Student profiles

Yan Chen

Before coming to London for her MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy, Yan Chen studied History and Tourism in China. During her university study, she also gained intensive workplace experiences in the cultural sector. Whilst assisting with the Asian tour of the Broadway musicals The Sound of Music and Cinderella as a part time interpreter, she found her enthusiasm for arts administration and realised that variety of departments involved in this sector. Yan decided to further her study in this field at Goldsmiths and develop her career in audience development and cultural management.

Studying at Goldsmiths College was an unforgettable experience, allowing Yan to explore subjects such as cultural analysis and arts marketing. The course involved meeting guest lecturers from the industry and visit a number of prestigious venues including the Royal Opera House and Tate Gallery. Additionally, studying with academics and students from diverse cultural backgrounds was fun and inspiring, allowing her to think differently and creatively.

After graduating from the MA, she worked in marketing for a British East Asian theatre company, whilst also working in strategy marketing for Made in China UK, a cultural consultancy company whose projects link the creative industries in China and the UK. One of its projects, The Bridge London, aims to network young Chinese talents and London’s creative businesses, sharing ideas and hosting events in the House of Lords and Somerset House. These challenging projects involved collaborating with and learning from senior and successful professionals in the field, such as directors/managers from BBC, TimeOut, Colman Getty, Saatchi & Saatchi etc.

Involved with a variety of projects and organisations, Yan tries to get the most of her life in London. She hopes to bring the knowledge and experiences back to China in the future, to develop its emerging cultural sector and to engage and develop audiences for cultural activities.