Special Episode 0.2: Introducing Hub & Spoke (by way of Soonish)
Hub & Spoke
The faster a bicycle wheel spins, the more stable it becomes. We're a group of independent producers who mostly started out using other ways to transport our audiences, but who've come believe that audio storytelling offers a great ride too. We've teamed up to build rotational velocity and help each of our shows go farther.
Read more: About Hub & Spoke
Soonish
According to the National Endowment for the Arts, adult participation in the arts is in steep decline. In 2002, 39 percent of all American adults visited a museum, went to a concert, or participated in some other in-person cultural event at least once. In 2012—the most recent year for which the NEA has data—only 33 percent did the same.
If the drop in participation were to continue at the same rate—about 6 percentage points per decade—then by the 2060s, the nation's art museums would be devoid of visitors. Except maybe for senior citizens: people over 55 kept going to museums faithfully, the NEA found.
If you believe as I do that something magical happens when people (of any age) encounter art in person, then the NEA statistics are pretty scary. This episode of Soonish asks: Will the museums of the future be empty, or thriving? What can the nation's museums do to re-engage the public and make sure they have loyal audiences 10, 20, or 50 years from now? What role can technology play—and when should it stay out of the way?
Read more: Soonish: Episode 1.03. Can Technology Save Museums?
Music Used:
The Blue Dot Sessions, "When In The West", "Cases to Rest"
