MA Arts Administration & Cultural Policy

Course information

Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Course overview

This programme offers you the chance to engage with the key issues in the formulation of arts and cultural policy and the administration of the arts, in particular those relating to the performing arts.

This MA from the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship will enable you to develop an awareness of and a critical approach to the discipline, by studying arts policy and practice in Europe, audience development, fundraising, arts education, cultural tourism, regeneration through arts, arts diversity and social inclusion, copyright and the role of the arts in relations and diplomacy as well as national and cultural identity.

There are modules in:

Cultural Policy and Practice
Management and Professional Practice 1: Work placement
Management and Professional Practice 2: Business Planning for Arts
An option module in a complimentary area

Practitioners from many companies, venues and national organisations teach on the programme, providing a direct link with the profession. See our partners in learning.

Through individual research and placement with an arts company or management organisation you will develop essential practical skills to enhance your potential and your employability as an arts administrator.

The programme also offers you one module in a complementary area. These at present are:

From the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship:

Entrepreneurial Modelling
Interpretation, Education and Communication in the Art Museum
Cultural Relations and Diplomacy
Cultural and Creative Tourism
Culture, Tourism and Regeneration

From the Department of Theatre and Performance:

Disability Theatre
Sociocultural Analysis of the Musical
Radical Performance

From the Department of Music - modules from MMus programmes. This also includes a module in Music Management.

From the Department of Design:

Enterprising Leadership: An Introduction to the Discourse of Contemporary Leadership, Enterprise, and Innovation

Music Pathway

It's also possible to follow a Music Pathway in this programme, which allows you to broaden your musical knowledge and skills through largely theory and/or history-based modules.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the ICCE Administrator

What you'll study

Autumn term

You take four modules taught over two-and-a-half days (for full-time students).

	Module title	Credits
	Cultural Policy and Practice Cultural Policy and Practice 30 credits This module will address a range of issues relevant to cultural policy and practice in the UK and other European countries. We will discuss the relationship between cultural production and policy and deal with issues of ‘what is culture’ in different cultural contexts and countries. The module has two distinct elements: the first will deal with post-war arts policy and practice within the UK, exploring the main developments that have contributed to the evolution of current policy. It will examine the interrelationship of the many functions and responsibilities of the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), the Arts Councils of, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and their regional offices, and how policy is managed at a national, regional and city level. This section of the module will also map the relationship of the ‘cultural industries’ to the economy of access, accountability and cultural/national identity will be explored as well as specific areas of arts and tourism, arts and regeneration, arts education and the globalisation of culture. In general the module will concentrate on policy in relation to the performing arts although reference will be made to visual arts and the heritage sector. The second section of the module will provide an introduction to cultural policy models and cultural policies in other European countries, and the structures and priorities that govern arts support. It will look in particular at the situation in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland as well as the specific issues facing arts policymakers in Central and Eastern Europe. Reference will also be made to the role of the European Union in cultural policy development.	30 credits
	Introduction to Audience Development Introduction to Audience Development n/a Through presentations, discussions and group work, considers a range of strategies and practical tools and processes that can be used in a range of disciplines and cultural contexts. This is a non assessed module aimed to develop your skills.	n/a
	Introduction to Fundraising Introduction to Fundraising n/a This module considers the ethical and operational issues involved with fundraising, taking you through both fundraising processes and the development of strategy, from research, approach and delivery to monitoring and evaluation. This module is not assessed and is aimed to develop your skills.	n/a
	Seminar Series Seminar Series n/a In this module you will have the opportunity to discuss with senior members of the cultural management profession how policies are reflected in their organisations. To deliver this module the programme works with some of our ‘Partners in Learning’.	n/a

Spring term

You will study three modules on the programme over two days.

You choose one 'Shared Module', and then you take the Management and Professional modules which are broken up into Business Planning for Arts Organisations and an Internship.

The Shared Modules will allow you to continue to develop your understanding of a creative practice, or a specialist area of management. This module, therefore, comprises studies in one area of creative practice eg. Music, Theatre and Performance, Visual Arts, Entrepreneurship, or Cultural Diplomacy. (For some modules it will be necessary for a student to have a background in the area they wish to study as they are primarily concerned with the discipline rather than its administration/management – for example in music).

Theatre and Performance

Disability Theatre
Sociocultural Analysis
Radical Performance

ICCE

Cultural Relations and Diplomacy
Entrepreneurial Modelling
Interpretation, Education and Communication in the Art Museum
Cultural Tourism and Regeneration
Contemporary Issues in Cultural Policy

Music

Modules from MMus programmes

Design

Enterprising Leadership: An Introduction to the Discourse of Contemporary Leadership, Enterprise, and Innovation

Core modules (taught in ICCE):	Module title	Credits
	Management and Professional Practice 1: Internship Management and Professional Practice 1: Internship 30 credits This module introduces you to models of management and professional practice and prepares you to undertake a placement with an arts organisation. It will introduce you to models of management and professional practice appropriate to arts organisations. You will examine the relationship between arts management practice and the culture in which that practice is situated. The module is in two parts. The first, through presentations and seminars, will equip students to develop a critical approach to both general management policy and practice, and to how practice has been developed to meet the characteristics and requirements of the arts sector. You will be introduced to key ideas in organisational management from Weber to Handy and Belbin, and current writing on leadership. You will also be introduced to different forms of legal structures for organisations and basic issues relating to employment. In the second part, through undertaking a placement with an appropriate arts organisation, you will be able to observe, account for and analyse contemporary management practice. Internships, while being tailored to student needs and that of the host organisations, will be of roughly three months duration for two or three days a week. Normally internships relate to particular projects within an organisation, therefore the most appropriate level of attendance can be negotiated with the organisation on a case-by-case basis with tutorial support. As the module enjoys considerable goodwill within the profession there is normally a suitable placement to develop the interests of each student (ICCE has over 100 Partners in Learning who have taken students in the past). A further period of placement may be available at the end of the taught section of the module. We take care to match you with a suitable organisation, in relation to your overall academic and vocational needs. However, it is not possible to guarantee a placement with a particular organisation. If you do not secure an internship then an alternative assessment will be arranged.	30 credits
	Management and Professional Practice 2: Business Planning for Arts Organisations Management and Professional Practice 2: Business Planning for Arts Organisations 30 credits This module will introduce you to a model for producing a business/strategic plan for an arts organisation. This is the key document required by all arts organisations, particularly those within the subsidised sector and those wishing to join it. It is currently common practice to write a business plan that considers a three-year period, which is then rolled forward on an annual basis. It is a document that should have an external and internal purpose (i.e. be suitable to send to funders, businesses, banks etc), in addition to being a reference point for staff, and board members. It should refer to all aspects of an organisation’s activities, including the artistic and educational programming, management and staffing, location and resources, finances, marketing and development.	30 credits

Summer term

Taught one day a week, you will have lectures and seminars that cover contemporary arts management issues such as: copyright and performing rights; touring; cultural leadership and diplomacy; and further develops some areas introduced earlier in the year, such as arts and tourism. During the term there are also timetabled sessions for individual tutorials relating to your dissertation.

	Module title	Credits
	MA Arts Administration & Cultural Policy Dissertation MA Arts Administration & Cultural Policy Dissertation 60 credits All students will write a Dissertation on an aspect of Arts Administration and Cultural Policy. You start preparing your dissertation in term one with sessions on study skills. These are followed by a series of seminars, primarily with practitioners, which introduces you to key issues of how policy is implemented in practice. Sessions are normally two hours long, initiated by a presentation that outlines the history, remit and policy of an arts organisation followed by a discussion on the key areas of current concern. You will then be able to discuss (in timetabled discussion groups and on Virtual Learning Environment forums) and expand on the issues raised and make connections with the policy areas studied in Cultural Policy and Practice (CP&P). These seminars also introduce you to a range of specialist practice that is only briefly covered in CP&P, such as reminiscence theatre or gallery education programmes. Writing the dissertation will draw on areas studied throughout the three terms. You are encouraged to explore current issues through research, analysis and debate and will be supported by tutorials. You are also encouraged to be resourceful in researching areas where there is little published material and interviews with practitioners and policymakers may be a primary resource.	60 credits

Download the programme specification, for the 2019-20 intake. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject.

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2019/20 academic year.

Home/EU - full-time: £10140
Home/EU - part-time: £5070
International - full-time: £18340

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

If you're an international student interested in studying part-time, please contact our Admissions Team to find out if you're eligible.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online

Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We accept applications from 1 October until 1 April for students wanting to start the following September.

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an earlier application deadline.

Selection process

Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally, we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Find out more about applying.

Careers

Skills

The programme enables you to develop the following skills:

Critical awareness of cultural policy issues
Preparation of specific audience development and fundraising strategies for arts organisations, and more generic strategic plans
Leadership and teamwork skills

Careers

Graduates typically go on to careers in the following areas:

Cultural policy: researching, developing, writing, analysing and evaluating policy
Management in building-based and touring theatre, dance, music and visual arts organisations
Arts education, arts regeneration and arts for social and community purposes
Audience development, programming and planning

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

What our students say

Weiqing Zhang

the experience I gained on this programme layed a solid foundation to help me realise my dreams

I found out about Goldsmiths because of my previous boss in a gallery I worked at recommended it to me because. She said it is one of the most creative schools in the art field and it is well-recognised in China's art scene, which means it will better for my future job hunting after graduation. Before I came to Goldsmiths, I was working in MD Gallery, an international Gallery founded by a Paris woman. I was also working as a volunteer in Himalayas Art Museum, which is one of the largest museums in Shanghai.

I found my course a little bit tough as it was sometimes hard to find a balance between reading more books and seeing more exhibitions, while also spending a lot of time absorbing knowledge from lectures, too. As an international students, you can use a lot of energy to transfer English and Chinese and try to understand the deeper meaning of what the teachers said.

We all loved the college's atmosphere, both the physical environment and the artistic and creative atmosphere here. Everything here is so different from what I've experienced in former traditional study atmosphere. I would always walk in London centre and go to a lot of exhibitions as well. Finding new pubs or cafes in London helped me to immerse myself in London culture, too. The academic studies and research have been the most important channels to lay a solid foundation to realise my dream.

My ambitions to work as an excellent art administrator in an art institution such as an art museum have come true. Since completing my MA in ICCE, I now work as a core team member at the Start Museum. I am responsible for exhibitions assistance, researching artists and collections.

The Start Museum is a new contemporary art museum opening in Shanghai at the end of 2019. It's located near the West Bund Cultural Belt, Xuhui District in Shanghai, and was designed by the famous French architect Jean Nouvel.

Thanks to what I've learned and experienced during my MA, I have improved my thinking and research abilities and have helped my job.

Ricardo

the academic background gained in ICCE gave me a solid foundation to continue researching cultural policy

Originally a lawyer from Brazil, I always felt that the world is too fascinating for borders. For this reason, lived all over the world.

After working several years in the United Nations as a human rights officer in countries like Timor Leste, Afghanistan, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo I felt I needed to think outside of the box to further develop my work.

The MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from ICCE was the answer for this need, as I wanted to gain knowledge on how arts and culture can be powerful tools for human empowerment. I was lucky enough to be part of a very diverse cohort and guided by the amazing lecturers together we developed our skills as arts administrators and cultural policies specialists.

Following the end of the MA, I remained in the UK for 6 months where I worked as a general manager for the Outside Edge theatre company. Currently, I am working as an international Legal, Cultural and Creative Adviser for the State Secretariat of Arts and Culture in Timor Leste, where I coordinate the construction of the country’s cultural policies as well as seeking business opportunities for the country in the cultural sector. As a young country, Timor Leste is investing a lot in the cultural segment and the creative industries, specially regarding the creation of the National Academy for the Arts and Creative Industries and the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.

I am very glad I had the academic background gained in ICCE as it gave a solid foundation to continue researching on cultural policies in Asia and in the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.

Andres Cordoba

I chose Goldsmiths, first of all, because of the fact that is located and well known in London. I am into contemporary arts, and definitely London is the place to be for a person like me.

My Goldsmiths journey so far has been interesting and challenging at the same time. First of all, I think that is very important to highlight that the education system in my country, Colombia, is very different, so to adapt to this new challenge has been difficult at some points, but definitely satisfactory. I am referring particularly to the fact that an MA at Goldsmiths consists on individual work basically. I have felt so far that lectures are just a guide for you to discover what you like and which topics you like to research. I must say, nevertheless, that the professors are extremely helpful and they will definitely make a difference if you look for help. So, at the beginning I was worried, to be honest I felt a little lost, but now every day I feel more confident and I know what I want to study and research.

Regarding the IWW, I have to say that it is very helpful, when it comes to socialize, which is a very important part of the experience here as well. So, to meet people from all over the world that are in your same situation makes you feel accompanied, and in a huge city like London, that is priceless. I think that the activities are also helpful, except the library induction one, because I did not go to the library, which in my opinion, does not makes, a lot of sense. But, in general terms, I found it useful.

I chose Goldsmiths, first of all, because of the fact that is located and well known in London. I am into contemporary arts, and definitely London is the place to be for a person like me. So many activities, museums, galleries, exhibitions, conferences, etc., going on, that at some point is actually overwhelming. Another reason to choose Goldsmiths in particular is the fact that is well known for the arts and the university incentivises creativity, which is fundamental for me. I have met people that studied here, and they had an amazing time, both academically and personally, so for me that is a plus. The university also offers a lot of extracurricular activities, it has many clubs and societies that you can join, about many topics, so that makes you network with students with your same interests and at the and interesting things and projects can turn out.

My background is in the arts, I have worked in art galleries before, so as I said, London is a place to be if you are into arts, because all the city has to offer. I have worked also in the district art institute of Bogota, my city, and this also gave me an interesting point of view of cultural policy and arts administration. It is important to say that my BA is in anthropology, and even though I do not work in it specifically, it has given me the tools to look into contemporary art in a very different and human way.

My expectations are high, to be honest, I hope that Goldsmiths and this MA program in particular, can help me develop management tools for me to work more effectively and critically in the visual arts industry. I also expect that the University provides me with spaces that can lead me to network with people from different backgrounds, that have my same interests. When I graduate, I hope I can find a job in the visual arts industry in London, or, even better, I hope I can start and entrepreneurial project in London in the same field.

See more profiles for this programme

MA Arts Administration & Cultural Policy

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