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
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Let's Talk: Lawsuits and Social Media Battles

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Let's Talk: Lawsuits and Social Media Battles

AMT Lab Chief Editor, Samantha Sonnet, and Executive Director, Brett Crawford, discuss the current Google antitrust lawsuit and potential social media alternatives for arts organizations looking to expand their outreach and platform participation.

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Let's Talk: DEAI in the Arts: Linguistic Diversity and Digital Placemaking

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Let's Talk: DEAI in the Arts: Linguistic Diversity and Digital Placemaking

In the latest installment of our Let’s Talk podcast series, Natalie Larsen and Lauren Miller discuss DEAI in the arts from the perspectives of their research: Digital Placemaking and Linguistic Accessibility.

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Digital Streaming For Arts Organizations: Who it continues to serve

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Digital Streaming For Arts Organizations: Who it continues to serve

In this episode of our Let’s Talk podcast, host Maraika Lumholdt talks with B Crittenden, Manager of Corporate Support at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, about how live streaming changed the arts world during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and how it continues to serve audiences despite the return to in-person programming.

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Identity, Ethics, and Voice in AI with Dorothy Santos

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Identity, Ethics, and Voice in AI with Dorothy Santos

In the latest installment of our Let’s Talk podcast series, AMT Lab staff member Samantha Sonnet interviews interdisciplinary scholar and creative, Dorothy Santos. The two discuss the future of AI, identity, tech and culture, tarot reading, and much more.

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Let's Talk: Arts Education & GIS: Art Transforming Communities

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Let's Talk: Arts Education & GIS: Art Transforming Communities

In the latest installment of our Let’s Talk podcast series, AMT Lab contributors Ellena Sakai and Blake Aber are interviewed by host Maraika Lumholdt discuss their research into arts education and its transformative power, as well as the potentials for GIS to enhance connections with art in the museum space.

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Let's Talk: 2022's Biggest Topics in Tech and 2023 Predictions

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Let's Talk: 2022's Biggest Topics in Tech and 2023 Predictions

In this month’s installment of the Let’s Talk podcast series, staff members Natalie Larsen and Maraika Lumholdt discuss some of the biggest and most influential tech scandals we saw occur in 2022, and how they affect the ongoing of arts organizations. They also discuss where we might see policy headed in 2023.

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Your Favorite Podcasts in 2022

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Your Favorite Podcasts in 2022

Here are our top podcasts for 2022 — what did you hear? What did you miss?

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Let's Talk: Do Big Tech Flops Impact the Future of the Arts?

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Let's Talk: Do Big Tech Flops Impact the Future of the Arts?

Covering industry news from November 2022, AMT Lab staff members Natalie Larsen and Maraika Lumholdt discuss recent failures in big tech, crypto, and the ticketing industry, as well as how AI continues to change the arts.