation. We hear how Martin moved from being a dedicated volunteer Wikipedia contributor to a key advocate for the open content movement, harnessing Wikipedia’s potential to democratise access to cultural heritage and knowledge. Through his collaborations with organisations like the Bodleian Libraries, University of Bristol, and the Khalili Collection, Martin shares his thoughts on the significant opportunities that can a...
The twelfth in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 (or 4) things from the latest Digital Works Newsletter. In this episode we'll be discussing some of the links in the newsletter that went out on July 16th. We talk about: The 5 habits of innovative councilsBusiness Insider on Google's research looking at Gen Z's consumption habitsFriends of the Earth 'steal our ideas'You can sign up for the newsletter at thedigital.works.
A conversation with SFJAZZ's Director of Digital, Ross Eustis. Since 2020 SFJAZZ have developed a comprehensive programme of content for their digital audiences. We look at how these programmes can expand audience reach and enhance engagement. Ross talks about how this digital work can complement in-person experiences, making performances more accessible and help foster a sense of community globally. Ross also emphasises the importance of a beginner's mindset, transparency with audience...
The eleventh in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 (or 4) things from the latest Digital Works Newsletter. In this episode we'll be discussing some of the links in the newsletter that went out on May 30th. We talk about: Patreon CEO, Jack Conte's SXSW keynote "Death of the Follower & the Future of Creativity on the Web"A Slate article on the demise of DeviantArtA viral tweet about cheeseburger salad (and accompanying analysis)You can sign up for the newsletter at thedi...
We sit down with the brilliant Kate Carter, Director of Audiences at the Edinburgh International Festival. Kate shares the experiments that EIF have been carrying out around their audience experience, particularly for classical concerts.
The tenth in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie usually discuss 3 (or 4) things from the latest Digital Works Newsletter but in this episode are looking back at the first Digital Works Conference. Ash and Katie identify a few themes and takesaways that are applicable to all cultural organisations, regardless of size: Prioritising questions, imagination, and people over technology and assumptionsBuilding stronger, more direct relationships with your audience How inclusion and acc...
A conversation with Adam Stoneman, founder of Ireland's Muse-Tech Working Group. Adam's career is a testament to the possibilities that can arise when cultural institutions embrace technology to democratise and enhance the museum experience. Last year the Muse-Tech Working Group, a cohort of Irish museum professionals, published Museum Technology: A Critical Primer. This document engaged with the implications for the cultural sector of emerging technologies such as biometrics, web3, and ...
The nineth in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 (or 4) things from the latest Digital Works Newsletter. In this episode we'll be discussing some of the links in the newsletter that went out on April 15th. We talk about: Deloitte's 2024 Digital Media reportAaron Cope's blog post on how the SFO Museum is navigating the FediverseWe look at the news that The New York Times are measuring user attention and engagement metrics in new waysAnd last but not least we look at AI meet...
A conversation with Dr Brett Ashley Crawford and Paul Hansen. Their new book (Raising the Curtain. Technology Success Stories from Performing Arts Leaders and Artists) looks at how performing arts organisations and artists are successfully using technology in a variety of different contexts. We talked about how the pandemic became a catalyst for innovation, we look at examples of organisations that have embedded technology across all their work. We discussed how digital transformation is not...
I chatted with Hilary Knight, Seb Chan, and Aled John to hear a bit more about what they'll be talking about at this month's Digital Works Conference as well as what they're looking forward to. We looked at the potential of informal networking, discussing how tea break chats can lead to new ideas and fortify the cultural community. The lessons that the Financial Times' strategic pivot to digital could hold for the cultural sector, and the value of international collaboration and discussion.