Podcast Museums And Chill – Youth Power in Museums

Museums and Chill is available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcast!

How do we create stronger dialogue between new professionals and more established generations in the field?

We recorded a series of episodes for a special series of Museums and Chill - The ICOM Podcast from ICOM Dubai 2025, a moment were museum thinkers come together to reflect on the role of museums in a changing world. This episode engages with one of the Conference's key sub-themes:
Youth Power. As museums navigate rapid social, cultural, and technological change, questions around intergenerational dialogue, representation, and leadership are becoming increasingly central. This conversation explores how youth perspectives are not only shaping museum practice today, but also influencing how institutions imagine their futures - from governance and programming to community engagement and knowledge production.

Every three years, museum professionals gather to listen, to question, and to exchange ideas at the ICOM General Conference. Across these conversations, we explore how museums are evolving, how responsibilities are shifting, and how culture continues to connect communities globally.

Join us while we discover the different ways we can approach your museum, arts and culture professionals with Abhirami Suresh.

Welcome back and we hope you enjoy this conversation!

THIS EPISODE'S GUESTS

Abhirami Suresh is the curator of the Youth Assembly programme at Jameel Arts Centre, and works with the Learning, Exhibitions and Programming teams to shape learning projects that prioritise youth communities, engagement and research-collaborations. Her work focuses on creating space for emerging voices and experimental forms of knowledge through research, pedagogy and community engagement. Abhirami's personal research and curatorial practice has been presented at international avenues including the Karama Arts Club (2025), Curatorial Fellowship with Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2022), Young Curator Residency for Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival (2022), the London Design Biennale (2021) and the Ford Foundation Grant (2020).

Anapaula García Soto is a Communications Coordinator at the International Council of Museums Secretariat in Paris, and producer and host of the ICOM podcast Museums and Chill. She works on editorial and storytelling initiatives highlighting diverse museum perspectives. She holds a B.A. in Communication and Digital Media and a Master's degree in Creative Project Management, Culture and Design.

Museums and Chill is the official ICOM podcast, offering a space for museum practitioners and thinkers from across the globe to reflect on the ideas, practices, and challenges shaping museums today. Each episode invites listeners into conversations on inspiration, innovation, ethics, and strategy, highlighting how museums navigate change while remaining relevant and inclusive cultural spaces. In recognition of its editorial approach and impact, the podcast was nominated for a European Excellence Award in 2024.

The views and opinions expressed by our podcast's guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions or views of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and its bodies and entities. The content provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. ICOM and its bodies and entities do not endorse or take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed by guests during the podcast. Listeners are encouraged to conduct their own research and seek professional advice when making decisions based on the information discussed in this podcast.