Cultural Events Management MSc

Modules

Block One: Cultural Festivals and Live Music Events Practice

This module analyses the live sector in a number of ways. The first part will explore the political, social, and cultural forces that have contributed to the development of art/cultural festivals and events. It will explore what makes a successful festival and analyse their role in society.  In addition to Melas and Carnivals, the module presents the opportunity to also explore the live music sector. Since the pandemic new business models emerged as artists found ways to stream their gigs. You will be expected to understand the key management roles such as Manager, Tour Manager, Agent and Promoter. The module also considers the practical aspects of design and planning associated with running festivals, cultural and live music events including project management, finance, music licensing, copyright, programming, health and safety, legal concerns, and evaluation.  Key to the module is an opportunity to plan and deliver either a digital, live, or hybrid event and use this to reflect on theory and practice.  

Assessment: 100% written report

Block Two: Marketing Principles in Sport and Cultural Event Contexts

This module will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of key marketing principles and how to apply them to sport and cultural events in national and global contexts. You will begin to explore, understand, and debate key marketing concepts and relate them both to global sport and cultural event organisations and future opportunities. 

Specifically, the module will teach you a variety of traditional marketing concepts, such as the marketing environment, segmentation, targeting and positioning, the marketing mix, marketing communications, sponsorship and branding, and consumer and audience behaviour. It will then also provide you with programme-specific content related to marketing in sporting and cultural event contexts within national and global contexts to allow specialist exploration of programme areas.

Assessment: 40% Report plus Infographic and 60% Marketing report.

Block Three: Digital Entrepreneur in the Cultural Industries

Since the 21st Century, society has been altered beyond recognition by the advent of the internet, digital technology and social media.  This module focuses on the fast-changing digital landscape in the arts and culture industries. In the sector, we see how digital tools and technologies have been transforming, how businesses are operating; the way in which audiences engage with culture and are driving new forms of cultural participation, practice and entrepreneurship.  Drawing examples from local, national and international case-studies and industry professionals, you will explore the changing landscape and the impact from various perspectives; including audiences, artists, cultural producers, organisations, agencies, funders and partners. You will be expected to critically evaluate how established arts management practice; business planning and models are evolving.

Assessment: 60% business plan and 40% pitch and podcast.

Block Four: Events Leadership

This module will provide you with the tools to make a critical investigation of the context in which cultural, sporting and commercial events operate nationally and internationally alongside issues of leadership and development support that are required for an evolving sector. It explores the needs of individuals leading events management organisations, and the skills required to motivate, manage and organise staff and other stakeholders to create excellent events. The module will also incorporate the study of some operational elements of event leadership in practice such as event delivery.

Developing your employability and professional skills at this point in the programme will form a key part of the module to help you prepare for embarking on your final stage project of studies.

Assessment: 60% essay and 40% Presentation or Professional Portfolio

Block Five and Six: Dissertation OR Work Based Project

Dissertation: The dissertation provides you with an opportunity for sustained work of an independent nature in an area related to the course. Topics may develop from one of the taught modules or may be linked to issues touched on only peripherally or not at all in the taught modules. In all cases the dissertation will be encompassed within the broad rationale of the degree, and must be within the supervisory capacity of the subject team. Dissertations should usually contain an element of originality, but that originality may be defined in a number of ways. Some will yield new insights from primary research, but many will rely heavily on the work of other scholars in the field. In the latter case the originality will emerge from the nature of engagement with existing scholarly work and the attempt to offer new readings, analyses or challenges to established authorities. The methodology itself may be original - for example the use of a multidisciplinary approach to the topic.

Assessment: 100% dissertation.

Work Based Project: This module provides the opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills acquired from the taught course in a practical context - for example working with a festival or an events company in any part of the world. It is anticipated that this work-based project/placement will include experience of working on the development, promotion and delivery of a festival or event. This module allows you to bring together all aspects of the course ranging from research methodologies to discipline-specific modules. This work-based project/placement will receive supervision from the host organisation and DMU. You will undertake appropriate research and work in accordance with an agreed work placement proposal, which will be negotiated with the host. A learning contract will be drawn up and agreed by the host, you and DMU.

Assessment: 100% report. 

Overview

The programme takes a very case-study and primary research approach to teaching, combining academic study with practical experience in organising specific events, thanks to guest lectures and workshops you will also meet a host professionals from the cultural events industry. These national and international specialists range from those working for specific festivals and events, to local authorities and industry organisation professionals as well as technicians from the security and health and safety fields. In addition, as DMU is a member of the European Festivals Research Project, you will also meet respected international academics.

Assessment is continuous through methods such as reports and essays, portfolio, proposals, presentations as well as either a work-based project or a dissertation at the end of the course.

All the tutors teach modules within their own research specialisations placing you at the forefront of new discoveries and developments in areas such arts and cultural events, strategic planning, the use of public space and communicating through media and advertising. DMU staff recently completed a major piece of research, funded by the EPSRC, which explores how issues of sustainability can be promoted with, and through, festivals.

Along with other experts in the field, Chris Newbold and Jennie Jordan have recently published two new books, Focus on Festivals: Contemporary European Case Studies and Perspectives (2015) and Focus on World Festivals: Contemporary case studies and perspectives (2016) examining the basis for the remarkable growth in festivals worldwide.

As well as running DMU’s Cultural Exchanges Festival, many of them are also researching festivals such as Latitude and Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival and various carnivals and melas. Their involvement in these projects creates opportunities for your own research projects and work placements as does DMU’s link to festivals and events across Europe through its membership of the European Festivals Research Project. 

Contact hours
In your first two terms you will normally attend around 12 hours of timetabled taught sessions including lectures, tutorials and workshop and studio sessions each week, and be expected to undertake at least 23 hours of independent study each week. Your third term will be pre-dominantly self-directed (including meetings with your supervisor), during which you can expect to undertake 35 hours of independent study each week.