Best Jonathan Alger Podcasts (2024)

1
The Money Pie Chart, with Amy Kaufman 51:52

18d ago51:52

51:52

How do new museums make money — really? 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…

1
Circus Lessons for Museum Professionals, with Jennifer Lemmer Posey 50:12

1M ago50:12

50:12

What’s the role of wonder in experience design? What can the circus teach us to make our exhibitions better? (Spoiler alert: a lot.) Could being “with it and for it” be the secret to success for museum projects? How much technology is too much? Can we really design for all five senses? Can an exhibition be a high-wire act — literally? Jennifer Lemm…

1
Beyond “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, with David Franke 57:18

1M ago57:18

57:18

Do museum stores actually make any money? What are they really for? Can a store act like an exhibition? What does “cap rate” mean? How big should a museum store be? What percentage of visitors go into one, and how many of them buy something? Why should you get an expert to design your store, and what happens when you don’t? David Franke (museum sto…

1
An Economic Planner's Advice to Museums, with James Stevens 49:00

2M ago49:00

49:00

Why is economic planning so vital to any new museum project? 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 …

1
A Guitar That Teaches Civil Rights, with Michele Y. Smith 44:04

3M ago44:04

44:04

What is the “humanities gap” — and why is it a huge opportunity for museums? Why can’t everybody be a philanthropist for the day? What does “cultural literacy” mean, and how can it unlock new approaches to the collections we put on display? Why could a shortfall in humanities funding suggest new ways for museums to be relevant? Why shouldn’t a muse…

1
The Questions You Have to Ask Before the Project, with Carolynne Harris (Remastered April 2024) 34:54

3M ago34:54

34:54

We might think a design concept is the first step — but it’s not. What do you need to ask yourself, before you even start? What does your community want from your new museum, and how can you find out? What happens when you have funding for 10 staff, but you design a museum that will take 25 staff to operate? What’s more important, the cost of creat…

1
Rethinking Climate Control in Museums, with Roger Chang 50:09

3M ago50:09

50:09

Why is “70/50” the gold standard? Should it be? Who decided? Does every gallery really need to be 70 degrees, plus/minus two? Does every storage space really need to be 50% humidity, plus/minus five? Is that a reasonable goal for most museums? At what cost? What’s the difference between “AA” climate control, and just “A”? How much energy could we a…

1
Embracing Chaos, with Jon Maass 59:26

3M ago59:26

59:26

What if chaos in cultural projects is something to embrace, not fear? 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, ra…

1
The New Louis Armstrong Center, with Regina Bain and Sara Caples 46:21

3M ago46:21

46:21

What’s the secret to success, when a project lasts years longer than planned? What keeps us going when our work takes more time? How does the subject matter of a project relate to the form of a project? Why should we be thinking equally about the budget for what happens after a project opens? What is the “architecture of delight”? Why do “reverbera…

1
Flourishing in Museums (New Book), with Dr. Kiersten F. Latham and Professor Brenda Cowan 55:26

5M ago55:26

55:26

What is a “growth mindset” — and why is it more important than ever for our industry? What happens when we combine museology with the fast-growing field of positive psychology? How do exhibition teams get through projects with tough subject matter? Why should we always “put our own oxygen mask on first”? What’s the opposite of love (hint: not hate)…

1
The Real Bilbao Effect, with Andy Klemmer 58:41

5M ago58:41

58:41

Can an eye-catching museum revitalize a city? The answer might surprise you. Getting the right designer is vital. If you don’t like a painting you can put it away, but if you don’t like a building, you can’t take it down. Why is it important to have the goals of a complex museum project fit in a mantra of a few words? What comes first in museum arc…

1
Raising the Voices of People of Color in Museums and Exhibitions, with Sierra Van Ryck deGroot and Jinelle Thompson 1:08:31

5M ago1:08:31

1:08:31

How can we raise the voices of people of color in museums and exhibitions — and what stands in the way? What is Museum Hue? What constitutes a sustainable museum job, a sustainable career? What percentage of staff at museums are folks of color, and what roles do they have? What do we see happening in the exhibitions that museums create? Many cultur…

1
The Near Future of Experience Design, with Neil Redding 1:00:39

5M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

What do technologies like the Apple Vision Pro mean for exhibitions and experiences? For people who create cultural destinations, the pace of technology has now become so fast it’s hard to keep up. AR, VR, AI. What’s happening in the “near future” of the technologies that will define our field for years to come? What is spatial computing? Are proje…

1
Assembling a Collaborative Project Team, with Beth Van Why 1:06:11

6M ago1:06:11

1:06:11

Great projects happen because of great teams. But how do you build that team in the first place? Who should a museum hire first, to start a major project? How do you decide whether internal staff should run a big project, or if you need help from outside? Should you hire an architect before you hire an exhibition designer, or vice versa? Who else d…

1
5 Secrets of Digital Experience Design, with Patrick Snee 57:40

6M ago57:40

57:40

How can we make digital experiences work for all visitors — whether kids or grandparents? Hint: it has to do with recognizing “diverse digital literacies.” When should you bring in a creative technologist? Why should you aim for the strong verbs? What is “sneaky attract mode”? How do you do paper prototyping? Are a lot of digital experiences in mus…

1
Start With "Who's It For?", with Liza Rawson 1:13:26

6M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

What’s the very first question we should ask — before we start our projects? Should we start designing … by designing? How do we make sure we understand our audience, before we start making experiences for them? Why is prototyping so important? How many of our ideas should we expect to survive the creative process? And what does microbiology art ha…

1
Museum Research: Big Data Meets Thick Data, with Elena Kazlas and Adaheid Mestad 1:04:39

7M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

Cultural projects should be data-driven — but which *kind* of data? What’s the difference between the “big data” we all know — and “thick data”? Which is more important? (Hint: trick question.) What does cell phone data have to do with sculpture gardens? What’s a “two-hour ring”? What if we just recorded visitors narrating their entire experience —…

1
How to Build a Museum, with David Greenbaum, FAIA 57:00

8M ago57:00

57:00

What if there were just five important things to remember when you build a museum? What if the most important one of them all — had nothing to do with architecture? Which costs more in the end: building the museum, or operating the building? (The answer might surprise you.) Is it better to be bold, or to be subtle? What’s the difference between how…

1
Experiential Tech Insights, with Will Bullins 1:07:12

8M ago1:07:12

1:07:12

What’s the #1 thing to know about experiential technology? How long do LED walls last? (The answer will surprise you.) Is a project done when it opens, or are growing pains normal? What happens when you use technology just to have technology? What’s an “integrator”? Is sustainability a thing in experiential tech? How? What missteps waste money, rui…

1
"Rapid Experience Design", with Clare Brown 1:01:27

9M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

What if there were a better way? Are the normal exhibition planning and design methods actually way too risky — and is there a way to “de-risk” them? Are our concepts not good enough, because we’re not developing enough of them, fast enough? What would happen if we merged effective web techniques like “Agile” with established physical development p…

1
DEAI: Meeting ADA Standards Isn’t Enough, with Beth Ziebarth & Jan Majewski 1:08:06

10M ago1:08:06

1:08:06

What’s the A in DEAI, and why are the ADA guidelines not enough anymore? What’s intersectionality? What’s a “user expert”? If ADA isn’t our goal, what comes after? This is a must-listen episode, featuring two of the most important voices in museum accessibility today. Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by Beth Ziebarth (Smith…

1
"Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook", with Dr. Dori Tunstall 1:09:06

10M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

How can exhibition teams help to decolonize design? What are the pitfalls cultural organizations should watch out for in their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives? What’s a supertoken and why are cluster hires a better strategy? And what does it mean to approach the process indigenous-first? The new book, “Decolonizing Design: A Cult…

1
The Visitor Engagement Lifecycle, with Samir Bitar 1:09:34

12M ago1:09:34

1:09:34

What if the best way to market an exhibition — wasn't marketing? What do we need to do better to help visitors find us in the first place? When they do, how do we engage them? When visitors arrive at our institutions, do they know where to go? What happens to the visitor's experience when we haven't thought enough about the restrooms, the stairs, o…

1
Learning from "Matters of Experience", with Abigail Honor and Brenda Cowan 59:02

12M ago59:02

59:02

Three podcast hosts join forces in a single show to discuss the latest in experience design. It’s a fast-paced three-way session covering half a dozen broad themes, and countless smaller ones. What are we hearing out there? How can we apply it to the work of cultural institutions? Is the biggest creative trend of them all the resurgence of … empath…

1
Behind the Scenes at "Exhibition" Journal, with Ian Kerrigan 1:00:40

1y ago1:00:40

1:00:40

What if there were a high-quality, peer-reviewed journal for the whole exhibition community? What if it featured the leading organizations, practitioners and ideas that shape the whole industry? What if back issues for the past 30 years were available — for free to see online, right now? “Exhibition,” the Journal of Exhibition Theory & Practice, pu…

1
We Are All Temporarily Enabled, with Phillip Tiongson 42:25

1y ago42:25

42:25

What if accessible design was for everybody, starting with … ourselves? What if we are all only temporarily enabled? How can a broader philosophy of access benefit every visitor? What does a WWII veteran have in common with a mom carrying a baby? Could TikTok and the rise of “quiet social media” teach us something we missed? Phillip Tiongson (Potio…

1
8 Principles of Traveling Exhibitions, with Carol Bossert 59:11

1y ago59:11

59:11

What is this thing we call a traveling exhibition? Do they make money? Are traveling exhibitions the same as temporary ones? How can anyone plan a project for a space they’ll never see? Carol Bossert (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service / Smithsonian Affiliations) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to reveal the “8 Principles…

1
From Leading Designer to Leading a Nonprofit, with Cybelle Jones 56:51

1y ago56:51

56:51

It’s a rare moment when a leading designer swaps jobs to lead a nonprofit member organization. And then has to lead that organization through a global pandemic. What unique insights does an experience like that give you — and what can we all learn from it? Cybelle Jones (CEO of SEGD), joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to discuss what she’s l…

1
Black Belt Cost Control Tips, with Jonathan Alger 27:28

1y ago27:28

27:28

(P.S. Will you be at AAM in Denver? Drop a line if you’d like to catch up there, or see if we can find Phil & Monique at the grab-and-go café.) If a project is over budget, who does the cutting? How early should you estimate costs on a project? What should you do with expensive suggestions? How do you make your own cost estimate? Host Jonathan Alge…

1
A Museum is a Business, with Kris Collins 35:14

1y ago35:14

35:14

What’s it really cost to build a museum? How can we find out if a project is financially viable — before we start? What are the most common ways museum projects get in financial trouble? Kris Collins, Managing Director of the Cultural practice group for MGAC, joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to discuss “A Museum is a Business”. Along the wa…

1
Secrets of Complex Cultural Project Management, with Beth Van Why 55:17

1y ago55:17

55:17

How do you keep a huge cultural project on track? How do you guess the future? What’s a contingency — and why is it the difference between success and failure? Project manager Beth Van Why (Becker & Frondorf) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to reveal the Secrets of Complex Cultural Project Management. Along the way: recovering architects, …

1
Sneak Peek at the Upcoming “Exhibition and Experience Design Handbook”, with Tim McNeil 55:20

1y ago55:20

55:20

What are “streakers, strollers and studiers”? How can we plan better projects using the “attract, reveal, reward” system? What’s a “wunderkammer”? What can we expect in the upcoming “Exhibition and Experience Design Handbook”? Professor, designer, and museum director Tim McNeil (UC Davis) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to preview his upco…

1
L.A.T.C.H. - The Five Ways to Organize Any Content (The Podcast) 35:08

1+ y ago35:08

35:08

What’s the best way to organize the content in our experiences? What tricks are we forgetting to try? And what if you learned there were five ways to do it — and only five? Host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) does a solo show on “L.A.T.C.H.”, the framework proposed by TED founder Richard Saul Wurman, where there are just five ways to organize any ki…

1
8 Ways to Be “Phygital”, with Alin Tocmacov 1:03:44

1+ y ago1:03:44

1:03:44

Is everything “phygital”? Are all our projects now neither physical nor digital, but both? How can a “phygital mindset” lead to better experience design? Exhibition designer and “phygital architect” Alin Tocmacov joins host Jonathan Alger (both partners at C&G Partners) to hash out some key principles, in “8 Ways to Be Phygital”. Stops along the wa…

1
Revealing the Story with Light, with Steven Rosen and Ted Mather 57:30

1+ y ago57:30

57:30

Is lighting art or science? If you’re a curator tasked with lighting design, where do you start? Is lighting about light, or about shadows? If an exhibit ain't lit, is it there? When is a lighting designer's job actually about not lighting things? Lighting designers Steven Rosen and Ted Mather (Available Light) join host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partner…

1
Secrets of Creative Collaboration, with Trent Oliver 47:32

1+ y ago47:32

47:32

How do we keep cultural projects from going off the rails, without sacrificing creativity? It’s not impossible. In fact, there are some simple secrets to unlock the process. (Except now they won’t be secrets anymore.) Media design expert Trent Oliver joins host Jonathan Alger on Making the Museum, the podcast, to discuss the Secrets of Creative Col…

1
Six Provocative Questions, with Matt Kirchman 51:57

1+ y ago51:57

51:57

Do exhibits really teach? Do they really present big stories well? Is personalization really a must? Are exhibits getting ... better? Interpretive planner and designer Matt Kirchman joins me on the podcast to debate Six Provocative Questions. Listen in and see what your own answer is to each. But buckle your seat belts — these are called provocativ…

1
Prototyping With ELVIS, with Paul Orselli 47:34

1+ y ago47:34

47:34

Prototyping saves projects money and time, every time. But how do you do it right? Exhibition designer and prototyping expert Paul Orselli joins me to discuss his proven system: Prototyping with ELVIS. Guest Bio: Paul Orselli, POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop) For over 40 years, Paul Orselli has worked to create inventive and playful museums and exhibit…

1
Senator Ann Millner - Building On What You've Already Completed 21:15

1+ y ago21:15

21:15

Utah State Senator Ann Millner is intensely focused on improving Utah through education and workforce development. She is a Regents Professor of Health Administration and former President at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. A proponent of flexible certifications and pathways in higher education, Senator Millner shares more about what Dual Mis…

1
Five Questions Fabricators Always Hear, with Cathlin Bradley 38:09

1+ y ago38:09

38:09

Exhibit fabrication expert Cathlin Bradley joins host Jonathan Alger to discuss the Five Questions Fabricators Always Hear. Guest Bio: Cathlin Bradley has worked in the museum industry for nearly 20 years, holding a variety of roles in museums and the firms that serve them. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of…

1
Six Secrets of Exhibit Technology, with Tony Warner & Bryan Abelowitz 42:41

1+ y ago42:41

42:41

Audio visual technology experts Tony Warner and Bryan Abelowitz join Jonathan Alger to discuss the Six Secrets of Exhibit Technology. Guest Bio: Tony Warner, CTS-D, LEED AP, CDT, President, Phase Shift Consulting Tony leverages decades of project experience and industry service. Having co-managed a technology practice within a top-five global desig…

1
President Jonathan Alger - Everybody Sees Diversity and Inclusion As Part of Their Job. 30:43

1+ y ago30:43

30:43

With a legal background steeped in higher education and diversity, President Jonathan Alger of James Madison University quickly learned his passion was in combining the three fields. As he says in this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: "I've always been interested in using education and knowledge to make a difference in the world. That's wh…

1
Dr. David M. Mellott - An Instrument of Justice in the Wider Community 35:28

1+ y ago35:28

35:28

Dr. David Mellott is the head of Christian Theological Seminary, a unique institution with a series of core values upon which their mission is focused. Not just from the perspective of training clergy, but Dr. Mellott and CTS are focused on teaching the values of human dignity, justice, diversity to their students and impacting real and lasting cha…

1
Dr. J.P. Barfield - Accessibility for All Student-Athletes 25:18

1+ y ago25:18

25:18

With a unique topic not often addressed in conversations in collegiate sports, today we discuss the disability sports communities and the importance of bringing those communities and student-athletes within the umbrella of formal college athletic departments. Our guest is Dr. J. P. Barfield. With over 25 years of experience in the adaptive physical…

1
Dr. Gregory Washington - Finding the Right Paths and Highlighting Those Paths For Others 27:36

1+ y ago27:36

27:36

Dr. Gregory Washington, President of George Mason University, could not have imagined during his childhood that he would have the experiences and opportunities that would lead him to now be the President of GMU, one of the largest public universities in the country. What he has seen, while reflecting on his youth, are the ways in which pathways wer…

1
Dr. Marc Parlange - Investment In Higher Education Is An Investment Into Our Future Communities 25:16

1+ y ago25:16

25:16

The University of Rhode Island, while located in a small state, has a tremendous amount of impact in the local communities and even state-wide. In building coalitions and partnerships with local, state and federal officials, Dr. Parlange has been able to create great champions for the work that URI is doing to better the citizens of the state and e…

1
Stevie Baker-Watson - Putting Yourself At The Table and Using Your Leadership To Build Relationships 27:09

1+ y ago27:09

27:09

A woman of many hats and many committees and many responsibilities, Stevie Baker-Watson, Associate Vice President for Student Wellness and Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports at DePauw University, is still focused on the individual and building relationships. In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-At…

1
Dr. Jim Henderson - Leveraging Individual Excellence Towards Collective Good 26:07

1+ y ago26:07

26:07

Higher education institutions face many of the same challenges, but often work alone in finding solutions. In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream, Dr. James Henderson, President of the University of Louisiana System, shares several programs and specific experiences where the UL System (a public, nine campus university system) has been abl…

1
Mike Kinnison - Education Is A Game Changer 20:38

1+ y ago20:38

20:38

Director of Athletics, Mike Kinnison, embodies Delta State University athletics and the family environment. At DSU for over 40 years as a student-athlete, teacher, coach and now Athletic Director, he has had astounding success on the fields (particularly in baseball). More importantly his pride lies in the exponential positive influence on thousand…

1
President Geoffrey S. Mearns - Changing The World By Changing Our Communities 23:44

1+ y ago23:44

23:44

President Geoffrey S. Mearns has a unique and exciting history: a student-athelete preparing to compete in Olympic trials, a trial lawyer and prosecutor in high profile cases and now 17th President of Ball State University. President Mearns shares how those experiences prepared him for leadership in higher education and the inspirational stories th…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Jonathan Alger Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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