“We aren't constantly swimming in trauma. We're a joyful people. I want to make sure that the way we present the work is reflective of an expansive and nuanced understanding that we can hold pain but we can also hold a lot of love, joy and happiness.” — Kalyn Fay Barnoski, Philbrook Museum of Art 

When you’re a gatekeeper to a world that’s still unfolding for mainstream audiences, the pressure must be…intense. Kalyn Fay Barnoski, an interdisciplinary artist, musician, curator, and educator from Oklahoma, who is a Cherokee Nation enrollee and of Muscogee Creek descent, confirmed that the responsibility is a big one that they don’t take lightly. 

What does that feel like? How does one begin to curate from such a vast and varied universe? What happens when the job also means retelling history? And what's the importance of the land a museum sits on when thinking about curation?

Listen in as Kalyn shares details about how they approach such a sacred role, what they’re excited about — and what work still needs to be done — when they ponder how Indigenous culture is presented in museums in 2023.

Other highlights, inspiration and key learnings from the conversation:

• How their life as an artist impacts their approach as a curator
• What people don’t get right about native art and culture
• Honoring all parts of yourself as a curator
• Indigenous creatives more people should know
• Making space for creativity

👋 Say "hi" to Kalyn. 
🔎 Browse the companion Storyboard to get the episode, plus Kalyn’s favorite culture picks.
➕ This podcast was created by Flipboard, the world’s first social magazine, where enthusiasts are curating stories they recommend across thousands of interests. Learn more. 

“I'm really interested in curators who have done the work of healing through their deep curiosity and then are thinking about what they can curate to help others on their journey. I can't think of anything that's more worthwhile and more meaningful than extending that vulnerability of your own healing journey and trying to support others on theirs.” — Scott Shigeoka, author of “Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World”

In talking to curators about what it takes to be successful, one word that keeps coming up again and again is “curiosity.” Being curious — and pursuing curiosity with an open heart — is a superpower when it comes to curation. Turns out it’s also a superpower in life. 

Scott Shigeoka wrote the book on curiosity (coming out on Nov. 14) and says we’re all born with it. He adds that curiosity is like a muscle: with practice, any of us can get better at it, and when we do, the effects are profound. In this conversation, Scott shares his research, philosophy and practical exercises on how to become a more curious person and why it matters in the first place.

Other highlights, inspiration and key learnings:

• The definition of curiosity
• His DIVE model for building your curiosity muscle
• How curiosity fares in an AI world
• What curators should know about curiosity and how they can leverage it

👋 Say "hi" to Scott. 
🔎 Browse the companion Storyboard to get the episode, plus Scott’s own picks.
➕ This podcast was created by Flipboard, the world’s first social magazine, where enthusiasts are curating stories they recommend across thousands of interests. Learn more. 

“I just love creating these really hyper specific titles where, after reading these few words, you really have an understanding of the context of the playlist itself…It's crazy how being that specific makes people so compelled to actually listen because it feels relatable.” — Kasey Gelsomino, Kasey’s Playlist

You don’t have to press play to know what you’re going to get on a playlist called “Oat Milk Lattes in the Mountains.” It’s pretty clear from just the name that this playlist is serving up indie folk, cozy comfort, and granola vibes. It also has a huge following on Spotify. 

The mastermind behind this hyper-specific, contextual curation is Kasey Gelsomino. A record executive at Nettwerk in her 9-5, Kasey lives and breathes music in all hours of the day. You can see her personal tastes and curation style via her “Kasey’s Playlist” TikTok and Spotify channel, both of which have formidable followings. 

How does a music curator think about making the perfect playlist? How does one grow on Spotify and TikTok? And what do curators need to know to be successful on these platforms?

Other highlights, inspiration and key learnings from the conversation:

• How songs get featured on Kasey’s Playlist
• The ingredients of a great playlist
• The art of hyper-specific playlist naming
• Deconstructing her TikTok and Spotify success
• Qualities of the best music curators

👋 Say "hi" to Kasey. 
🔎 Browse the companion Storyboard to get the episode, plus Kasey’s own picks.
➕ This podcast was created by Flipboard, the world’s first social magazine, where enthusiasts are curating stories they recommend across thousands of interests. Learn more.