Cultivating Participation: Cultural Mediation in Public Art Practice
Resource: Museums & Galleries of NSW
In this video, Emily Sullivan, Curator at Kaldor Public Art Projects, reflects on a recent project developed with artist Asad Raza, focusing on the “cultivators” programme. She shares insights into how cultural mediation operates within the context of public art, where engagement extends beyond traditional exhibition formats into participatory, process-driven experiences.
The discussion highlights how mediation can become embedded in the artistic process itself, enabling audiences to take on active roles and co-create meaning. Through the cultivators programme, participants are not only visitors but contributors—engaging with ideas, materials, and environments in ways that blur the boundaries between artist, mediator, and audience.
Presented as part of a workshop by Museums & Galleries of NSW in partnership with Artspace, this session contributes to a broader exploration of cultural mediation as both a conceptual framework and a practical tool. It is particularly relevant for curators, educators, and cultural professionals interested in participatory art practices and innovative approaches to audience engagement.
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.
