Socially impactful digital storytelling with Chris Sonnex from Cardboard Citizens
In this episode, James Akers interviews Chris Sonnex - Artistic Director & Joint CEO of Cardboard Citizens - about their award-winning project 'More Than One Story’. The project - a series of 9 short films written and produced by and for people with lived experience of homelessness, poverty, and inequity - was the theatre company’s first experience of creating digital theatre.Chris explains their collaborative approach to the work, why they chose the medium of film to tell these stories, and how that decision, along with choosing relevant partners like the Big Issue, saw them reach an audience of 157,000.They discuss:How digital storytelling techniques can be used to create meaningful content that resonates and drives social change.The important role partnerships and working collaboratively can play in driving engagement online and in-person.What’s next for the projectThis episode includes discussion of homelessness, poverty, and domestic violence in a general context. While no specific personal experiences are described, some listeners may find these themes sensitive.Links and resources discussed in this episode:Download the transcript for this episode (Word document)Learn more about why Cardboard Citizens won a Digital Culture AwardWatch ‘More Than One Story’Book tickets for ‘More Than One Story’ Live in London on 9 NovemberCardboard Citizens were the Digital Content category winners in the 2025 Digital Culture Awards. The winner of this category was decided by a panel of experts, led by Megan Jones - Digital Content Manager, National Museums Scotland.Music by SHAR
--------
17:21
--------
17:21
Monetising a global community through video with Nik Wyness from The Tank Musuem
In this episode – the second in our Digital Culture Awards winners series – James Akers interviews Nik Wyness, Head of Marketing and Engagement at The Tank Museum, winner of the 2025 Digital Marketing category.Nik shares how The Tank Museum’s digital marketing journey began with a focus on building an active online community through video to raise awareness and evolved into a robust content strategy that now drives global engagement and revenue.They discuss:How understanding their niche audience and content testing across different platforms shaped their strategyWhy adapting to challenges, including the pandemic, accelerated their digital growthPractical advice for other cultural organisations looking to grow their digital presence and build resilient, engaged online communities.Links and resources discussed in this episode:Download the transcript for this episode (Word document)Find out more about the award-winning projectExplore The Tank Museum YouTube pageThe Tank Museum were the Digital Marketing category winners in the 2025 Digital Culture Awards. The winner of this category was decided by a panel of experts, led by Ranjit Kaur Atwal – Marketing Manager at Unlimited and freelance Communications Consultant.
--------
20:48
--------
20:48
Visitor survey design with Nadia Sommella from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts
The next ten episodes will feature award winners from the 2025 Digital Culture Awards, showcasing the very best in digital transformation, digital engagement, and use of technology in creativity and culture across England.In this episode, James Akers interviews Nadia Sommella, Marketing and Communications Officer from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts about how they redesigned their visitor survey process. With support from the Digital Culture Network, they worked to make data collection more inclusive, accessible, and impactful.They discuss:Why collaborative survey redesigns led to better dataHow introducing digital survey options alongside traditional paper methods improved accessibility and increased participationWhat support was available from the Digital Culture NetworkThe Barber Institute of Fine Arts was awarded a Digital Culture Network Award in the 2025 Digital Culture Awards.Links and resources discussed in this episodeDownload the transcript for this episode (Word document)Find out more about the award-winning projectMusic by SHAR
--------
18:36
--------
18:36
Creating an AI policy toolkit with Arts Council England
In this episode, James Akers interviews Owen Hopkin, Director of New Technologies and Innovation at Arts Council England and Dr Oonagh Murphy from Goldsmiths.We discuss:The journey, challenges, and considerations in formulating an AI policy in a values-driven and legally compliant wayThe creation of a practical toolkit designed to guide organisations in developing their own policiesThe importance of sector consultation and the need for evolving AI policiesLinks and resources discussed in this episode:Download the transcript for this episode (Word document)Responsible AI at Arts Council England – Report on how the Arts Council is using AI responsibly in its internal workResponsible AI Practical Toolkit – a framework to help creative and cultural organisations that want to create their own Responsible AI policies and practicesAI: meeting the challenges and embracing the opportunities – Owen shares Arts Council England’s thinking on AI and what’s coming next2023-26 National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) – Explanation of how Relationship Manager support National Portfolio OrganisationsMusic by SHAR
--------
35:00
--------
35:00
Consent, Conversion and Connection: Email marketing with Jacqueline Ewers
In this episode, James Akers interviews Jacqueline Ewers, the Digital Culture Network Tech Champion for Email Marketing.They discuss:What does email marketing mean and why it should be at the heart of your digital marketing mixHow to avoid the “leaky bucket” syndrome by strategically capturing contact details at every touchpointWhy testing is essential to improve results and how Jacqueline can helpLinks and resources discussed in this episode:Download the transcript for this episode (Word document)10 ways to make your email marketing more sustainable - discover steps you can take to make your email marketing more sustainableHow regulation GDPR/PECR affects email marketing and why it is important - On demand webinar to learn how GDPR/PECR regulations can support your email marketing and help you grow your contact list.Revitalise your email marketing – grow and engage audiences with email - On demand webinar including practical tips and best practice examples to help you optimise your email marketingIntroduction to email marketing automations - On demand webinar to explore how automations can help you to work more efficiently to achieve your goalsThe five essentials of collecting contact data - find out how to set up and grow, and collect a contact database starting with these 5 essentialsHow to use UTM Parameters to track marketing activity - what are campaign parameters and why are they useful? Also, generate your own links with our templateCanva for non-profits – Create assets for your emails for freeEmail marketing platforms - a list of providersFind more email marketing resources in the Digital Culture Network knowledge hubMusic by SHAR
A podcast for people working in the creative and cultural sector who want to embrace digital. Join Tech Champions from the Digital Culture Network and guests from across the sector.
Ireland