Background
National subject network
There are two existing international networks which represent institutions that train and educate arts managers and those engaged in cultural policy: ENCACT (European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres); and AAAE (Association of Arts Administration Educators) in the USA.
The mission of ENCATC is to stimulate and encourage the development of cultural management and policy within the context of great changes in the fields of culture, arts and media. AAAE represents college and university graduate and undergraduate programmes in arts administration, encompassing training in the management of visual, performing, literary, media, cultural and arts service organizations.
A few HE institutions in the UK belong to ENCACT and two to AAAE. However, there is no subject specific association in HE in the UK for cultural policy, creative industries or arts management.
Although arts and cultural management and cultural policy are relatively new disciplines, there are at least 19 programmes in the UK, that are either wholly or partially concerned with this area. However, they are relatively disparate. Despite an increasing acceptance of applied research, the next RAE exercise, for instance, will still evaluate work in the areas of cultural policy and management under a range of different panels, depending on which faculty or department the programme originated in. The AHRC has no single panel to consider submissions for grant funding concerned with cultural policy and management.
We, therefore, recommended the formation of a subject specific association to represent the sector to HEFCE, AHRC, DfES, DCMS and the RAE and to provide the focus for debate and agenda setting between HE institutions in the UK. This association would relate internationally to AAAE and ENCACT.
The first meeting of the network took place on October 27 at Goldsmiths College with over 70 delegates and expression of interest from 20 more. It was agreed that one of the first functions of the network would be to develop a website and email membership loop.
The initial network meeting and research symposia were funded by LCACE (http://lcace.org.uk/home.php) - however Goldsmiths and City Universities will jointly fund the first three year's administrative activities as the network moves onto a subscription basis - as recommended by delegates at the inaugural meeting.
Research student symposia
The proposed annual symposia would involve research students, not just from
Goldsmiths and City but from other leading institutions in the UK with a
tradition of research in the fields of cultural policy and management.
Our intention is to provide the participating students with the opportunity to network, collaborate and receive formal feedback from their peers. We would expect the symposia to focus on issues close to the hearts of those who make cultural policy and promote its implementation in this country. These would include analysis, primary research, comparative case studies, models of policy-making, impact studies etc.
We propose inviting abstracts from all research students who can be identified as working in the field. If accepted, participants will be invited to give a twenty minute presentation on an aspect of their research. The day will open with a keynote presentation, followed by panels which will be themed by research topics. These will be chaired by members of staff from City and Goldsmiths. Feedback will be given by presenters' peers and members of staff present. We also propose publishing the papers presented at the symposia, possibly in City University's newly launched ejournal, Cultural Policy, Criticism and Management. (http://www.city.ac.uk/cpmejournal/).
The first Symposium took place on Dec 1 2006, it was well attended and the first submitted papers are now being reviewed prior to publication - see Research Student Symposia.
Gerald Lidstone, Goldsmiths, University of London
Sara Selwood, City University