Module: AM7008-15 Managing Arts and Cultural Events

Level: 7

Credit Value: 15

Module Tutor: Darren Hoad

Module Tutor Contact Details: d.hoad@bathspa.ac.uk

1.Brief description and aims of module

Each year an increasing number and variety of arts, cultural and heritage based events and festivals occur throughout the UK, creating what might be termed an ‘events industry’, and in the process contributes some £60bn to local and regional economies - a phenomenon replicated around the world. They provide an important source of wealth, contributing a crucial boost to economies, generating revenue and employment. Being a major contributor to GDP in many countries, arts and cultural events and festivals have become popular vehicles for economic development and urban regeneration, as well as contributing to and reflecting wider changes in society and culture. Their growth also demonstrates a vibrancy and variety in cultural and artistic expression that places them at the heart of the debates on identity and the depth and value of social and cultural capital.

This module develops your understanding of the background planning and the day-to-day operations that go into the running of arts, cultural and heritage based events. Regardless of their scale, the success of these depends upon the utilisation of a variety of management and business skills, embracing a range of fields such as operational planning, project management, budgeting and fundraising, and the appropriate utilisation and management of human and other resources.

It also provides a professional working context appropriate for event planning, management and delivery; fosters a positive approach to problem solving, collaborative working and event planning practices; advances your ability to work at, and recognise professional sector standards; and equips you with the research skills and methodological approaches needed to gather, analyse and utilise sector data, professional practice debates, and academic scholarship on arts and cultural management.

2.Outline syllabus

Topics covered include:

• The development of an arts and cultural events and festivals industry; range, categories and concepts in event theory; the role of festivals and events in contemporary society
• Event creation and ideation, feasibility
• Market research, context scanning and stakeholder analysis
• Human resource needs, event organisational structures, decision making and leadership
• Understanding environmental and social impacts / mitigation
• Skills and frameworks for event project management
• Programming and scheduling
• Events marketing and communication strategies
• Commercial strategies and customer service requirements
• Logistics management
• Risk and health / safety
• Arts and cultural events/festivals licensing and the law

3.Teaching and learning activities

This module is taught by a mixture of tutor-led seminars, lectures and practical workshops with sector practitioners, and student-led presentations and discussion. Where appropriate sessions will use a variety of ICT such as web based research, analysis of social media material and event project planning tools such Prince2 and MS Project.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work
• Description: Event Management Plan (equiv. 3,500 words)
• % Weighting: 100%