module specification

This module looks at the relationship between the creative industries, events and cultural policies. It critically discusses notions of the creative class, the creative city and the experience economy which have been used to inform and support strategies in cultural and creative industries policies. It further investigates the role the creative industries play in urban as well as rural areas and it also explores ways in which cities have reinvented themselves as centres of leisure and culture consumption using major cultural infrastructure investment, events and festivals.

- To critically assess and analyse the relationship between events, cultural policy and the creative industries
- To provide students with an understanding of the role strategy and policy-making play in event-led and culture-led regeneration projects
- To further develop students’ analytical and critical abilities and prepare them for the completion of an individual essay based on independent research

Historical overview of policy-making in the cultural sector
Creative industries
Cultural policy and events
Urban development
Event-led and culture-led regeneration
The leisure economy

Learning and teaching on the module is organised in the form of a 1 hour lecture and 2 hour seminars. Lectures will provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools needed to investigate various aspects of creative industries and events policy, and the seminars are oriented towards enabling students to critically analyse and discuss topics related to the lectures and key readings. Relevant study visits will be undertaken as part of the module, and guest lecturers will be invited as and when appropriate.

Students are expected to actively participate in all sessions and to come to sessions prepared, which will entail a certain amount of guided and self-guided independent study at home/library, both including hard copy and online resources.

After completing the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and theories discussed in the context of the module and applying them accordingly
• Critically evaluate the social, cultural, ethical and sustainability issues associated with major events and the creative industries
• Recognise the strategic use of culture in policy-making
• Evaluate theories and models of culture-led and event-led regeneration
• Demonstrate an understanding of possible effects of culture-led and event-led regeneration strategies in a variety of national and international contexts

Assessment 1:
Oral 5-10 minute presentation that test students’ ability to define a topic and give a rationale for why that topic is relevant and important. The presentation is followed by a class discussion where all students are required to actively participate and provide feedback to their colleague. (20%)

Assessment 2:
3500 word essay that will test students’ ability to critically analyse a relevant area relating to events and creative industries policy. Students are expected to use a wide range of academic sources as well as contemporary sources (such as newspaper articles, websites and reports) to support their analysis. Detailed guidelines and assessment criteria will be provided in lectures and via WebLearn. (80%)

Bianchini F and Parkinson M (eds) (1993) Cultural policy and urban regeneration in the West European experience, Manchester University Press

Evans G (2000) Cultural planning, Routledge

Evans G and Shaw P (2004) The contribution of culture to regeneration in the UK: a review of evidence – A report to the DCMS, DCMS

Jones P, Evans J (2008) Urban regeneration in the UK, Sage

Miles S (2010) Places for consumption, Sage

Monclus F.J. (2006) Culture, urbanism and planning, Ashgate

Pratt A.C and Jeffcutt P (2009) Creativity, innovation and the cultural economy, Routledge

Richards G and Palmer R (2010) Eventful cities – cultural management and urban revitalisation, Butterworth-Heinemann

Roodhouse S (2010) Cultural quarters: principals and practice, Intellect

Smith A (2012) Events and urban regeneration, Routledge

Tallon A (2010) Urban regeneration in the UK, Routledge