In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Samantha Childers explores why so many songs recommended by streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music sound strikingly similar. She breaks down the inner workings of music streaming algorithms—how metadata, collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, and continuous feedback loops collectively shape the “perfect playlist.” Childers also examines Spotify features such as Discover Weekly and Discovery Mode, uncovering how these tools influence music discovery, artist visibility, and even compositional trends as musicians increasingly write with algorithms in mind. Alongside these technical insights, she raises critical ethical questions about data privacy, algorithmic bias, pay-to-play practices, and the shrinking role of human curation. Ultimately, the episode invites listeners to rethink how algorithm-driven platforms shape not only what we hear but also how we discover, value, and experience music.
In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Andrew Wolverton and Zachary Collins explore how arts-focused technology can transform nonprofit ticketing and operations, tracing Ludus’s journey from a side project for a single high school musical to a nationwide platform serving more than 4,000 organizations. Collins explains how Ludus was built from the ground up around the real needs of drama teachers and community theaters, growing into an end-to-end system for ticketing, fundraising, marketing, volunteers, and concessions—while staying anchored in a people-first culture summed up by the company’s core value, “Give a Shit.” He reflects on navigating the COVID-19 shutdown through livestreaming and social-distancing tools, choosing the right growth equity partner, and why he believes AI shouldn’t replace arts workers but instead act as a “superpower” that frees them to focus on human-centered work and shared live experiences.
In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Alexann Sharp and Cara Flannery sit down with four-time Emmy-winning innovator Michael Cioni to unpack how technology and creativity converge in modern media workflows. Cioni introduces Strada, a peer-to-peer platform designed to enable remote collaboration without cloud storage, and shares career lessons on building networks through industry events (NAB, Cine Gear, IBC) and assembling complementary teams (“Swiss-cheese” collaboration). He distinguishes generative vs. utilitarian AI, predicts a shakeout and rebound for GenAI, and outlines his Skills Gap Principle and “Technative” mindset for balancing creative and technical strengths. The conversation closes with candid advice on taking smarter risks and betting on yourself.
In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Daniel Temkin and Luna Lu discussed the artistic possibilities of code, focusing on esoteric programming languages (esolangs) and how they can function as a medium for art and human expression. Temkin explained that his interest began with experimenting in existing esolangs (like Brainfuck) around 2007-2008, leading him to create his own and document them conceptually, moving away from overly technical documentation. The conversation highlighted how giving up on the idea that programming must be practical allows for artistic exploration, connecting esolangs to idea art, constraint-based work (such as the Oulipo Group), and performance art. Temkin detailed the structure of his book, which presents programming languages as idea-based art, containing both realized works and conceptual prompts inspired by artists like Yoko Ono, and described how his languages — such as Fat Finger, which inspired code poetry, and Folders, which manipulates file system hierarchy — explore themes of collaboration, human irrationality, and the extreme constraints of logical systems. Listeners were also encouraged to explore existing esolangs on the Esolang Wiki before trying to design their own.
In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Melida Hernandez and Christine Rivera dive into the intersections of technology, identity, and representation in digital spaces and media. Melida explores how AI-based recognition systems, often trained on biased datasets, misclassify transgender and non-binary individuals, which impacts their self-presentation, psychological well-being, and digital agency. Melida also discusses how these technologies replicate real-world prejudices, limiting the fluidity of gender expression online, and highlights the lack of diversity in AI research teams, where women make up only 10–15% of staff. Christine’s research, on the other hand, focuses on how scripted and streaming television depicts motherhood and women’s reproductive choices, connecting these portrayals to broader issues such as policy, workplace inequality, and the “motherhood penalty.” Together, they unpack how media archetypes, algorithmic bias, and social platforms shape public perception and reinforce gender roles, calling for more inclusive storytelling, equitable AI design, and better systemic support for women and marginalized communities.
AMT Lab Chief Editor Patrick Zakem recently interviewed Elizabeth Merritt, Vice President for Strategic Foresight at the American Alliance of Museums and founding director of the Center for the Future of Museums – a think-tank and research & development lab for the museum. Elizabeth Merritt is the author of the Alliance’s annual TrendsWatch report, and writes and speaks prolifically on the trends shaping the future of nonprofit organizations. Read the interview here!
Recently AMT Lab Contributor Stewart Urist sat down to talk with Lynne Conner, a professor at Colby College and author of the book Audience Engagement and the Role of Arts Talk in the Digital Era. What followed was a rousing conversation about her book as well as the idea of meaningful audience engagement and how arts organizations are--and are not--doing this correctly.
AMT Lab contributor Jackie Shimshoni interviewed Nina Barbuto to find out her favorite phone apps. Nina is the Founder and Director of Assemble, a community space for arts and technology in Pittsburgh, PA. Click here to read the full interview.
AMT Lab Contributor Jackie Shimshoni interviewed Nina Barbuto, Founder and Director of Assemble, a community space for arts and technology in Pittsburgh, PA, to learn more about the apps she uses most.
On February 11-13, 2015, the Carnegie Museum of Art marketed their newest exhibition, Antoine Catala’s Distant Feel, in an innovative way: by transforming Pittsburgh’s Gulf Tower into a “mood ring”. For three nights the tower displayed the average mood of the city as determined by Pittsburgh's Instagram activity. AMT Lab Correspondent Jackie Shimshoni interviewed Brad Stephenson and David Newbury to learn what insights this project offered arts managers.
Likening themselves to a special forces team, Pittsburgh-based application engineering company Savvior specializes in optimizing a company's existing software systems and custom-developing both web and mobile products. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Keith Giuliani, Savvior's CEO, and Christopher Evans, the company's Vice President, to discuss some of the challenges they see organizations face, trends they see in the field, and an upcoming custom application they are currently developing for the Carnegie Science Center.
