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ICCE members are currently engaged in academic research, which is often informed by activities in teaching, knowledge exchange and consultancy.
For information on the ICCE Research Strategy - Research
Topics include; Arts management, Consumption, Creative and cultural entrepreneurship, Creative industries, Cultural Diplomacy, Cultural economy, Cultural policy, Cultural tourism, Fashion, Intellectual property rights, Pedagogy, Social and cultural theory, Social Enterprise, Technology and data-driven social innovation and new business models.
Dr George Musgrave
Back in 2017, the second stage of the research was directly responsible for the establishment of the first ever 24/7 dedicated mental health helpline for musicians – Music Minds Matter – launched by the charity Help Musicians UK. The helpline is staffed by BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) accredited counsellors who offer emotional support, information, guidance and signposting to additional services that may be of help to those working in the music industry.
Following media coverage from outlets including Billboard, Pitchfork, Grammy Awards, and even a documentary on BBC Introducting, the work has gone on to be cited in the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) response to the Treasury Committee ‘Economic impact of Coronavirus’ inquiry, by the Music Managers Forum in their Music Managers Guide to Mental Health, and by the NHS Special Health Authority for their work on the Health Problems of Musicians for ‘Health Education and Improvement Wales’. Alongside this, the research formed the basis of panel discussions across the world including Amsterdam Dance Event, Goethe Institut Ghana, ENEA Spring Break in Poland, Alberta Electronic Music Conference, Lisbon International Music Week, and MIDEM.
Now, the work has been cited as inspiration by a number of initiatives which are seeking to help musicians all over the world. The first to reference the work in their development was CURA (Collective for the Health of Artist and Music Professionals) in France, who published their own research on the topic alongside La Guilde des Artistes de la Musique (GAM). Another organisation citing the work in their development was Communion – an innovative mental wellness centre for artists and creatives in Berlin. More recently, Upbeat GNV has been launched in Florida in the USA, suggesting that the data in Can Music Make You Sick? was a real turning point: “Facing those numbers, the Upbeat GNV team said they wanted to create an accessible way for musicians to get help and connect with others in their community”. Finally, another new organisation in France was recently established – INSAART (Institut de soin et d’accompagnement pour les artistes et techniciens) – again, citing the work of Gross and Musgrave as important in the development of their practice.
On the launch of these services, and the reception to the work more generally, Dr George Musgrave said: “It’s fantastic to see our research having such real-world impact, and to see the way that academic research can communicate with the music industries and beyond. This field of research is now a rapidly expanding area of interest, with new studies and interventions launching at a time of such importance for musicians and others trying to build their careers and lives in the creative industries”.
‘Can Music Make You Sick? Measuring the Price of Musical Ambition’ is out now from all good retailers and also as an open access pdf from the publisher (University of Westminster Press). It was a Number 1 Best Seller on Amazon upon release (‘Sociology of Work’ category), has been described as “an eye-opening must-read” by Songlines Magazine, and as “the most important book I’ve ever read about music” by Tim Shiel of Double J & Triple J Radio, Australia. It has also been endorsed by Grant Hutchison of the group Frightened Rabbit, the brother of Scott Hutchison who tragically died in 2018. Speaking about the book, Grant said: “This book should be mandatory reading for every label, booking agent, manager and tour manager in the business of music and touring so we can all better understand what’s really involved in living the life of a professional musician and the role we all have in making that life as liveable as possible”.
Dr Martin Smith, ICCE Visiting Fellow
Not only has this proved to be a brilliant exercise in political marketing, transforming the political perception of the creative industries in the wider economy, it has also become a significant export in its own right with scores of countries around the world adopting variations of this basic classification methodology. Many countries regard the UK as world-leading in this field of policy-making.
The DCMS’s mapping documents, subsequently revised in 2007, have also proved controversial, especially (but not only) within the academy. The controversy is about culture, technology, ideology, measurement and boundaries. It is now also about industrial strategy. This was highlighted in March 2018 when for the first time the creative industries were formally acknowledged as a priority sector and accorded a dedicated ‘sector deal’ by the government, with some £100m of public funding attached.
The biggest element in the ‘sector deal’, which is especially relevant to universities, is the Creative Industries Cluster Programme (CICP). This funding supports nine ‘creative R&D’ clusters, university-led but operating in partnership with the private sector, alongside the Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC).
This event provided an opportunity to review the current state of the creative industries, the narratives and policies associated with them, the significance of the new ‘sector deal’ and to learn more about the PEC.
Dr Martin Smith, ICCE Visiting Fellow, opened this event, Hasan Bakhshi (Director of the PEC and Executive Director, Creative Economy and Data Analytics at Nesta) and John Newbigin OBE discussed the issues raised.
ICCE co-hosted this with the AHRC-funded Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC).
You can read Dr Martin Smith's research paper here:'Creative industries' revisited: contestable narratives, the 'sector deal' and the Policy and Evidence Centre (PDF).
Dr Cecilia Dinardi
In East London there are multiple manifestations of this activity – much of it under threat. This said new initiatives like the Mayor of London’s Creative Enterprise Zone have the potential to ameliorate some of the pressure already inherent in the creative and cultural sector but made even more so by certain market forces. Globally many cities face similar problems – how to best support creative and cultural production as a mechanism of regional growth and renewal.
The full article Creative Hubs and Urban Policy: A Symposium and a Book Launch on Creative Work and the City is available on ICCE's Blog.
Dr Oonagh Murphy
As part of the summit, Dr Murphy introduced her current research on Museums, AI and Ethics and launched the website for the Museums + AI Network. A partnership between Goldsmiths, The National Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History and Pratt Institute. The Network is funded through an AHRC Network Grant.
Dr Oonagh Murphy's AHRC funded research Museums and Artificial Intelligence Network is a collaboration with Dr Elena Villaespesa, Pratt Institute, New York to examine the potential impact of AI on Museum practice.
Dr Michael Franklin
The third aim was to scrutinise current technology-based initiatives and ask whether they have the potential to boost indie film sector sustainability by enabling the development of new business models.
Michael Franklin’s research, to which many industry practitioners contributed by generously offering interviews, is ground-breaking. The research has been supported by a major donation from the Patrick McKenna Charitable Trust and partly by ICCE at Goldsmiths, University of London.
You can read Dr Franklin's Examining the Understanding and Management of Risk in the Film Industry here.
Dr Tomoko Tamari
Professor Mike Featherstone
London, Rio, Tokyo Olympics Symposium will explore the changes accompanying the 2012 London Olympics, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Please register for the event.
