Taller Together

Heidi Erdmann speaks about the art world as a set of systems rather than a cast of personalities. In this episode, the conversation returns to the quiet labour that determines what survives: classification, storage, description, access, and the authority of whoever writes the first record. The result is a practical guide to legacy-building that refuses glamour and still feels urgent.

The episode is full of details, but five themes are especially useful if you are trying to build a practice or support one.
Let the work choose the medium, not the other way round.
Time, space, and support systems are part of the practice.
Bravery and clear intent matter more than perfect rules for new media.
Build small platforms instead of waiting for permission.
Biographies can cure the myth of overnight success.

A poetic origin, not a tagline: Taller Together is named after Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “The Concert,” capturing the feeling of returning from art “a little taller.”
A podcast for the infrastructure of culture: It centres the professionals who keep institutions running—across museums, galleries, foundations, universities, and corporate and bank collections.
A corrective to the “serene” illusion: It spotlights the hidden operational work behind exhibitions, acquisitions, and loans, often carried by lean teams under constant pressure.
A response to a changing sector: It addresses rising expectations around transparency, provenance and restitution complexity, and tighter governance and compliance demands—alongside relentless admin burden.
Technology as stewardship and leadership: It treats systems as an executive choice that should reduce friction, improve accuracy, and provide one secure source of truth across the collection lifecycle.
A practical takeaway for listeners: Each episode is designed to deliver usable insight on collections care, leadership, and technology—so professionals leave clearer, steadier, and better equipped.