Hi, I'm Maren. I make podcasts, exhibitions, and the occasional block party.
I'm a curator and audio producer in Pittsburgh. For about twelve years I've helped museums, public media and neighborhood groups tell stories people actually want to show up for.
Listen to my work Events & engagement Work with meFeatured work
A bit more about me
I came up through museum curatorial departments, then spent the better part of a decade running community programs out of storefronts, church basements and the occasional bus stop. Somewhere along the way I started recording the conversations, and that turned into a second career in audio.
I'm curious about almost everything, which makes me a decent interviewer and a slightly exhausting dinner guest. I like small teams, plain language, honest budgets and clear next steps. When I don't know something, I'll say so, and then I'll find the person who does.
I live in Pittsburgh, work with teams everywhere, and am always happy to grab a coffee or a call.
Experience
How I work
Listen first
Most first calls are me asking questions. The best ideas are usually already in the room.
Keep it clear
Plain-language plans, fixed-scope proposals, short weekly notes. No jargon, no surprises.
Share the credit
Good work is a team sport. Your people, artists and collaborators belong in the spotlight.
In the press
A few kind words from people who wrote about the work. (Placeholders: swap in real coverage.)
audio
Things worth listening to.
Podcasts, audio series and tours, plus a few first shows I helped other teams get off the ground.
Open Studio Hours
Conversations with the people who make art happen.
Inside the Warehouse
A first branded podcast, from kickoff meeting to launch in 14 weeks.
Voices of the Valley
A donor-stories podcast, planned in a three-week strategy sprint.
Neighborhood Frequencies
Community audio stories, made with a public radio partner.
Walking & Looking
An audio companion to a show with no gallery and no wall text.
Studio Visits
Five-minute audio postcards from artists' studios.
events & engagement
Rooms, streets and gatherings.
Exhibitions, neighborhood programs and live events that bring new people through the door.
Small Rooms, Big Ideas
Eleven artists, apartment-sized work, one very full storefront.
Ghost Signs
Photography and new work in the windows of vacant storefronts.
Permanent Collection Rehang
Two galleries reinstalled, with living artists in the conversation.
Northside Open Studios
From 12 artists in a church basement to 60+ studios.
First Friday Gallery Crawl
Six small galleries, one map, one shared closing time.
Listening Party Nights
Live podcast recordings in galleries, with snacks.
for hire
Let's make something worth showing up for.
I take on a handful of projects a year: first podcasts, audio series, exhibitions and community programs. Most start with a conversation, no pitch deck required.
Start a conversationWhat I do
Podcast consulting & production
Strategy, format and production for teams making their first show, or rethinking their tenth.
- Strategy and format development
- Hiring and managing hosts, editors and sound designers
- Launch planning and season-two debriefs
Curation & community programming
Exhibitions and recurring programs that bring in people who don't usually walk through the door.
- Exhibition concept, artist selection and install
- Open studios, workshops and live events
- Interpretation, grant and report writing
Your first podcast, step by step
If you've never made a show before, here's roughly how it goes. I'll keep you posted at every stage and flag decisions that are yours to make.
Discover
We start with goals and audience. Sometimes the honest answer is that a podcast isn't the right move, and I'll tell you if so.
Design
Format, name, hosts, budget and team, in a plain-language plan with real numbers.
Produce
I bring in and manage the right collaborators and keep the schedule moving. You approve at clear checkpoints.
Launch & learn
Trailer, distribution, a measurement plan that goes beyond downloads, and a debrief on what to change for next season.
Ways to work together
Strategy sprint
A clear recommendation: format, budget, timeline and who you'll need on the team.
Launch partner
From plan to published, with me as your producer-in-residence.
Producer on call
Steady guidance for teams already making a show and wanting a second set of ears.
Everything is scoped per project with a fixed-fee proposal. Small budgets and public-media timelines are welcome.
Kind words
“Maren asked better questions in our first hour than we'd asked in six months.”
— Marketing Director, regional manufacturer
“Calm, organized, and never made us feel behind. We launched right on schedule.”
— Executive Director, arts nonprofit
Good questions
Do you work with small budgets?
Yes. I'll tell you what's realistic, where to spend and where to save, and I'd rather scope something smaller and good than bigger and strained.
Can you work with our agency or in-house team?
Absolutely. I'm happy to slot in alongside your people, whether that means leading, supporting, or just being a thought partner.
How soon can we start?
I'm booking projects for January 2027, and a couple of short strategy sprints are possible this fall.
Have a project in mind, or just a half-formed idea?
Say hellocontact
Say hello.
hello@marenosei.comwhat helps
Tell me what you're working on, who it's for, and roughly when you need it. Rough is fine. Half the fun is figuring out the rest together.
I reply to every email, usually within a few business days. If it's urgent, say so in the subject line.
elsewhere
Pittsburgh, PA · open to travel · remote-friendly
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