The Art Engager

In this episode, Claire Bown is joined by Laurie Kilgour Walsh, Head of Programs and Learning at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, to explore what it takes to create meaningful, person-centred museum experiences with and for people living with dementia.
Our conversation centres on Artful Moments, a gallery-based, small-group programme for people living with dementia and their care partners. Based at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the programme supports shared experiences, connection, and wellbeing through guided engagement with artworks.
In this episode, we talk about:
What Artful Moments is and how the programme was developed in collaboration with healthcare partners
How assumptions shifted as the work developed, and what has helped sustain the work over time.
What person-centred practice looks like in programme design and in the moment as a facilitator
Planning with care while staying responsive to participants during each session
Why success in this work is understood through connection and wellbeing rather than traditional learning outcomes
What an Artful Moments session looks like in practice, from first communication and arrival to gallery conversations, making activities, and leaving the museum
Why attention to the whole visit experience really matters

A great listen if you are developing or evolving programmes for people living with dementia, or are interested in how dementia-inclusive practice can inform everyday museum engagement and deepen your approach to inclusion, pacing, and person-centred facilitation.
Laurie is also the co-author of Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia, which is discussed throughout the episode.
The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon
Episode Links
Art Gallery of Hamilton website: www.artgalleryofhamilton.com
Artful Moments eLearning site: www.artfulmoments.ca
A link to the book - Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia : https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/artful-moments-9781538195420/
Laurie's two favourite videos from the website:
Janis’s Story https://vimeo.com/801998446/77939bc3d0
Rosemary's story: https://vimeo.com/809930852/fb94d13a5d
Also:
An article about virtual programs (2022) https://www.artgalleryofhamilton.com/artful-moments-fostering/
A lovely review of the website by Dementia Trust (2024):

In this episode, host Claire Bown is joined by Menka Sanghvi, researcher, writer, guide and founder of Just Looking. Menka’s work explores attention through science, culture and creativity, and encourages us to slow down and notice more in our everyday lives.
Together, we talk about why ordinary moments matter, how our attentional filters shape what we see and the social dimension of noticing. We also explore the pull of digital technology, the difference between algorithmic seeing and intentional looking, and how small shifts can help us reclaim our attention.
Whether you work with visitors in museums, guide groups through artworks or simply want to nurture a more spacious way of looking, this conversation offers practical ideas you can apply directly to your facilitation practice (and to your life!).
The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon
Episode Links
Menka is the founder of Just Looking, a global community of people looking at everyday life with slowness and curiosity. She is also the co-author of Your Best Digital Life. Her work invites people to notice more, reflect more and reconnect with both the digital and physical worlds.
Just Looking newsletter
Just Looking’s Instagram
60 Experiments in Looking
Your Best Digital Life
Menka Sanghvi’s website
Show Links
✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager
Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/
Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager

In this special episode created in collaboration with NEMO – the Network of European Museum Organisations, I’m sharing voices and ideas from the 2025 NEMO European Museum Conference ‘Who Cares? Museums, Wellbeing and Resilience’ in Horsens, Denmark.
Recorded during the conference itself in the unique setting of the FÆNGSLET Prison Museum, this episode features eight speakers from across Europe and beyond.
Together, we explore how museums are engaging with wellbeing and care – for their communities, their staff, and the wider world.
You’ll hear from museum professionals, researchers and cultural leaders reflecting on what care looks like in practice – from building organisational resilience to creating spaces for recovery, reflection and connection. The episode weaves together their experiences to to show how museums are finding new ways to care for people and communities.
In this episode
How museums are rethinking their roles in wellbeing and resilience
Practical examples of care-centred work in action
The emotional and organisational challenges of supporting wellbeing
The importance of caring for the people who care for others

Featuring
Julia Pagel (Germany) • Vera Carasso (Netherlands) • Elizabeth Merritt (USA) • Inga Surgunte (Latvia) • Sinéad Rice (Ireland) • Yurii Horpynych (Ukraine) • Roberto Casarotto (Italy) • Dr Nuala Morse (UK)
The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon
Links
NEMO – Network of European Museum Organisations
NEMO 2025 Statement on Museums and Wellbeing
Conference webpage with recordings

✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager
Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/
Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager

In this episode of The Art Engager, I’m talking with Dr Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, Executive Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and a visual neuroscientist whose work explores the intersection of art, perception and leadership.
Zab’s research asks one key question: how does what we see guide our decisions, actions and behaviours? Her work combines neuroscience, visual perception and museum-based learning to show how what we see shapes how we think, communicate and lead.
At Wharton, Zab leads sessions for business executives that bring slow looking and perspective taking together — helping leaders strengthen empathy and communication through shared experiences of looking at art.
We talk about her journey from researching colour and form processing in the brain to designing slow art experiences that build leadership skills. You’ll hear why museums are ideal for practising perspective taking, what happens when groups spend an hour with a single artwork, and how slow looking in dialogue with others fosters deep learning and connection.
We also discuss the neuroscience behind these practices, the ‘no pointing’ rule, and why words like ‘obviously’ can shut down conversation.
This episode offers plenty to think about for anyone interested in how collective looking can enhance empathy, attention and leadership.
The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown.
✨ If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting The Art Engager on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArtEngager
Or pick up a copy of my book, The Art Engager, for step-by-step guidance on creating meaningful, interactive guided experiences https://www.theartengager.com/
Buy it here on Amazon.com: https://tinyurl.com/buytheartengager
Episode Links
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/perspective-taking-brain-hack-can-help-make-better-decisions/
Visual Marketing: A Practical Guide to the Science of Branding https://www.routledge.com/Visual-Marketing-A-Practical-Guide-to-the-Science-of-Branding--Retailing/Kahn-Johnson/p/book/9781032731322
Dr Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-johnson-phd-a3160932/
Wharton Neuroscience website:https://neuro.wharton.upenn.edu/

In today's solo episode, host Claire Bown celebrates the one-year anniversary of The Art Engager book with our first-ever Ask Me Anything format. She answers 10 practical questions from listeners about facilitating guided experiences in museums.
From how long to let people look at artworks to building psychological safety with established groups, Claire tackles the real challenges educators and guides face every day. Does everyone have to talk to be actively engaged? How do you pull a group back when disengaged? What's a good way to redirect someone who's going on too long? When should you share the artist's perspective if the group's discussion is quite different?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Book anniversary quick survey
The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums (Claire's book)
Episode 148: How to create active engagement on guided experiences
Episode 142: Building Trust and Psychological Safety on guided experiences
The 10 Questioning Practices (QPs) from The Art Engager
The Thinking Museum® Approach

The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support the show on Patreon.
As mentioned in the episode, share what's been most helpful from The Art Engager book and what you'd like to see next: Share your input here.
https://clebown.typeform.com/to/l9e6mzN9