Kathleen Leighton has built a career on curiosity and connection.
“I’ve always been a storyteller, whether it’s through journalism, video or podcasting” says Leighton, whose podcast for the Nelson-Atkins Museum, “Art Bytes,” is all about making art not serious and easily accessible. “It’s the thread through everything I do.”
We sat down with Leighton, who’s been leading the museum’s communication team for 16 years, to talk about the path that led from the newsroom to the art world and how curiosity sparked her podcast that now reaches listeners in more than 30 countries and 600 cities.
You’ve had a long career in journalism. How did you end up in the art world? Honestly, it wasn’t part of the plan. My background is in media: television, newspapers, magazines. Not art. I took Art History 101 in college, like everyone else, and got an A, but I didn’t think that would circle back later in life. When the Nelson-Atkins posted a job years ago for “Press Officer,” I thought, ‘I know media; I can learn art.’ So I applied. Once I got here, I fell in love with it. I’ve learned so much and really expanded the role to include video, storytelling and digital outreach.
Was art something you connected with right away? At first, it was all new to me—the artists, the process, the behind-the-scenes work. But that was what made it so exciting. Art tells stories about people, about moments in time, and I realized my journalism background gave me a way to share those stories in a relatable way. Our goal at the museum is to make art accessible, to meet people where they are. A lot of people think, ‘I’m not smart enough for a museum,’ but that’s never true. Everyone can enjoy art.
You’ve created a podcast for the museum. How did that come about? We already had a beautiful, highly produced podcast called “A Frame of Mind,” but I wanted to create something more conversational—something that felt like sitting at a table with friends, learning as you go.
When I worked in news, I’d ask the questions I personally wanted to know, and usually those were the same questions most people had. So I pitched the idea to our director, [Julián Zugazagoitia], and he loved it. I recorded the first episode with our curator, Aimee Marcereau-DeGalan, talking about immersive art—you know, how Monet was doing immersive work long before it was trendy. It took off from there.
What kinds of guests do you feature? Anyone connected to art in interesting ways. I’ve interviewed Cheech Marin, a leading collector of Hispanic art [and famed comedian]; Elias Crespin, who creates kinetic sculptures that move through space; and Sherri Jacobs, an art therapist who talked about how art can actually lower blood pressure and calm anxiety.
Every episode is 20 minutes or so—short enough to listen to while walking your dog or cooking dinner. It’s not academic or intimidating; it’s just people sharing fascinating perspectives.
What keeps you excited about this job? Curiosity. Every time I research a guest, I get completely absorbed. I’m fascinated by why people do what they do—what drives them, how they solve problems. Art is problem-solving in its purest form.
There hasn’t been one day I’ve worked here that I haven’t learned something new. That’s what keeps it fulfilling.
Your podcast has such a personal feel. Is that intentional? Absolutely. I wanted it to feel human and approachable, not overproduced. Someone could be folding laundry or commuting and still feel part of the conversation. It’s really about finding those “aha” moments in art—little bright spots in the day that make you say, “I didn’t know that.”
Final thoughts? Art connects people. It helps us see from new perspectives, and that’s what keeps it endlessly interesting to me. If I can help someone discover that, whether through a podcast, a story or even a social post, that’s a pretty great day’s work.
Listen: Season two of “Art Bytes” debuts in January, with 10 new weekly episodes. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts.
