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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260617T095500
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UID:49202-1781690100-1781695800@worldxo.org
SUMMARY:We Are All Curators Now
DESCRIPTION:At the STRAAT Museum in the Netherlands\, Geoff Thatcher and his wife came across a story about Johanna van Polanen\, who became a countess at the age of 11. \nThe museum gave them the outline. But it left out the question they immediately wanted answered: how old was the count she married? \nSo they did what more and more audiences now do. They took out their phones\, asked AI\, checked the answer\, and filled in the missing context themselves. \nThat small moment is the heart of this Campfire. \nThatcher’s argument is that AI is changing the balance of power inside museums\, attractions\, cultural spaces and live experiences. Audiences are no longer just receiving the story chosen for them. They can question it\, extend it\, challenge it\, compare it\, and in some cases re-curate it in real time. \nIn other words: we are all curators now. \nThis raises useful questions for anyone designing experiences. \n\nWhat do professional curators\, storytellers and institutions still uniquely provide when the audience has a research assistant in its pocket?\nDoes AI deepen curiosity\, or fragment shared meaning?\nHow do we design for people who can go off-script at any moment?\nAnd where is the line between audience interpretation and the hijacking of a story?\n\nThe piece also draws a provocative comparison with journalism: a profession reshaped by technology\, declining trust and the loss of control over distribution. Thatcher asks whether museums and experience designers are about to face a similar disruption. \nThere is a further layer to this Campfire. \nThe article this Campfire is based on was originally written as a TEDx Savannah talk. You can read it here » https://geoffthatcher.substack.com/p/canceled-by-tedx-savannah \nThatcher says the talk did not go ahead after he declined to remove a line that an editor considered “provocative and offensive.” This isn’t the reason for running this Campfire\, but it does make for an interesting case study: a talk about audiences taking control ran into the content-control process of the platform that was due to host it. \nRead the piece before the Campfire and bring your questions\, your pushback and your own examples. \nWe are all curators now. What should we do with that power? \n\nAbout Geoff Thatcher: \nFrom Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island to the Coastal Heritage Society in his hometown of Savannah\, Georgia. Geoff Thatcher’s work transcends borders. \nHis career spans brand experiences at FM’s Science & Technology Center\, theme parks like Doha’s Quest and museums like the Ozark Mill. Most recently he and his firm led the design of The Humanitarian Center Tour in Salt Lake City. \nOther recent projects include the AI experiences at the College Football Hall of Fame\, renovation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the JEA H2.O Purification Center. \nHe got his start in the experience industry as a teenage “clean-up boy” at Utah’s Lagoon Amusement Park and after a brief stint as a journalist later worked on the CNN Studio Tour for Jack Rouse Associates\, the Rio 2007 Opening Ceremonies for Five Currents and the Lockheed Martin Space Experience Center for The Brand Experience. \nHe founded Creative Principals in 2017. Geoff is author of The CEO’s Time Machine\, creator of Ask.Buzz\, writer on hot topics\, podcast guest and a regular speaker at industry conferences. \nAfter leading the groundbreaking work that turned guests into football players\, coaches and cheerleaders\, he can often be heard online talking and writing about how AI will transform experiences. \n\n  \n \n  \n\n  \nHow to watch this Campfire:\n\nCampfires are available for WXO members only\nTo join the WXO\, please head to our Application page\nThe WXO is a global home for the leaders\, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy\nAs a member\, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings\n\n  \n\n  \nTimings:\nCampfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe\, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone: \n\nLondon: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)\nParis: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)\nDubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)\nMumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)\nShanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)\nTokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)\nSydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)\nAuckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)
URL:https://worldxo.org/event/we-are-all-curators-now/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:WXO Campfire
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://worldxo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Geoff-Thatcher-4.png
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