Course Objectives

The goal is to give the students fundamental knowledge of central concepts, principles and themes in relation to various aspects of cultural leadership. The student will gain an understanding of how art and culture may be related to a relevant social perspective. The student will learn what leading cultural institutions and cultural projects involve, with a particular emphasis on leadership within professional scenic and visual fields.

Course Description

In this course, the student will receive an introduction to cultural leadership in theory and practice. The course may serve either as a basis for further studies in cultural subjects and cultural work, or as a culturally oriented component within studies in economics and administration.

The course is divided into the following three segments:

1. Knowledge of dramatic and visual arts

2. Organisation and management

3. Art and culture in politics and society

1. Knowledge of dramatic and visual arts focuses specially on the dramatic arts (theatre, ballet, opera and music) and the visual arts (museums and galleries). This part of the course focuses on genres, arenas, and means as well as personnel issues and organisation. Viewing, experiencing and interpreting art constitutes an important part of the course. Various cultural institutions, events and exhibitions, which will be visited, will be examined. Choice of topic, which will be covered in this segment, will depend on the cultural life and activities of the area in which the campus is located.

2. Organisation, funding and leadership provides an introduction to management theory, with an emphasis on vision, strategy and goals for creative initiatives. Management, and the function of management, will be discussed in connection with various organisation models in relation to established institutions, festivals and specific cultural projects and initiatives. The focus will be especially directed at producer and project roles in the management of creative projects, and models for project planning, economy-planning (budgeting), progress planning and reporting.

3. Art and culture in politics and society focuses on cultural life from a social perspective, and examines some current culture-policy problems. The use of concepts, art and culture will be discussed, as well as the question concerning the intrinsic value of art. Further, the production of art will be discussed in relation to social and financial policies, and the various ways of legitimising transference of funds to the sphere of art and culture. In this part of the course, students will also become familiar with the principal institutions and organisations in the field of the arts in Norway. Further, the course will compare conditions in Norway, Great Britain and the US with regard to the cultural policies, and the organisation and funding of cultural initiatives.

Syllabus (832 pages)

Donatella De Paoli and Beate Elstad: Organisering og ledelse av Kunst og Kultur. Cappelen – Damm, October 2008 (c. 270 pages).

Jan Grund: Kulturpolitikk er kunst – Universitetsforlaget, pp. 11-208 (197 pages) ISBN:9788215012513. (http://www.universitetsforlaget.no/boker/admin/katalog?productId=1033041)

Grete Wennes: Kunstledelse (50 pages) (http://www.abstrakt.no/index.asp?id=27971) ISBN 978-82-7935-215-0.

David M. Conte: Theatre Management (51 pages) (http://www.amazon.com/Theatre-Management-David-M-Conte/dp/0896762564/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product)

Ringstad, Vidar (2005): Kulturøkonomi, Cappelen Akademisk Forlag, chapters 1-3, and 7 (95 pages) - ISBN: 9788202245955.

Dag Solhjell, Kunst-Norge: en sosiologisk studie av den norske kunstinstitusjonen (billedkunst) Universitetsforlaget, 1995 ISBN: 9788200039198; pp. 11-74 (63 pages).

Mangset, Per (1992), Kulturliv og forvaltning. Innføring i kulturpolitikk . Oslo, Universitetsforlaget. Chapters 1,2,4,5 (87 pages).

Sigrid Røyseng, ”New Public Management møter kunsten” Norsk kulturpolitisk tidsskrift 2/2003 (19 pages).

Learning Methods

The instruction consists of a combination of lectures, seminars, excursions and prepared visits to cultural institutions. The approach will be both theoretical and practical. Reading the syllabus and understanding the theoretical concepts will be combined with excursions, study-visits, projects and fieldwork.

Assessment Methods

Continuous assessment includes written examinations and one or more submissions (project assignments and reports from fieldwork, in groups or individually). Portfolio with written submissions. Oral presentations throughout the semester. Obligatory excursions to cultural institutions. The continuous assessment (submissions etc.) will count for 40% of the final grade and a final 3-hour written examination will count for 60%. In order to gain a final passing mark for the course, all parts of the assessment must receive passing marks. Graded passing marks from A (best) to E.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean