BA Creative and Cultural Industries

This year-long course unit follows Creative Work 1 & 2 to progress student learning and skills in employment and enterprise practices relevant to fair and inclusive creative and cultural industries. Building on knowledge and understanding of organisational structures and strategies, the course will provide insights, tools and approaches to supporting sustainable business and sector development and through a group project give students the chance to practice these within real-world contexts, in response to briefs set by external sector organisations.

Assessment is through a group project with an external partner evaluating business strategy and organisational development, an individual reflection and blogpost on social justice and operational environments for CCIs. 
 

The unit aims to:

• Consolidate and build on learning from previous course units including pre-requisite course units on Creative Work
• Provide students with the opportunity to apply knowledge and understanding, intellectual and practical skills relevant to creative employment within real-world contexts
• Extend experience and expertise in collaboration, critical evaluation, teamwork and decision making
   

Course unit is delivered across two semesters via weekly seminars of 2 hours which provide opportunities for lectures, workshops and group project meetings.

The first semester focuses on delivering teaching on the following topics:
An introduction to strategic development and business planning for Arts, Culture and Creative Industries
Developing vision, mission and long-term strategy
Understanding the broader environment: tools for competitor and market analysis
Customer relationship and marketing
Finance and development
Strengthening organisational capacity and social justice: human resource management, policies and governance models 
Bringing in external help: consultancy insights and troubleshooting

The second semester comprises 3 workshops in Semester 2 for setting up, reviewing and reflecting on group projects, with weekly student-led group project meetings. 

Weekly lectures with guest speakers, followed by 2 hour seminars for small group working. Students will be introduced to topics and provided with preparation materials, independent inquiry, small group exercises and opportunities for self-reflection and formative feedback.

e-learning tools such as Hypothesis and Piazza for collaborative reading, reflection and discussion. Lecture capture and recorded materials will add and support student inclusion and course materials revision.

The group project which requires students to identify and present solutions to business planning and strategy development for external organisations will provide further opportunity for peer learning and teamwork and experience of working in industry contexts. 
 

• Demonstrate understanding of business and strategic planning tools and how to apply them to creative and cultural industry contexts
• Identify appropriate marketing, finance, HR and governance approaches for creative and cultural enterprises
• Show ability to assess business strategies and make planning decisions supported by critical analysis
   

• Analyse and synthesise data on the internal and external environments for creative and cultural production and its commercialisation
• Connect theoretical and practical approaches to solving problems in the context of cultural and creative work

• Present and communicate complex information, data, and analysis in a clear and professional manner
• Apply business planning tools to inform decision making
• Produce written reports and reflections for public and specialist audiences

• Work in groups and as individuals to respond to project briefs and deliver project activities
• Apply advanced critical reflection and peer review skills to practical issues associated with creative work and creative projects
• Present persuasive arguments to support social and creative justice

Formative - Written following submission

Summative - Mark and comments 15 working days 

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Cunningham S. The Creative Industries after Cultural Policy: A Genealogy and Some Possible Preferred Futures. International journal of cultural studies. 2004;7(1):105-115. doi:10.1177/1367877904040924

Hartley J. Creative Economy and Culture : Challenges, Changes and Futures for the Creative Industries. 1st ed. (Wen W, Siling Li H, eds.). SAGE Publications; SAGE Publications; 2015.
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Henze R. Introduction to International Arts Management . Imprint Springer VS; Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden  2018.

Jung Y, Vakharia N. Open Systems Theory for Arts and Cultural Organizations: Linking Structure and Performance. The Journal of arts management, law, and society. 2019;49(4):257-273. doi:10.1080/10632921.2019.1617813

Kaiser MM. The Cycle : a Practical Approach to Managing Arts Organizations . (Egan BE, ed.). Brandeis University Press; 2013.

Kolb BM. Entrepreneurship for the Creative and Cultural Industries. 2nd ed. Taylor & Francis Group; 2020.

Kolb BM. Entrepreneurship for the Creative and Cultural Industries. 2nd ed. Taylor & Francis Group; 2020.

Leila Jancovich. Breaking Down the Fourth Wall in Arts Management: The Implications of Engaging Users in Decision-Making. International journal of arts management. 2015;18(1):14-28.

Nussbaum MC. Creating Capabilities : the Human Development Approach . Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 2011.

Oakley K, Banks M, eds. Cultural Industries and the Environmental Crisis : New Approaches for Policy . Springer; 2020.

Perez de la Fuente O, Falcao M, Oliva Martinez JD, eds. Struggles for Recognition : Cultural Pluralism and Rights of Minorities . Dykinson SL; 2021.