Best Edinburgh International Book Festival Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 053 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #11 - Patreon's CEO on the "Future of Creativity on the Web", the demise of Deviantart and what this tells us about the wider internet, and an analysis of a tweet about ... 15:49

3d ago15:49

15:49

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 ar…

1
Episode 052 - Kate Carter (Edinburgh International Festival) on experiments with the audience experience 43:56

1M ago43:56

43:56

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. You can now buy Catchup Passes to watch recordings from the first Digital Works Conference. Passes cost £75 and …

1
Episode 051 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #10 - reflecting on key themes at this year's Digital Works Conference - asking the right questions, understanding audiences, focusing on accessibility, and learning from ... 22:25

1M ago22:25

22:25

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,…

1
Episode 050 - Adam Stoneman (Muse-Tech Ireland) on the implications for the cultural sector of emerging technologies and the need for robust critical engagement with the opportunities and challenges these ... 42:10

2M ago42:10

42:10

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: …

1
Episode 049 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #9 - a conversation about digital media trends in 2024, museums joining the fediverse, attention metrics at the New York Times, and a creative use of AI 19:13

2M ago19:13

19:13

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 report Aaron Cope's blog post on how the SFO Museum is navigating the Fediverse W…

1
Episode 048 - Dr Brett Ashley Crawford and Paul Hansen on their new book 'Raising the Curtain. Technology Success Stories from Performing Arts Leaders and Artists' 50:07

3M ago50:07

50:07

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 in…

1
Episode 047 - Ash, Bytes #8 - Hilary Knight, Seb Chan, and Aled John on looking forward to the Digital Works Conference 21:01

3M ago21:01

21:01

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…

1
Episode 046 - Michal Čudrnák (Slovak National Gallery) on building in-house teams, public-private partnerships, sector support, and the role digital can play in enhancing the in-person experience 39:55

4M ago39:55

39:55

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 cu…

1
Episode 045 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #7 - a conversation about advances and problems with AI, YouTube CEO's predictions for 2024, and shifts in how the web is monetised 20:51

4M ago20:51

20:51

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 …

1
Episode 044 - Samantha King (VIVE Arts) on the conditions required for good work to happen, the financial and operational realities of creating immersive experiences, and how artistic and technology teams ... 49:14

4M ago49:14

49:14

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 lon…

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Episode 043 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #6 - a conversation about platform ethics, highlighting the work of the National Gallery, and looking at the failed collab between Punchdrunk and Niantic 18:20

5M ago18:20

18:20

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, an…

1
Episode 042 - Stuart Buchanan (Sydney Opera House) on digital teams, international collaborations, reaching new audiences, experimentation, rights and IP, and artistic applications of AI 53:44

5M ago53:44

53:44

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 challeng…

1
Episode 041 - Haydn Corrodus on unleashing Social Media's potential for cultural organisations, the value of story-telling, understanding your audience, and being thoughtful about how you're showing up ... 43:16

6M ago43:16

43:16

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 Network Haydn brings rich insights into the fragmented and ever-evolving world of social media, and its potential for storytelling, connectin…

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Episode 040 - Bytes #5, Ash and Katie reflect on 2023 looking at declining attention spans, AI challenges, shifts in where users are spending their time online, and some attempts at predicting priorities ... 43:15

7M ago43:15

43:15

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 blizz…

1
Episode 039 - Dr Carrie Goucher on meeting culture, the role of psychological safety, advice on how to improve the effectiveness of your meetings, and building trust in teams 42:49

7M ago42:49

42:49

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 age…

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Episode 038 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #4 - exploring 50 years of the internet, the ChatGPT store (and associated soap opera), the death of the social internet, and a polemic about SEO 23:41

8M ago23:41

23:41

The fourth in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie discuss 3 (actually 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 November 10th. We talk about: Internet Artifacts This TechCrunch article "App Store for AI: OpenAI’s GPT Store lets you build (and m…

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Episode 037 - Zoe Williams (Vagina Museum) on crowdfunding, owning your niche, building a community, dealing with censorship, ignoring the trolls, and having a sense of humour 38:32

8M ago38:32

38:32

A chat with Zoe Williams, the Head of Communications and Fundraising at the Vagina Museum in London. We discuss their successful recent crowdfunding campaign, we also explore how they've harnessed the power of digital platforms to reach a global audience, built a robust community online, and how they’ve carved out their niche in the digital sphere.…

1
Episode 036 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #3 - Exploring Twitter's transformation (/disintegration), Advances in AI, and the new Web Accessibility guidelines 17:34

8M ago17:34

17:34

The third 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 October 20th. We talk about: "The Moral Case for No Longer Engaging With Elon Musk’s X" by Dave Lee ChatGPT can now see, hear, and speak The relea…

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Episode 035 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #2 on the end of the Googleverse, using AI to mod games, and digital budgeting 16:35

9M ago16:35

16:35

The second 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 September 22nd. We talk about: The End of the Googleverse - Ryan Broderick Skyrim Mod Uses AI to Give NPCs Memories - Marc Keever How to understa…

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Episode 034 - George Montagu (FT Strategies) on getting to 1 million digital subscribers, creating meaningful metrics, and working with NT at Home 38:42

9M ago38:42

38:42

A conversation with George Montagu, Head of Insights at FT Strategies. FT Strategies is the consulting arm of the Financial Times. George and I talk about the shift from print to digital at the Financial Times and the related shift from ad to subscriber revenue, how leadership at the FT galvanised the entire organisation around a single goal (getti…

1
Episode 033 - Ash & Katie, Bytes #1 on Twitter's demise, ChatGPT's lies, and some research into social activity 22:43

10M ago22:43

22:43

The first in our new series, Bytes, where Ash and Katie will be discussing 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 August 29th. We talk about: 'How to Blow Up a Timeline' - Eugene Wei ' We need to tell people ChatGPT will lie to them, not debate ling…

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Episode 032 - Fran Sanderson (Nesta) on shifting how they support the arts, what effective funding looks like, and thinking differently about value and risk 33:26

10M ago33:26

33:26

A conversation with Fran Sanderson, Director of Arts Programmes and Investments at Nesta (which was originally set up in 1998 as the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts). Fran is in the process of exploring a major shift in the way Nesta goes about making investments in the arts. We discuss the funding landscape for culture in …

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Episode 031 - Seb Chan (ACMI) on the power of 'digital imagination', the importance of experience-focused roles in museums, and understanding the importance of capital in predicting the future 1:16:27

11M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

An incredibly wide-ranging conversation with Seb Chan, CEO and Director of ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image). Seb talks about his background in community radio, 'looking under the hood' of the early internet, the importance of experience-focused roles in museums, the power of cultural leaders developing a 'digital imagination', understa…

1
Episode 030 - Fiona Morris (The Space) on what makes a successful digital project, the importance of digital skills, and the meaninglessness of the word 'digital' 54:54

1+ y ago54:54

54:54

A conversation with CEO and Creative Director of The Space, Fiona Morris. The Space was founded in 2013 by Arts Council England and the BBC and is now an independent not-for-profit organisation. The Space's primary goal is to enable the arts, culture and heritage sector to engage audiences using digital and broadcast content and platforms. Over the…

1
Episode 029 - Maaike Verberk (DEN) on digital transformation, the importance of new ideas, understanding your audience, and the traits of digitally confident organisations 45:05

1+ y ago45:05

45:05

A chat with Maaike Verberk, Managing Director of DEN, the Dutch Knowledge Institute for Culture & Digital Transformation. We talked about digital transformation, the importance of being open to new ideas, the value of really understanding your audiences, the traits of organisations where good digital stuff is happening, and loads more. You can now …

1
Episode 028 - Hilary Knight (AEA) on the importance of team culture, the value of being entertaining, and the strategic role of digital 48:51

1+ y ago48:51

48:51

A great chat with Hilary Knight. We talk about the importance of team culture, the value of trying to be entertaining, the rigidity of the career paths into leadership positions in the cultural sector, the strategic importance of digital ambition, and loads more. Hilary is a Senior Consultant at AEA Consulting and is the former Director of Digital …

1
Episode 027 - Dr Richard Misek (University of Kent) on his research into digital culture during the pandemic, the economics of digital activity, and the access benefits of digital 48:00

1+ y ago48:00

48:00

Dr Richard Misek is a Senior Lecturer in Film, School of Arts at the University of Kent. He is a film-maker and researcher, and was the Principal Investigator on the Arts and Humanities Research Council project, ‘Digital Access to Arts and Culture Beyond COVID-19’, in partnership with Arts Council England and digital arts agency The Space. It's thr…

1
Episode 026 - Nick Sherrard (Label Ventures) on experimentation and innovation, risk models, new approaches to partnership, and why some organisations might deserve to die 51:24

1+ y ago51:24

51:24

A conversation with Nick Sherrard about experimentation and innovation. Nick is a Partner at Label Ventures, which is a venture studio in Edinburgh. Nick has held a number innovation and strategy-focused roles in the commercial sector as well as production and administration-focused roles in the cultural sector. We talk about risk models, nurturing…

1
Episode 025 - Kati Price (V&A) reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on digital thinking, teams, and hiring, the importance of leadership, and being excited about the future 40:53

1+ y ago40:53

40:53

Our first returning guest! Another brilliant conversation with Kati Price. Kati is Head of Digital Media and Publishing at Victoria and Albert Museum in London and was one of the first guests I had on the podcast back in early 2020 (that chat is now our most listened-to episode). We reflect on the turmoil (and progress) of the last two years, the i…

1
Episode 024 - Nicholas Triantafyllou (National Theatre) on the importance of collaboration, what good leadership looks like, and the origins of NT at Home 44:27

2y ago44:27

44:27

A lovely chat with Nicholas Triantafyllou. Nicholas is the Director of Information Technology at the National Theatre and has previously held technology and systems-focused leadership roles at the Southbank Centre and the Barbican. We explored the importance of collaboration, what good leadership looks like, the challenge of getting things done in …

1
Episode 023 - Annette Mees (Audience Labs) on technology in cultural experiences, and hyper-reality opera 54:28

2y ago54:28

54:28

A conversation with Annette Mees, Annette is an award-winning artistic director, creative producer and cultural strategist. Annette used to be Artistic Director of Coney (an award-winning company of adventure and play which put the audience at the centre of every experience), she ran Audience Labs at the Royal Opera House. She is currently Artistic…

1
Episode 022 - Stuart Buchanan (Sydney Opera House) on new ways of engaging with artists, institutional dynamics, and responding to the pandemic 52:46

2y ago52:46

52:46

Back after a bit of a break with a chat with the Sydney Opera House's Head of Digital Programming, Stuart Buchanan. We chat rave culture, the Royal Court Theatre's website in the 1990s, employing digital to explore new ways of engaging with artists, wrangling institutional dynamics, responses to the pandemic and loads more. Stuart has worked with o…

1
Episode 021 - Patrick Fox (Heart of Glass) on digital adoption, serendipity, and the digital divide 48:25

2+ y ago48:25

48:25

In this episode we chat with Heart Of Glass CEO, Patrick Fox. Heart Of Glass are a St Helens, Merseyside-based collaborative and social arts agency. They work "with artists and community groups, young people, asylum seekers and refugees, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, older people and communities of all kinds" to "support each other – and learn fr…

1
Episode 020 - Drew Graham (Barclays) on the similarities betwee the banking and cultural sectors, leadership, digital transformation, and the pace of change 1:13:40

3y ago1:13:40

1:13:40

A really enjoyable chat with my pal, Drew. We compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the banking and cultural sectors. Drew in his own words is "a serial entrepreneur turned banker; a sheep in wolf’s clothing. He recently left Barclays where he was Director of Digital Strategy since 2019. He was previously the Head of Platfor…

1
Episode 019 - Simon Baker (Wise Children) on taking a DIY approach to digital, the potential of audio for storytelling, and understanding signal flow 52:20

3y ago52:20

52:20

A lovely chat with Wise Children's Technical Director, Simon Baker. We talk about Simon's career, the DIY approach that Wise Children have taken to their digital activity, why the "bodge it" skills you learn doing audio are useful in a digital context, the potential of audio experiences for storytelling, understanding signal flow, and loads more. Y…

1
Episode 018 - Eva Liparova on remote creative teams, technologists and theatre practitioners working together, and designing your audience experience 56:04

3y ago56:04

56:04

We're back! A conversation with theatre producer and digital product manager, Eva Liparova about the 'hyper reality opera experience' that she worked on with the Royal Opera House last year. This was a fascinating conversation which explored remote creative teams, technologists and theatre practitioners working together, creative uses of new techno…

1
Episode 017 - Robin Cantrill-Fenwick (Baker Richards) on pricing and distributing digital activity, segmentation models, and consumer psychology 1:03:01

3+ y ago1:03:01

1:03:01

We sit down with Robin Cantrill-Fenwick, CEO of Baker Richards, to discuss the findings of their Culture Restart audience sentiment tracker. We explore how audiences are feeling about returning to in-person cultural experiences (whenever that may be), emerging insights around pricing and distribution of digital content, segmentation models, and con…

1
Episode 016 - Matt Locke (Storythings) on remote audiences, attention patterns, formats, and shifts in behaviour 54:56

3+ y ago54:56

54:56

A conversation with one of the Directors of Storythings, Matt Locke. We discuss digital audiences, attention patterns, formats, shifts in behaviour, and loads more. Matt has held senior positions at Channel 4 and the BBC, been a curator of a gallery, set up and run digital art programmes, and attend Glasgow School of Art in the early 90s. He has a …

1
Episode 015 - Dr Kirsty Sedgman (University of Bristol) on audience experience, theatre etiquette, excluded audiences, and the democratising potential of digital 42:52

3+ y ago42:52

42:52

In this episode I speak with award-winning cultural studies scholar, Dr Kirsty Sedgman. We talk about the audience experience - particularly within a digital context, theatre etiquette campaigns, excluded audiences, the democratising potential of digital, and how we understand the 'value' of cultural experiences. You can now buy Catchup Passes to w…

1
Episode 014 - Ankur Bahl (Sadler's Wells) on structuring digital teams, spending time on storytelling, choosing the right platforms, and audience responses to digital programming 37:44

3+ y ago37:44

37:44

A conversation with Sadler's Wells' Head of Content & Audiences, Ankur Bahl. We chat about structuring digital teams, spending time focusing on storytelling, choosing the right content approach for each platform, the initiatives Sadler's Wells has tried during lockdown (and how audiences responded), and their plans for the future. You can now buy C…

1
Episode 013 - Linda Spurdle (Birmingham Museums Trust) on opening up access to their collection images, and working with Cold War Steve 48:31

4y ago48:31

48:31

We sit down with Linda Spurdle, Digital Development Manager at Birmingham Museums Trust to talk about their recent Cut, Copy, Remix project which came about after they opened up access to their image library. The Cut, Copy, Remix project saw them working with artists including Cold War Steve, the Black Hole Club to reimagine images from the Museums…

1
Episode 012 - Aled John (Condé Nast) on fostering a culture of innovation, risk taking, and digital subscribers 53:14

4y ago53:14

53:14

Aled is Head of Membership Strategy at Condé Nast and has previously worked at the Guardian and ITN. He also founded the payment solutions startup, PayTogether. We talk about fostering a culture of innovation, risk taking, structuring digital teams, digital businesses and loads more. You can now buy Catchup Passes to watch recordings from the first…

1
Episode 011 - David Collins (Opera North) on digital strategy, keeping audiences engaged, the nature of opera in the 21st century, and clarity of purpose 52:08

4y ago52:08

52:08

We sit down with Opera North's Director of External Affairs, David Collins. We look at how strategic thinking that has been developed over recent years has underpinned how they have used digital to respond to the current crisis, keeping audiences engaged, retaining a connection to local communities, the nature of opera in the 21st century, how the …

1
Episode 010 - Abby Corfan (Donmar Warehouse) on reimagining work for digital delivery, recreating shared experiences, donations, and remote working 54:00

4y ago54:00

54:00

A conversation with the Donmar Warehouse's Director of Marketing, Abby Corfan. We discuss what life has been like at the Donmar during lockdown, our discussions focused mostly on the two big digital productions the Donmar has been involved with; a reworking of Adam Brace's play, Midnight Your Time, and their involvement in the National Theatre's NT…

1
Episode 009 - Hannah Hethmon (Better Lemon Creative Audio) on the history of podcasting in the cultural sector, the elements of a good podcast, and the unique relationship between podcast hosts and listeners ... 1:06:48

4y ago1:06:48

1:06:48

Featuring a conversation with podcast host, producer, consultant and writer, Hannah Hethmon. We look at the history of podcasting in the cultural sector, the elements of a good podcast, how podcasts could (and should) be approached by institutions, the unique relationship that can be achieved between a host and their podcast listeners and loads mor…

1
Episode 008 - Molly Barson and Will Cantler (MCC Theater) on learning how to do digital work, rehearsals in quarantine, the benefits of live chat, and reaching new audiences 54:58

4y ago54:58

54:58

We sit down with MCC Theater's Artistic Director, Will Cantler, and Digital Marketing Manager, Molly Barson, to delve into their recent digital production of Alan Bowne’s Beirut starring Marisa Tomei and Oscar Isaac https://mcctheater.org/tix/beirut-benefit-play-reading/. They speak openly about what they learned working in this way for the first t…

1
Episode 007 - David Burgess (Apollo Fundraising) on the state of digital fundraising, inter-departmental collaboration, the importance of human connection, and behavioural pyschology 54:22

4y ago54:22

54:22

A conversation with cultural fundraising consultant and director of Apollo Fundraising, David Burgess. We talk about the state of digital fundraising in the sector, inter-departmental collaboration, the importance of human connection, behavioural psychology and much more. You can now buy Catchup Passes to watch recordings from the first Digital Wor…

1
Episode 006 - Chris Unitt (One Further) - live - on questioning the sector's surge in digital activity in response to the pandemic 1:22:34

4y ago1:22:34

1:22:34

In this special 'live' recording of the podcast (a Zoom webinar with an audience of around 100 folks from around the world joining us) Ash discusses the sector's recent pivot to digital with One Further's Chris Unitt (https://onefurther.com/about). This conversation came about following Chris's recent blog post https://www.chrisunitt.co.uk/2020/04/…

1
Episode 005 - Louise Cohen (Royal Academy of Arts) on the importance of strategy, and getting institutional buy-in 45:19

4y ago45:19

45:19

A conversation with Louise Cohen, Head of Digital Content & Channels at the Royal Academy of Arts. We talk about the importance of strategy, how to embed strategies across an institution. Louise's background as a journalist, storytelling, the expansion of the RA's digital capacity, the content projects she's proudest of and more. Louise's work on c…

1
Episode 004 - Kati Price (V&A) on how digital teams are structured, leadership, investment, and digital storytelling 51:24

4+ y ago51:24

51:24

A conversation with the Victoria & Albert Museum's Head of Digital, Kati Price. We talk about the elements of digital success, Kati's work researching how digital teams are structured at cultural institutions, digital storytelling, Kati's career to date and much more. You can find more information about Kati and Dafydd's research on the Museums & t…

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