Talking about all the different things that 'digital' means in the arts, culture and heritage sectors. Tales of success and failure, interrogating the shiny new things and looking at what works (or not) and why, Interviews with digital folks working across the sector and beyond, in-house, consultants, funders, and more.
A conversation with Tim Woodall, the former Director of Marketing at The Philharmonia, and the current Head of Direct to Consumer Marketing at independent publishing house, Faber and Faber.It was interesting to hear Tim's reflections on what the publishing world could learn from the arts, and vice-versa, the value of clear priorities, the lessons he learned through developing and launching a new subscription product, the importance of brand-building, and loads more.
11/20/25 • 38:27
Aurora Classroom, from the Aurora Orchestra, began as an idea to convert a live children’s storytelling concert into a classroom resource during the pandemic. In this conversation with Aurora Orchestra's Learning Director, Rebecca Barnett we hear how over the last five years it has grown into a comprehensive creative learning platform, showcasing Aurora’s resources for primary, secondary and SEND schools, live events for young people, and CPD for teachers. Whilst it started out like many other EdTech products as a subscription platform, after considerable deliberation the Aurora team took the leap to remove the paywall in April 2025.This is how we built… shares the honest stories behind digital projects in the cultural sector, exploring what sparked them, how they were delivered (and what they cost), what nearly went (or did go) wrong, an the lessons learned along the way.
11/3/25 • 24:29
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 authentic medieval weapon and test their skills against a range of challenges. In the longbow games, three players compete for the high score but the quarterstaff is a solo battle against Little John on the bridge.This is how we built… shares the honest stories behind digital projects in the cultural sector, exploring what sparked them, how they were delivered (and what they cost), what nearly went (or did go) wrong, an the lessons learned along the way.
10/8/25 • 22:08
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 Australia’s first dedicated cultural heritage innovation lab, the DX Lab, building an award-winning team that explored new ways to open up collections and data. In 2019, she co-authored the book Open a GLAM Lab with peers from around the world, sharing the value of experimental practice across galleries, libraries, archives and museums.
9/30/25 • 42:26
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 from someone who sits neatly at the intersection between performance, storytelling, technology, and experience design, then this one is for you.You can find more about Brandon's work on his website https://www.brandon-powers.com/
8/21/25 • 45:00
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
7/16/25 • 57:19
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-willcocksThis is the first post I read from Tash, which touches on Kotters Dual Operating System, and cheese toastieshttps://tash-willcocks.medium.com/dont-micromanage-the-cheese-661eb056fca7More on Kotters systemhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2014/05/14/leverage-john-kotters-dual-operating-system-to-accelerate-change-in-large-organizations/VUCAhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VUCAKevin Kruse on BANIhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2025/02/03/forget-vuca-bani-is-the-new-framework-world/ The virtue of intellectual humility with Dr. Tenelle Porterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4W3ENXbzggThe SCARF model on motivationhttps://neuroleadership.com/your-brain-at-work/scarf-model-motivate-your-employeesThea Snow on "certainty artefacts: the constructs we create to make sense of the world" is linked via this post from Tashhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/tashwillcocks_quotedumpday-design-drawing-activity-7299698981138280449-olTU/Amy Edmondson on Psychological Safety https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearless-Organization-Psychological-Workplace-Innovation/dp/1119477247Edgar Shein on organisational culturehttps://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/5-enduring-management-ideas-mit-sloans-edgar-schein
6/10/25 • 56:03
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.
4/4/25 • 56:27
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 organisations think about audiences. We spent most of our conversation discussing the recent 200 Creators initiative (https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/ng200-programme/200-creators) which saw the National Gallery build relationships with creators across social media platforms to reach new audiences. 200 Creators is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
3/12/25 • 31:35
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 of Covid on how Art Fund thinks about digital projects, and lots more.Art Fund (artfund.org) is an organisation with three main areas of focus; they fund art "helping the UK’s museums to enrich their collections", they grow audiences through their National Art Pass membership scheme, and they advocate for museums through initiatives like their Museum of the Year award.
2/11/25 • 35:44
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 acknowledging when you aren't the right person or organisation to take a lead on something.Clare is a really effective, inspiring and thoughtful voice on digital (in all its many manifestations), technology, and the role of cultural organisations in the 21st century.We also discussed Undershed, Watershed's new immersive gallery, which is a great example of some of the traits and principles that Clare's leadership embodies.Clare is also a Visiting Professor at University of the West of England. She is chair of Emma Rice's Wise Children, and is a trustee of of RSC and British Council.
9/27/24 • 43:58
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.
9/13/24 • 14:33
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 arise when cultural institutions embrace Wikipedia.Martin also shares a frank and insightful perspective on the cultural and mindset change that is required to fully capitalise on these opportunities.
8/7/24 • 44:14
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.
8/2/24 • 20:55
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 audiences, and the value of knowledge-sharing between cultural institutions.If you want to check out all of the videos Ross and his team have been making, head over to SFJAZZ.org/AtHome
7/17/24 • 44:49
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 thedigital.works.
7/1/24 • 15:25
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.
6/4/24 • 43:33
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 accessibility benefits everyoneAnd last but not least that there is lots to learn from other sectors
5/28/24 • 22:01
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 XR. Through dialogue with civil rights experts and academics, they produced the critical primer to try and start sector-wide conversations to ensure technology serves the cultural sector authentically and ethically.We explored topics including digital literacy, power imbalances and skepticism towards tech corporations, and the push for open-source initiatives. You can download the Primer document for free here.
5/8/24 • 41:47
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 meets social history with 'Synthetic Memories', a project aiming to fill the visual void in underrepresented communities' pasts. You can sign up for the newsletter at thedigital.works.
4/30/24 • 18:49
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 just about adopting new tools, but rather a revolution in connecting with audiences and empowering artists.Brett and Paul share lots of specific, tangible examples of organisations that have successfully adopted new, more digitally-enabled ways of working across a huge diversity of areas. They also share their insights and observations about the common traits of organisations that enjoy the most success with adopting and executing these new ways of thinking and working.You can find more info about the book, and order a copy, on the Wiley website.Dr Brett Ashley Crawford is an Associate Teaching Professor of Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and is the Faculty Chair of the Masters of Arts and Entertainment Management Programmes.Paul Hansen is a marketing, creative and PR consultant, primarily working with the performing arts. As marketing director for Dance Kaleidoscope, a medium-sized company in Indianapolis, Paul navigated the challenges of using technology in new ways for nearly 12 years. Raising the Curtain was published by Wiley in March 2024.
4/10/24 • 49:44
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.
4/4/24 • 20:38
In this episode Ash chats to Michal Čudrnák Head of Digital Collections & Services at the Slovak National Gallery.We talk about the history of the gallery, and how the Digital team has grown and evolved over recent years. We talk about the interesting and somewhat unique role that the Slovak National Gallery plays in supporting the wider Slovak cultural sector with digital tools and expertise. We look at the role of digital in supporting in-person attendance, and how designing for this context is very different from 'fully remote' experiences. Michal explains of the different ways that his team works with other organisations, on collaborative projects with the cultural sector in Slovakia and further afield, and we explore some examples of public-private relationships that they are exploring.You can see some of the work that Michal and his team have delivered:The SNG website: https://sng.sk/The Atlas product: https://atlas.sng.sk/The Web Umenia (Web of Art) product: https://www.webumenia.sk/
3/18/24 • 39:32
The seventh in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 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 February 26th.We talk about:The launch of OpenAI's new text-to-video product, Sora. The apparent meltdown that ChatGPT had last week, and the BBC's AI PrinciplesWe also talk about YouTube CEO Neal Mohan's predictions for 2024And last but not least we'll look at an article in Engadget about the Browser Company's new product, titled "Who makes money when AI reads the internet for us?"I realise that's more than three things, but broadly it's AI news, YouTube predictions, and considerations about how the web is monetised.You can sign up for the newsletter at thedigital.works.
3/4/24 • 20:27
A great conversation about immersive experiences with VIVE Arts' Head of Programme, Samantha King.We talked about a LOT including: the conditions required for new ways of thinking and working to take root; the importance of sharing knowledge and collaboration; the operational and financial realities of creating immersive work.We returned to a long-running topic, namely how useful the word 'digital' actually is. Sam pointed to the importance of leadership buy-in (or at least an active curiosity about what might be possible). We looked at the importance of having people who are able to interpret between traditional cultural practitioners and technologists (something that I've discussed on previous podcast episodes with Annette Mees, and Eva Liparova)And, helpfully, Sam cited a number of specific institutions and projects that might be useful reference points as inspiration.Related links:VIVE Arts websiteVIVE Arts and Musée d'Orsay collaborationDigital Works Podcast Episode 023 with Annette Mees about creating an opera in hyper-realityDigital Works Podcast Episode 018 with Eva Liparova about working with remote creative teams, and the translation required between creative technologists and traditional cultural practitioners
2/21/24 • 48:51
The sixth in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 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 January 29th.We talk about:Hugh Wallace asking 'is it time to shake up your social media', the Association of Cultural Enterprises leaving X, and X being flooded with offensive AI fakes of Taylor Swift (the AI assistant in our podcast platform wanted to title this episode "Explore the ethical battlefield of digital platforms" which I think neatly sums up the tone of our discussion!).The work the National Gallery is doing on social media (particularly on Threads and Tiktok) and why it's working.A great long read about the failed collaboration between immersive theatre company, Punchdrunk, and games company, Niantic.You can sign up for the newsletter at thedigital.works.
2/9/24 • 17:56
We catch up with Sydney Opera House's Head of Screen, Stuart Buchanan. We talk about Stuart's new job title, how digital teams are structured at SOH, and the unhelpfully vague nature of the word 'digital'. Stuart shares how digital artistic programmes have enabled the Sydney Opera House to work with new artists, in new ways. The issues and challenges around rights, and reaching agreements with artists (and the value of having a track record that you can point to in these conversations).We discuss the many experimental strands to the work of Stuart's team, and the potential uses of generative AI in that context.And lots more!
1/31/24 • 53:20
Our last episode of 2023 is a conversation with Haydn Corrodus. Haydn is a social media and digital marketing consultant who was previously an Arts Council England Tech Champion as part of the Digital Culture NetworkHaydn brings rich insights into the fragmented and ever-evolving world of social media, and its potential for storytelling, connecting and engaging with audiences in the cultural sector.
12/31/23 • 42:52
In the last podcast episode of the year, Katie and Ash reflect on 2023 - picking a few of the most notable articles, podcasts, research reports, and new stories of the year.We discuss digital overload and the impact it's had on our attention spans. Exploring whether our cultural institutions could become havens of focus and relaxation in the blizzard of digital distractions.We look at the wild frontier of AI technology and its impact on our search engines and content creation. Considering the difficulty of distinguishing between human and algorithm-generated content, we also explore how AI could be our ally in boosting creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Meanwhile, social media has also undergone massive fragmentation, we discuss the fall of Twitter and the moral implications of who we engage with on these platforms. We also gaze into the crystal ball and try to predict what 2024 might hold for us.We discussed:New York Times - "Beyond the ‘Matrix’ Theory of the Mind"National Gallery of Art - "How to Recharge at the National Gallery this Holiday Season"Hard Fork podcast - "What's Next for OpenAI, Binance Is Binanceled and AI is Eating the InternetManifesto For Now - Essay #4: AI is faster than you (or can we be more like the turtle)Ofcom - Online Nation 2023RTS Cambridge Convention 2023 - Speech by Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4: Too Much to WatchWeAreSocial - Digital 2023Bloomberg - The Moral Case For No Longer Engaging With Elon Musk's Twitter
12/13/23 • 42:52
A conversation with Dr Carrie Goucher. Carrie helps people transform meetings and meeting culture. She has redesigned how we meet for the collaborative era, crafting meetings that are honest, focused, supportive and energising. Carrie’s PhD created an evidence-based framework for what underpins meeting success (spoiler alert: it’s not having an agenda) and her research was described as 'game changing for meeting science’.Links:Article: three scaffolds to sharpen any meetingSign up to Carrie's newsletter and get a collaboration idea every Thursday: https://www.fewerfasterbolder.com/frictionfreeRecommended reading:Kim Scott, Radical CandourNancy Klein, Time to ThinkHenri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless, The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures
12/6/23 • 42:25
