LT4065 - Events Cultures & Live Scenes (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27, but may be subject to modification | ||||||||
| Module title | Events Cultures & Live Scenes | ||||||||
| Module level | Certificate (04) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
In this module, you will be exploring the variety of music, events, entertainment and media cultures, scenes and corresponding markets. Such markets may be internal to music, events, media, and entertainment organisations – such as job markets, markets for internal promotion and staff development. They are normally external to the said music, events, media, and entertainment organisations – as is the case with fan cultures, scenes of promotion, production and delivery of events, products, releases, media contents and such like. All manner of scenes, fandom subcultures, participation circuits, user co-creation practices, user cultures and creative movements will be explored in this module. Together with that, you will learn to appreciate the relevance of the full diversity of events and media tools that we use to reach out to audiences.
This module has a significant practical component that contributes to your Graduate Success: you will design, develop and deliver a media portfolio geared towards a better understanding of your practical field, be it in music, media, events, entertainment, or a broader context of the creative industries. You are invited to be creative and imaginative and if something does not look established or tested, that should not be an obstacle: Any area of music and events cultures is worth covering and examining in your learning and assessment.
You will connect practice with theory to build your own graduate success: 1) Portfolios, industry and scene research + subcultural, countercultural, social change and cultural transformation theories. 2) Diversity of music, events and media cultures from across the world, and not just major territories – so K-pop, J-pop, Bachata and other powerful new genres. Media genres, event types ranging from independent to corporate, whatever is your choice of creative events + music + media style, you are strongly encouraged to do. There will be class debates, focused teamwork and much more for you to enjoy/engage.
Prior learning requirements
No pre- or co- requisites for the module.
Available for Study Abroad? YES
Syllabus
Syllabus, Events Cultures & Live Scenes:
1. Introduction to the module. Events cultures and live scenes defined. Netnography and visual ethnography. Assessment analysis. Weekly debates. LO1
2. Music scenes, live media, entertainment formats, pop brands and culture. LO1 LO3
3. From events as culture, to events for corporate organisational cultures. LO2 LO5
4. Live music experience, DJs and crowds, guerrilla media, hybrid events. LO3 LO4
5. Cultural identity and events: Heritage, contemporary, art, design, fringe, formal. LO2 LO4
6. Underground & mainstream: Music, film, fashion, events, books, sites, apps, etc. LO2 LO3
7. Conferences, showcases, exhibitions and cultural contexts of corporate events. LO5 LO6
8. Independent production in music and media and its impact on genre and style. LO5 LO6
9. Revision 1: Peer review of events or scenes analysis with information gathered. LO1-LO6
10. Cultures of hospitality and traditional events; sustainability and health contexts. LO1 LO4
11. Scenes in music, events, media, culture and leisure and their economic impact. LO1 LO6
12. Revision 2: Tutorials, advice and feedback sessions for assessment submission. LO1-LO6
NB. Submission of narrated portfolios containing audio, visuals and web data, 1500 words, week 13.
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Learning and teaching on this module is student-centred and student co-created with reflective experience at its core.
This is a class + seminar-oriented module. Accessible, inclusive hybrid learning in classes and nonlinear environments is integral to the module delivery and exercises.
All sessions contain an investigative component, incl. market or organisation analysis, deduction of professional identities and audience motivations, industry source research, brainstorming, exploring cultural factors and creative discussions.
Theory will be presented then applied in class exercises, debates, peer review and tutor moderation to kickstart and facilitate further independent work outside classes.
On AI: The industry impact of AI and machine learning is analysed in classes. AI needs to be referenced; it is approved for design and execution in project work.
The assessment is centred on developing individual student portfolios. Independent study is essential.
Each portfolio is developed by the students and agreed with the tutor. Each portfolio focuses on the subject that the students choose individually.
The module acts as a basis for well-researched career planning.
Students will develop own portfolio objectives with the module leader, discussing key factors and trends in class debates. Regular participation in classes is essential.
Teamwork exercises in industry analysis are designed to match and mirror best practice in the world’s leading companies and start-ups.
Education for Social Justice Framework (ESJF)
Inclusive formative and summative assessment:
As the module centres on unique student themes in projects, inclusive assessment is built into the module at the core. Assessment is student portfolio driven.
Students elect their own focus and approach (personalisation, diversity, accessibility), own cultural context (identity, equity, decolonisation), in an experiential mode of study (reflection), with the diagnostic use of theory and industry data for real-life application (critical theory, synthesis).
Peer debates and tutor moderation facilitate the enhancing of portfolio development.
Identity, Personalisation And Reflection:
Reflection is vital in this module designed for practice.
Personal inclinations, career aims, orientations and desired pathways, own aptitudes, interests and individual choices are both recognised and encouraged.
Localisation is supported, from global and international to micro-urban. Community and cultural identity focus, and ethical contexts are fostered.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will:
1. Understand various definitions of creative cultures, scenes and events audiences.
2. Understand live scenes in music, events, media and new digitised + hybrid contexts.
3. Explore cultural markets in events, music and various live sectors.
4. Explore the organisational components of creative scenes and music cultures.
Bibliography
https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/962FDF8C-223E-E536-3330-02A31A7F31C1.html?lti1p3LaunchId=lti1p3_launch_69120e7b178a22.69080214&existingResourceLinkId=0e863bc0-04c1-4615-bfd7-060ddb196327<i1p3LinkType=resource_link<i_auth_nonce=01dd2ac5-a1de-439b-a900-b70824bc171a
https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/A8DA17CE-EF14-4A1C-9F0A-FA0D59503236.html?lang=en-GB
Carah, N., Regan, S., Goold, L., Rangiah, L., Miller, P., & Ferris, J. (2021). Original live music venues in hyper-commercialised nightlife precincts: exploring how venue owners and managers navigate cultural, commercial and regulatory forces. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 27(5), 621-635.
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Mair, J., & Smith, A. (2022). Events and sustainability: why making events more sustainable is not enough. In Events and sustainability (pp. 1-17). Routledge.
Moritzen, K. (2022). Opening up virtual mosh pits: music scenes and in-game concerts in fortnite and minecraft. Journal of Sound and Music in Games, 3(2-3), 115-140.
Rendell, J. (2021). Staying in, rocking out: Online live music portal shows during the coronavirus pandemic. Convergence, 27(4), 1092-1111.
Teixeira-Costa, P., Carvalho, R., Veríssimo, M., & Costa, C. (2023, June). Co-creating experiences in cultural events: The case of three portuguese festivals. In ICTR 2023 6th International Conference on Tourism Research. Academic Conferences and publishing limited.
Van Der Steen, T., & Richards, G. (2021). Factors affecting resident support for a hallmark cultural event: the 2018 European Capital of Culture in Valletta, Malta. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 13(1), 107-123.
Whiting, S. (2021). The value of small live music venues: Alternative forms of capital and niche spaces of cultural production. Cultural Sociology, 15(4), 558-578.
