Arts & Culture
The Arts & Culture podcast is produced by the Association for Cultural Enterprises for the cultural sector. It delivers thought leadership interviews with industry experts and covers key topics affecting museums, galleries, and heritage sites in the UK. Presented by Tom Dawson, the show goes behind the scenes of cultural institutions to explore best practices and sector-defining issues.
Episodes
Brontë Parsonage Museum
The Brontë sisters have a huge profile around the world... and when a Hollywood film version of 'Wuthering Heights' gets released, that's an opportunity to boost visitor numbers for a venue like the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Director Rebecca Yorke talks about the strategies they used to make the most of this natural rise in Brontë awareness, to get more visitors.
Rebecca also describes how a small
Commercial & Programming
Bringing together data and insights from more than 260 cultural and heritage sites, A Seat at the Table: Embedding Commercial Thinking in the Cultural Sector is a new report from the Association for Cultural Enterprises looking at the factors driving financial resilience across the sector.
A crucial insight within the report is that having commercial teams involved in programming decisions increas
A Seat at the Table
Bringing together data and insights from more than 260 sites, A Seat at the Table: Embedding Commercial Thinking in the Cultural Sector is a new report - from the Association for Cultural Enterprises - looking at the factors driving financial resilience across the sector. It has generated a very positive response. This episode builds on the themes of the report. Host Tom gathers an expert panel to
Weather App Campaign
How much does the weather really impact cultural attractions, and how much of that is down to perception?
In this episode of The Arts & Culture Podcast, host Tom Dawson explores the growing influence of weather on visitor behaviour, and the increasing role that weather apps play in shaping decision-making across the cultural sector.
Tom is joined by:
Rob Comley, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Ches
V&A East - Tim Reeve CBE
The V&A is a stellar brand in the UK cultural sector. So when it opens two new sites in a matter of months in a new part of the capital city, it's a big deal. V&A Storehouse launched last year. On April 18th V&A East Museum will welcome its first visitors.
So, what can those first visitors expect? And what major innovations - that have worked well in the first few months of V&A Storehouse - might
Judith Owens MBE - Chief Exec, Titanic Belfast
Judith Owens MBE is Chief Executive of TBL International and one of UK’s the most experienced and established cultural sector professionals. In this special interview recorded at The Cultural Enterprises Conference, she talks to host Tom Dawson about both her personal career story and how she has led Titanic Belfast to become one of of the world's most famous, successful and loved cultural attract
Tony Butler OBE - Exec Director, Derby Museums
Tony Butler OBE is Executive Director of Derby Museums and a leading figure in the UK museums sector. In this wide-ranging interview he shares valuable insights on the topics such as:The recent DCMS funding announcement and the opportunities (and questions) it raisesHis verdict on the Hodge reportHow civic museums have had to adapt business models and what the future might holdThe draw of locally
Sarah McLeod OBE - CEO, Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a vast heritage site in South Yorkshire. It requires restoration that could cost hundreds of millions of pounds and take decades. Located in an economically challenged part of the UK, it receives no public funding... and yet manages to survive and thrive.CEO Sarah McLeod - who grew up in a low income household and firmly believes arts and culture are for everyone - skilfully
Cultural Retail
Expert Panel:Catherine Pinkerton, Group Retail Manager, Amgueddfa Cymru | Museums WalesSonia Solicari, Director & CEO, Museum of the HomeErin Thompson, Retail Manager, V&A Dundee
The podcast for the Cultural Sector.The Arts & Culture podcast delivers best-in-class thought leadership, with industry heavy hitters and crucial sector-defining topics, going behind the scenes at the UK's museums, ga
The Crooked House
Couple Alex and Oli fell in love with a 600 year old (and famously wonky) house in Lavenham, Suffolk. They bought it, they live in it... and they've transformed this former tea-room into a commercially-successful and ground-breaking heritage venue harnessing the power of story-telling and immersive experiences.In this episode, host Tom Dawson speaks to Alex and Oli about their story, the lessons t
AI in Culture
Expert panel of guests:Jocelyn Burnham - Founder, AI for CultureOwen Hopkin - Director of New Technologies and Innovation, Arts Council EnglandDuncan Mann - Founder and CEO, HoxtonAISean Waterman - Head of Intellectual Property, Naomi Korn AssociatesKey links:Art Council England's Responsible AI Practical ToolkitAI for Culture websiteHoxtonAI websiteNaomi Korn Associates website
The podcast for th
Jane Austen's House
Joining host Tom Dawson are:Lizzie Dunford, Director, Jane Austen's House MuseumSusan Rayner, Head of Commercial & Visitor Experience, Jane Austen's House MuseumDirector Lizzie Dunford and Head of Commercial & Visitor Experience Susan Rayner share how Jane Austen’s House, a small but world-famous museum in rural Hampshire, thrives as a self-funded organisation. They discuss the impact of the 250th
Building A Multiple Revenue Stream Model (with Richard Morsley, CEO, The Historic Dockyard Chatham)
Richard Morsley is the CEO of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. It's a vast site with a unique history. Although no longer in active service, this heritage site has managed to embrace its challenges (a vast footprint containing many unique buildings in need of preservation) and turned them into commercial opportunities. For example, its iconic rope-making facility, which not only keeps a local craf
Cornish Cultural Attractions
With the school summer holidays just weeks away, parts of the country where visitor numbers are massively seasonal are preparing themselves for the most important time of their commercial year. Cornwall is remote and experiences vast seasonality in visitor numbers... yet it has a vibrant cultural enterprise scene and boasts some of the UK's most iconic attractions.Two Cornwall experts join host To
Families in Museums
How can cultural venues best serve the increasingly important families market? What are examples of current best practice? Where are the challenges and opportunities? What trends are emerging that organisations should be aware of and adapt to? Host Tom Dawson gathers an expert panel to address all these questions and more:Amy Akino-Wittering, Head of Operations & Commercial, Young V&AAlison Bowyer
Marketing & Commercial: Working Together
Many cultural organisations and venues still need to improve how different parts of the organisations understand each other and work together. When collaboration happens well, stories from all teams can be harnessed by Marketing to bring both commercial benefits and progress on overall purpose and mission. This episode's expert panel explains how to break down silos and do collaboration well - esp
Corporate Partnerships (with Martin Prendergast, Cécile de Cormis & Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE)
This episode features an expert panel discussing the issue of corporate partnerships. With state funding decreasing, could partnering with big commercial organisations be a timely opportunity? What happens in other countries and are there lessons that can be learned? Things like naming rights can cause concern in the sector, but done properly could they unlock mutually beneficial relationships?Hos
A New Model for Cultural Attractions (with Joe Hill and Gyr King, Towner Eastbourne)
Joe Hill is the Director and CEO of Towner Eastbourne, a museum, gallery and community venue which hosted the Turner Prize in 2023. Gyr King is a Trustee of Towner and also the CEO and Founder of King & McGaw, the state-of-the-art printing and framing company (which also supports this podcast).In this wide-ranging conversation, Joe, Gyr and host Tom Dawson explore the current complex landscape in
Bringing Heritage to Life (with Kate Miners at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich)
The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich has a rich history, serving many vital purposes over the centuries. Now it is a large multi-use site and attraction that has to harness the opportunities of today (like being a very in-demand filming location) to maintain and tell the story of buildings steeped in heritage.Host Tom speaks to Kate Miners (Director of Public Engagement & Commercial) about the
Behind the Scenes at St. Paul's Cathedral (with Sandra Lynes Timbrell)
St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most well-known buildings in the world. It has a rich history and serves many varied purposes, from Royal services to a place of sanctuary and a highly prioritised destination for international tourists. In this episode, host Tom Dawson speaks to St. Paul's Director of Visitor Experience, Sandra Lynes Timbrell.After a tour of the building, Tom and Sandra settle i
Leadership in the Arts with Clore Leadership
Introduction Article: Trapped in Survival Mode: Can we imagine it different? By Moira Sinclair, Chair of Clore LeadershipClore Leadership's World of Work websiteImagine it Different reportReframing the World of Work report
The podcast for the Cultural Sector.The Arts & Culture podcast delivers best-in-class thought leadership, with industry heavy hitters and crucial sector-defining topics, goi
Ticketing & Dynamic Pricing (Industry Expert Panel)
Dynamic pricing has been making headlines for the wrong reasons with the recent release of Oasis tickets. Before that, Taylor Swift was breaking records in terms of ticket prices. It's a good time to talk ticketing.In this episode we discuss everything from what dynamic pricing actually is (and isn't)... to upselling, audience perception, value-adding, demand management, potential new legislation,
Creativity and Commercialism: The Wonderful World of Little Angel Theatre (with Conall Borowski)
Head of Commercial Development Conall Borowski introduces host Tom Dawson to Little Angel's resourceful and strategic way of operating commercially and creatively.From a unique birthday party product developed during the pandemic, to insightful thoughts on how best to use staff and freelancers, this conversation is full of considered strategy and useful approaches honed through the need to be crea
Interpreting 900 Years of History (with Stephen Preston, St Giles' Cathedral)
In this episode, Tom Dawson, Director of Digital at the Association for Cultural Enterprises, interviews Stephen Preston, Deputy Head of Heritage and Culture at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.Celebrating the cathedral's 900th anniversary, they discuss the cathedral's importance to the city, and how it manages challenges both ancient and modern. They explore various topics including the cathedral's
Best Of The Arts & Culture Podcast (so far...)
This episode features highlights from:Maximising Visitor Experience (with Rachel Mackay at Hampton Court Palace)Small Museum Big Impact (with Steve Gardam at the Roald Dahl Museum)Starting From Scratch (with Amy Akino-Wittering at Young V&A)Preserving A National Treasure (with Rebecca Hossain at Sir John Soane's Museum)Local Government Arts Funding Crisis (with Stephanie Sirr, Zak Mensah and Cllr
How To Strategise Long-Term (with Paul Gray, The National Gallery)
The National Gallery is one of the highest profile cultural venues in the UK, with a commanding location in London's Trafalgar Square. It's just turned 200 years old, a sign of its importance to national heritage and identity... and a chance for it to celebrate with a national on-the-road outreach programme and a series of capital works that will update and improve key parts of its offer to the pu
Visitor Behaviour (with Liza Leonard, Dean Graham & James Duckworth)
There is both survey-based and anecdotal evidence to suggest that visitors to arts and cultural venues such as theatres, museums, galleries and heritage sites behave in a different way than they did, say, 20 years ago. The pandemic may have played a part and some people point to the rise of smartphones and social media. What's really happening and what are the explanations and implications?In thi
Toward a Thriving Cultural Sector (with Melanie Lewis, Chair of the Association for Cultural Enterprises, CEO of Shakespeare North Playhouse)
Melanie Lewis is the new Chair of Trustees for the Association for Cultural Enterprises. She has a brilliant track record within the sector, being named as one of The Stage 100’s Most Influential People of 2024.With Melanie as CEO, Shakespeare North Playhouse has flourished as a hub for creativity, innovation, and community engagement. Her strategic vision has not only elevated the artistic excell
Innovating & Disrupting (with Florence Schechter at The Vagina Museum)
When Florence Schechter looked for a Vagina Museum to help her answer a research question... and found there wasn't one (even though there was a Penis Museum) she decided to make one herself. She had a great idea, an engaged audience and powerful purpose, but she found apathy and a lack of meaningful support from the established existing museum sector.Undeterred, Florence found a way. By harnessin
Local Government Arts Funding Crisis (with Stephanie Sirr, Zak Mensah and Cllr Liz Green)
The country-wide economic squeeze has hit the arts and culture sector hard. Local governments - under pressure to save money - are making cuts to their support for local arts organisations, sometimes removing funding completely.Why are we in this situation and what can be done to make positive progress?Host Tom Dawson is joined by three expert guests to understand the context and try to come up w
Preserving A National Treasure (with Rebecca Hossain at Sir John Soane's Museum)
Sir John Soane was one of the world's most famous neo-classical architects. He built and lived in a house in London which, when he died, he left to the nation. The result is a house museum that has National Museum status and - according to the terms in Sir John's will - has been kept as it was at the time of his death in 1837. Rebecca Hossain is Director of Commercial and Operations.The museum di
Starting From Scratch (with Amy Akino-Wittering at Young V&A)
Young V&A is a museum for children and young people. It's located on the site of the former Museum of Childhood but re-launched under a new brand and with a complete re-imagining in July 2023.Amy Akino-Wittering (Head of Operations and Commercial at Young V&A) runs the day-to-day operation of the museum and played a key leadership role in its planning, design and launch. In this episode she share
Small Museum Big Impact (with Steve Gardam at The Roald Dahl Museum)
The Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre is a tiny site... with a big name above the door. Roald Dahl is one of the world's most famous authors and his stories and characters have inspired generations of children and adults alike. Museum Director Steve Gardam shows Tom Dawson (Association For Cultural Enterprises) around, then explains how physical size does not have to be a limitation on the vision o
Maximising Visitor Experience (with Rachel Mackay at Hampton Court Palace)
Rachel Mackay is Head of Hampton Court Palace - an incredible job title with a fantastic bonus included... she gets to live in a Royal Palace. It's not quite as fairytale glamorous as it sounds, but the role, and the Palace itself, provide Rachel with one of the most intriguing and rewarding roles within the cultural sector. What better place and person to start this new podcast from the Associati
Arts & Culture Trailer
Tom Dykes from The Association for Cultural Enterprises welcomes you to a new podcast - Arts & Culture. Coming soon... The podcast for the Cultural Sector.
The Arts & Culture podcast delivers best-in-class thought leadership,
with industry heavy hitters and crucial sector-defining topics, going
behind the scenes at the UK's museums, galleries and heritage sites.
Host Tom Dawson is COO for the A
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