Arts Management and Technology Laboratory

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." Sam...

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 t...

In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Alexann Sharp and Cara Flanery 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...

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 d...

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 d...

Alexann Sharp and Lehan Xu discuss the impact of technology on performance industries, particularly VR concerts and broadcast theater. They note that COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of VR concerts, initially by smaller artists due to cost and uncertainty. Examples include Sabrina Carpenter and Kid Leroy's Meta collaborations. They highlight technical challenges like audio quality and headset comfort. In broadcast theater, histori...

In this episode of the Arts Management and Technology Lab, Hannah Brainard and Anuja Uppuluri explore two significant threats to artists and cultural institutions: the ethical and legal implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically its pre-training practices, and the impact of climate change on art and cultural heritage. They discuss how AI models often exploit artists' work without consent or compensation, l...

In this episode of Tech in the Arts, Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford of the Arts Management and interviews Bill Updegraff, founder and CEO of Grapeseed Media, a programmatic digital advertising firm. Grapeseed Media, established in 2013, has grown into a trusted partner for brands and agencies in digital advertising, earning recognition on Inc.'s 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.

What are the implications of AI and algorithmic governance on culture and creative industries? To answer these and other questions, the Arts Management and Technology Laboratory gathered a panel of experts on campus at Carnegie Mellon University. Working across arts, media, data, and technology, panelists discuss frameworks for understanding how power flows within and between these industries.

This episo...

Eric R. Williams is a Professor at Ohio University and the director of the cinematic virtual reality (Cine-VR) initiatives at the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab. His work spans award-winning film, television, and interactive media, including screenplays for Universal Studios, Fox Online, and American Movie Classics, as well as numerous published books and podcast series on storytelling.

Jord...