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ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE WITH ART AND IDEAS

Claire Bown Thinking Museum

HI, I’M CLAIRE BOWN

I teach people techniques to help them connect with art.

I love helping people make connections with artworks and with each other through conversation with art and objects.

I’m a huge fan of slow looking and have developed an approach to help people engage with art and objects in museums called Visible Thinking in the Museum or VTM.

I believe art and museums are there for everyone. My mission is to share tools and techniques to help everyone to enjoy the world of art more fully, without necessarily needing recourse to any specialist, in-depth knowledge or skills.

THE VISIBLE THINKING IN THE MUSEUM (VTM) APPROACH

VTM is an easy-to-follow framework that allows museum educators, guides, teachers and docents to confidently design and lead engaging inquiry-led, discussion-based sessions with art, objects and ideas with any audience.

The Visible Thinking in the Museum (VTM) approach is grounded in and indebted to the pioneering work and ideas of Project Zero .

VTM combines thinking routines from a variety of Project Zero initiatives and frameworks with museum education practices, facilitation techniques, questioning strategies and coaching tools.

VTM is a way to engage museum and heritage audiences with what they are looking at, who they’re with and where they are.

The VTM approach fosters meaningful connections: between you and your participants, amongst the participants themselves, and with the artwork or object being explored

Slow-Looking-at-Art-The-Visible-Thinking-in-the-Museum-Approach

SLOW LOOKING AT ART: THE VISIBLE THINKING IN THE MUSEUM APPROACH

Over the past 12 years I’ve developed an easy-to-follow approach that allows museum and heritage educators, guides and teachers to confidently design and facilitate inquiry-led sessions with art, objects and ideas for any audience. 

Visible Thinking in the Museum (VTM) is a flexible structure around which to explore museum and heritage collections and their stories.

Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach covers the 3 foundational elements of the method, plus the 8 practices in detail.

This book is both a tribute to the invaluable work of Project Zero , and a contribution to the further development of these ideas, blended with my own experience, knowledge and insights as a museum educator.

VTM combines thinking routines from a variety of Project Zero initiatives and frameworks with museum education practices, facilitation techniques, questioning strategies and coaching tools.

Full of practical steps & helpful advice, this book provides you with everything you need to create engaging discussions with art and objects.

FREE GUIDE – HOW TO LOOK AT ART SLOWLY

Sign up with your email address to receive my new 17-page guide sharing 30+ different ways that you can look at art or objects in museums. 

It can be used by anyone looking for new ways to engage with what they’re seeing.

How to Look at Art Slowly
Team Training

WORK WITH ME

I work frequently with teams of museum, heritage and gallery educators all over the world. Every training course is customised to suit the needs and requirements of your team, your collection and your audience

I can work with your team onlinein-person and/or hybrid – all customised to the needs and requirements of your team

  • Book a method- or approach-based  training (such as Visible Thinking in the Museum or slow looking)
  • Choose a skills-based session (such as questioning skills or facilitation techniques or how to share information in an engaging way)
  • Plan a VTM Coaching or or Inspiration session for your team
  • Or a mixture of both skills and method such as my VTMO course for Teams.
  • If you’re an individual, try one of my to self-paced classes, book a one-to-one intensive session or a series of 1-2-1 coaching sessions.

LATEST PODCAST EPISODES

I publish a new podcast episode and blog every fortnight on all aspects of engaging your audience with art and ideas – from techniques, tools and ideas, to helping you to develop your skills or approach. Listen to the The Art Engager on your podcast player of choice.

Host Claire Bown chats with Sofie Vermeiren, about The Art Bridge, a long-term collaboration between Museum Leuven and a local school, exploring how art can boost children’s self-confidence and visual literacy. Episode linksEpisode webpageSofie Vermeiren on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofie-v-172093167/More info about the Art Bridge:https://www.mleuven.be/en/about-m/m-community/art-bridgehttps://www.mleuven.be/sites/default/files/2023-04/Publication_MaterDei_TheArtBridge.pdfBlog (in Dutch):https://kunstzone.nl/author/sofie-vermeiren/The Art Engager Links:Sign up for my Curated newsletter – a fortnightly… Read...
In this episode of the Art Engager podcast, host Claire Bown talks with Dr. Tasha Golden about the role arts and culture can play in public health, discussing Tasha’s journey from singer-songwriter to public health scientist and the impact of social prescribing on healthcare. They delve into the ways museums are becoming active participants in… Read...
Today I’m talking to Cecilie Monrad, Art Health Manager at Frederiksberg Museums in Copenhagen. We’re talking about See Listen Talk, a unique slow looking programme that helps young psychiatric service users in their recovery. See Listen Talk is a 15-week long programme with weekly meetings taking place outside of the museum’s visiting hours. Participants were… Read...

Testimonials


Elisa Mosele

Elisa Mosele, English Language Teacher & Art Facilitator

“VTM and thinking routines have really changed both the way I teach and the way I help people approach a work of art. The results are outstanding

Gabrielle Grime

Gabrielle Grime Heritage Education Officer

“Visible Thinking in the Museum is a game changer in museum education. It provides a wonderful basis from which to present programs.”

Bjorg Stefansdottir

Bjorg Stefansdottir, Director International Office, Iceland University of the Arts

“The course was in my opinion perfect – super well-organised and much more personal than I would have expected. Claire, you are a master of making things interesting!”