On “Matters of Experience”

The excellent people at the Matters of Experience podcast had me on the show to talk about exhibition projects, leading a design studio, and intentionally working with clients who scare you a little at first. (Yes, we also talked about AI.)

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matters-of-experience/id1646088733?i=1000701939205

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/47Gd7JOfi35fvBM0BXlqn6?si=S6heJN32SZiyl72JvbL0Tg

From the show notes:

What If It Doesn't Work? (And What If It Does?)

What does it mean to design for dialogue—not just display? In this episode of Matters of Experience, Abigail Honor and Brenda Cowan sit down with Jonathan Alger, founding partner at C&G Partners and a leading voice in exhibition and experience design.

Jonathan shares how designing with empathy, navigating creative discomfort, and embracing uncertainty can lead to deeper, more inclusive storytelling. From his work with museums and nonprofits to projects for NASA, Jonathan discusses how personal testimony, collaboration, and trust shape impactful experiences that resonate across boundaries.

Whether you’re a creative leader, designer, or simply curious about the thinking behind the world’s most meaningful exhibitions—this episode offers insight into how design can be both a process and a conversation.

Give it a listen!

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Not to get too meta, but here's an episode of Making the Museum, the podcast, where the hosts of "Matters of Experience" appeared as guests.

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MtM Word of the Day:
Museum of Forks. Beloved but fictitious institution used frequently in Making the Museum as an example to demonstrate principles, tell purposeful stories, and inspire poems.