Podcast, Art Meets Tech, Media
Yao Pei
The Algorithms in Your Ears: Looking Into the ...

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.

The Algorithms in Your Ears: Looking Into the Making Of Your Music Feeds
Podcast, Digital Futures, Art Meets Tech
Yao Pei
Ludus: a Ticket Selling Platform Changing the ...

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.

Ludus: a Ticket Selling Platform Changing the Game
Podcast, Entertainment, Digital Futures, Artificial Intelligence
Yao Pei
Michael Cioni on Ingenuity and the Future of ...

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.

Michael Cioni on Ingenuity and the Future of Entertainment
Podcast, Art Meets Tech, Digital Futures, Creative Coding
Yao Pei
The Art of Language: Daniel Temkin Reveals The ...

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.

The Art of Language: Daniel Temkin Reveals The Inner Workings of Esolangs
Podcast, Artificial Intelligence, Society, Media, Public Policy
Yao Pei
Politics and Portrayal: The Impact of AI and ...

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.

Politics and Portrayal: The Impact of AI and Our Lives

Interview

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Renée Vara Part 1: The Visual Artists Rights Act and the Changing Arts Landscape

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Renée Vara Part 1: The Visual Artists Rights Act and the Changing Arts Landscape

In part one of this two-part interview with Renee Vara, Angela Johnson and B Crittenden discuss with her the changing arts landscape and the landmark Visual Arts Rights Act litigation, 5Pointz v. G&M Realty, and Renee’s involvement with that case.

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Tyson Cazier: Tech Tools for Adaptive Music Composition in Gaming and Film

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Tyson Cazier: Tech Tools for Adaptive Music Composition in Gaming and Film

In this interview episode, summer podcast lead Michael Butler speaks with composer Tyson Cazier about the field of adaptive music, rising technologies in the field, and Tyson’s approach to storytelling in soundtrack composition. Cazier composes for video games and film and is a guitar professor at Utah State University.

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Toya Lillard: Using an Abolitionist Framework in the Arts

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Toya Lillard: Using an Abolitionist Framework in the Arts

In this interview episode, Podcast Producer Angela Johnson speaks with Toya Lillard, Executive Director of viBe Theater Experience. In November 2020, she gave a guest lecture for the College of Fine Arts and Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University on using an abolitionist framework within the arts and cultural sector.

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What the .Org Domain Sale Would Mean for Nonprofits: Jacqueline Lipton and Rick Lane

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What the .Org Domain Sale Would Mean for Nonprofits: Jacqueline Lipton and Rick Lane

In this interview episode, Alyssa and Mikayla talk (over Zoom) with Jacqueline Lipton, Professor of Law and Legal Writing at the University of Pittsburgh, and Rick Lane, the CEO of Iggy Ventures, LLC, about the potential sale of the .org domain, which was still pending approval at the time of this recording in late March. This would have heavily impacted nonprofits, which is discussed in this episode, and while the .org domain is no longer for sale, a dialogue to rebuild trust has taken place and is still circulating.

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A Conversation About the Similarities between Working in the Arts & Tech Industries

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A Conversation About the Similarities between Working in the Arts & Tech Industries

In this two-part interview episode, Alyssa Wroblewski talks with Elliott Mower and Rachael Wilkinson about their experiences moving from working in the nonprofit professional arts sector into the tech sector. They reveal not only their own personal adjustments but what useful tactics arts managers could adopt from that industry.

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Michael Walsh: Blending VR and Traditional Sculpting

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Michael Walsh: Blending VR and Traditional Sculpting

In this interview episode Grace, Alyssa, and Christi sit down with Michael Walsh an American sculptor who uses modern and digital techniques, to create his artwork and talk about his works, processes, and thoughts on integrating the technologies he uses with traditional institutions

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Environmental Sustainability in the Arts: The Impacts of 5G and IoT

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Environmental Sustainability in the Arts: The Impacts of 5G and IoT

Join Alyssa as she sits down with contributor Helen Boo to talk about the potential impacts of 5G and the Internet of Things on the arts industry. Together they discuss how these technologies may improve interactive installations, inspire the building of green initiatives, and potential data security concerns for the arts.

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Changing the Narrative: Interview with Aubrey Bergauer

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Changing the Narrative: Interview with Aubrey Bergauer

In this episode, Grace Puckett and Michaela White interview Aubrey Bergauer, the former Executive Director of the California Symphony, a consultant for arts organizations, and the Vice President of Strategic Communications & Executive Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. They discuss some of Aubrey’s strategies for organizational growth, turnaround, data collection, and audience retention within orchestra management.