PhD Arts and Cultural Management

Our virtual week took place October 2024 – to find out about future sessions to explore postgraduate research opportunities across the university, please visit our study fairs and events page.

To stay up-to-date with future events and recorded sessions in the Faculty of Humanities, please join our postgraduate research email update list .

Apply online

Please ensure you include all  required supporting documents  at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by  13 January 2025.

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.

• For September 2025 entry:  30 June 2025
• For January 2026 entry:  30 September 2025

Before you start your application, you should:

1. Develop your own research proposal and project title.
2. Find a supervisor by browsing our academics’ profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
3. Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.

When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:

• A 1,500 word PhD research proposal ; Please state the word count on page 1 of the document.
• A copy of your Bachelor's academic transcript and certificate.
• A copy of your Master's academic transcript and certificate. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
• If you have completed more than one Bachelor's or Master's degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
• An up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
• The names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution. Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form. You may wish to notify your referees to submit their references promptly, as this is part of the review process.
• A certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency. Applications can be considered without this evidence but any offer would be conditional on meeting minimum requirements.

This pioneering programme is ideal if you work in the arts and cultural management sector and want to undertake advanced research that builds on your professional knowledge and is based in or led by your practice.

The structure of the programme will enable you to develop your career while simultaneously undertaking a research project leading to a doctoral qualification.

This PhD is one of a suite of professional practice-focused doctorates overseen by our Institute for Cultural Practices and the department of Drama. It aims to engage experienced professionals in advanced research and reflects the need for structured forms of professional development and reflective practice across the arts sector. Previous and current doctoral projects include:  

• the history of heritage funding;
• audience development and the professionalisation of arts marketing in contemporary theatre;  
• addressing the gender gap in contemporary music industries;  
• the role of the arts manager in mediating participatory and socially engaged art works.

The programme takes explicit account of the professional practice-base of the candidate. This is integrated as a central knowledge base for the research project and supports the development of dynamic knowledge outcomes. These outcomes can have an impact across academic and non-academic contexts.  

The programme supports the development of reflective practice that can respond to and influence the complex unpredictable and shifting social and cultural contexts within which practitioners operate. The programme will introduce you to a range of dynamic and challenging concepts and methods with which to reflect critically and constructively on your professional practice.  

You will be supported through a bi-annual residential programme in addition to standard supervisions that sustain the cohort for peer learning. The PhD is frequently undertaken part-time to provide time for engagement in professional practice.  

Together with your fellow students, you will investigate the principles of reflective practice and practice-based research. You will engage in research methods training and group learning about relevant areas of social and cultural theory. This pedagogical approach enables your professional context to become your primary research resource.

You can find out more about our research on the Institute of Cultural Practices website, and see what our current PhD students are working on.

You will receive individual supervision from an academic supervisor with a specialism related to your field of research, as well as opportunities to develop reflective enquiry into practice via group-based learning exercises with other practitioners at two three-day meetings per year.

All teaching and supervision will be led by arts management staff. This approach to teaching and learning supports interdisciplinary research and high levels of engagement and interaction between academic knowledge, policy imperatives and practical applications.

You will receive monthly individual supervisions while working towards key milestones over the course of the programme.

Progress is also supported via attendance at two three-day meetings per year, in autumn and spring (Thursday to Saturday).

Written and practical work produced for each milestone is revised for the final thesis submission. Assuming that the PhD is taken part-time over a six-year period, the key milestones are:

• Year 1: literature review (12,000-15,000 words in total);
• Year 2: revised research proposal and portfolio of reflective practice (10,000 words in total);
• Year 3-5: individual targets appropriate to the completion of the thesis research, including practical work, draft chapters, reflective writing;
• Year 6: work towards submission of a thesis of 80,000 words or practical outcome accompanied by a 20,000 to 50,000-word thesis.

The programme is structured on the basis that the most suitable pathway is the part-time route. However, there is a negotiable full-time route in special cases (which may be more desirable, for example, for students who have accessed funding to support an extended break from the profession, or for retired professionals).

Full-time students will have 12 individual supervisions per year, twice-yearly research panels and access to additional support at twice yearly workshop meetings to ensure that you can meet key milestones.

Research and teaching in arts management is supported by rich resources within our library. Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.

Find out more about libraries and study spaces for postgraduate research students at Manchester.

We also have one of the largest academic IT services in Europe - supporting world-class teaching and research. There are extensive computing facilities across campus, with access to standard office software as well as specialist programmes, all connected to the campus network and internet.

Every student is registered for email, file storage and internet access. If more demanding computer access is required, our specialist computing division can provide high-end and specialist computing services.

Find out more about facilities for Institute for Cultural Practices students.

This programme is designed to support people who are embarking on advanced research and who are combining doctoral study with a career, enabling you to build on your professional knowledge and practice.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future.