Eric Theise is a geospatial engineer, filmmaker, and performance artist. On September 5, 2025, he shared “A Synesthete’s Atlas” Performing Cartography, in an artist talk at the Frank-Ratchye Studio for Creative Inquiry at the College of Fine Arts. The following is a joint effort by Nate Xiang, who attended the artist talk, and an interview with Eric afterwards.
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, 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.
In this episode, Alyssa interviews Taylor Knight and Anna Thompson, co-founders and artistic directors of Slowdanger, a multidisciplinary performing duo. They discuss examples of how they have used technology in their performances, like the LED ring in their performance called empathy machine. They also discuss their artistic process, including how storytelling and collaboration applies to their work.
In episode IV of Let’s Talk, Alyssa and Grace interview Larry Silverman, an attorney in Pittsburgh who specializes in topics like contracts, digital marketing, entertainment law, and nonprofit law. They discuss the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the E.U. as well as more local data privacy policies, and the effects of these new laws.
In this episode, Jenée Iyer, contributor and former Chief Editor of Research for AMT Lab, interviews Professor Philip Hackney at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law. They discuss the recent Tax Act reform, how it may affect charitable giving, and the tax implications for cryptocurrency.
In this mini-episode, Alyssa sits down with Sarika Sanyal, the Program Director of Future Tenant, to talk a little bit about some of the experimental research they have done this semester to inform future programming. They discuss Future Tenant’s partnerships with CMU School of Art, the Pittsburgh Airport, and MuseumLab at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
In this week’s podcast, Alyssa and Grace interview Christian Cox, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Pittsburgh Opera and David Dombrowski, Chief Marketing Officer at Instant Encore to discuss the recent launch of the Pittsburgh Opera Mobile App. Listen below to learn about their process of developing the app and its many features and benefits.
In this episode, Grace Puckett, Technology and Innovative Content Manager, interviews Jess Bergson, a consultant with Capacity Interactive and Master of Arts Management alum (CMU), to discuss Google Tag Manager. Learn what it is, how to implement it, and how it can increase data collection for your arts organization.
