Cultural Mediation in Practice
Resource: Museums & Galleries of NSW
Widely recognised as an invaluable tool by institutions across Europe, cultural mediation generally refers to the process of gaining and negotiating knowledge about the arts and social or scientific phenomena through exchange, reaction and creative response. Cultural mediators work within organisations to improve the quality of the public’s visit to the museum or gallery and to broaden the possible ways of experiencing and interacting with an object and its context.
Presented by Museums & Galleries of NSW in partnership Artspace, this workshop explored cultural mediation through a day of talks and practical activities. Accompanying workshops trained participants in the basics of mediation and how to be an art mediator.
Thank you to our speakers:
Rachel Arndt, Gallery Programs and Touring Exhibitions Manager, Museums & Galleries of NSW
Marion Buchloh-Kollerbohm, Head of Cultural Mediation, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Lee Casey, Head of Communications and Engagement, Science Gallery Melbourne
Alexie Glass-Kantor, Executive Director, Artspace
Ellie Michaelides, Learning & Engagement Coordinator, Science Gallery Melbourne
Michelle Newton, Deputy Director, Artspace
Mel O’Callaghan, Artist
Sabine Rittner, Scientific Associate at the Institute of Medical Psychology, University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany
Michael Rolfe, Chief Executive Officer, Museums & Galleries of NSW
Emily Sullivan, Curator, Kaldor Public Art Projects
Performance footage from Mel O'Callaghan, Respire, respire, 2019, performance and installation at Artspace, Sydney, 26 August 2019.
Cultural Mediation in Practice was presented by Museums & Galleries of NSW in partnership with Artspace, Sydney and supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its funding and advisory body, and Create NSW.
MeWell Talks Episode #1 | Working with Dementia in Cultural Mediation with Nina Mayer
In this short video, cultural mediator Nina Mayer shares her approach to working with people living with dementia through multisensory cultural mediation.
The session demonstrates how simple yet thoughtful methods—such as starting with everyday objects, engaging multiple senses, and creating a calm, respectful atmosphere—can open meaningful opportunities for participation, expression, and connection.
Cultural Mediation in Question: Cristina da Milano on Practice and Precarity
Resource: MuseumMediatorsEU
This video features an interview recorded during the Lisbon Meeting in November 2012 as part of the Museum Mediators Europe project. Conducted by external evaluator Joaquim Jorge, the conversation with Cristina da Milano offers a critical reflection on the professional realities of museum educators and cultural mediators.
