Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ACA5035

 
TITLE Planning and Implementing Social Practice Arts

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit focuses on the actual implementation of artistic projects, particularly as seen from the perspective of cultural entities, funding bodies and other organisations involved in the financing, management and delivery of the arts. The unit will problematise the relationship between funding bodies and creative operators including artists. The role of government, non-governmental/civil society and private sector bodies will be assessed in relation one to the other. Students will understand how projects are evaluated by others, possibly non-artists, in contrast to artists themselves who may tend to be self-centred. Students will also be able to focus on the ethics of working with communities. The issue of seeking a balance between one's own and others' interests and needs, between the production and the co-production of ideas, between the Romantic rhetoric of the artist and the priorities of the market or particular stakeholders, will be addressed. This unit will tie in with others focusing on theory and history of social practice art and applied theatre and community arts in action.

Study-Unit Aims:

The study-unit aims to:
1) Discuss practical issues related to devising, developing, funding and delivering arts projects that address, in particular, community arts and social practice;
2) Analyse local arts projects that offer examples of good practice in social arts practice;
3) Analyse tensions that exist between artistic goals, social needs, political agendas, financial realities and educational objectives.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1) Identify and understand the different elements and stages involved in planning and implementing social practice arts;
2) Describe the roles and actions of the various stakeholders involved in participatory arts projects;
3) Analyse and discuss tensions involved in the actual implementation and funding of different components of visual art and theatre projects.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1) Address problems encountered during planning stage with an aim to seek solutions;
2) Develop skills that enable dialogue, exchange, creative management and adaptability;
3) Write up concrete proposals for different cultural funding schemes;
4) Make realistic plans for projects that take account of various artistic, social, ethical and financial concerns.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Bashiron Mendolicchio, Herman & Bosch, Susanne, (Eds.), 2017, Art in Context: Learning from the field. Conversations with and between art and cultural practitioners, Goethe-Institut.
- Durrer, Victoria, Miller, Toby & O'Brien, Dave, (Eds.), 2018, The Routledge Handbook of Global Cultural Policy, Oxford: Routledge.
- UNESCO, 2017, Re/Shaping Cultural Policies: Advancing creativity for development. 2005 Convention Global Report, Paris: UNESCO.

Supplementary Readings:

- Stephenson, M.O. and Scott Tate, A. (Eds.), 2015, Arts and Community Change: Exploring Cultural Development Policies, Practices and Dilemmas, Routledge.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 50%
Presentation (20 Minutes) SEM2 No 50%

 
LECTURER/S Anthony Attard
Raphael Vella (Co-ord.)
Karsten Xuereb

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit