Developing Cultural Organisations: Certificate course

In this module, you will explore the most important theories and practices of leading and managing cultural organisations. The focus is on questions of strategic decision-making, ethical responsibility and working with stakeholders. This will teach you how to deal with transformative challenges in the cultural sector.

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Julia Glesner
Dates: Annually (May - July), exact dates on request

Course content

• Theories of leadership in arts organisations (including post-hierarchical management)
• Effective leadership in practice
• Governance structures: boards, trustees, and advisory committees
• Ethical leadership and cultural responsibility
• Transformative governance and adaptive leadership
• Self-reflexion as a key practice in leadership

Learning outcomes and competencies

• students are capable to analyse key leadership theories and their application within the context of arts organisations
• students learn to demonstrate effective leadership skills through case studies and practical examples tailored to the arts and cultural sector
• students are able to understand and evaluate governance structures, including the roles and responsibilities of boards, trustees, and advisory committees.
• students know how to examine the principles of ethical leadership and cultural responsibility within diverse arts environments
• students develop skills to lead diverse teams and initiatives and are able to embrace innovation and respond dynamically to changes in the arts and cultural landscape

In a theoretical phase at the beginning of the module, you will develop the basics of entrepreneurship and acquire knowledge about managing change processes in organisations. In the second phase, you will apply your knowledge to a specific project by designing a strategic plan or a concept for innovation design.

Lecturer: Soohye Jang
Dates: Annually (Oct – Nov), exact dates on request

Course content

• How can you best explain the changes in art and cultural institutions? How can we make a difference, and why is it so difficult? What tools and tactics do people use to hear and realize their ideas? Where are change projects facing challenges and what are the innovative and creative ways to make change sustainable?
• To answer these and other questions, we will explore different ways to understand and guide organisational changes. Take a critical look at the term "organisational development", understand what's under the surface, and approach topics from multiple perspectives. We approach these questions creatively and practically, imagining what works and what is worth it. There are four main lines of attack:
• explore Rational Planning for organizational development and the role of project management and life-cycle models in structuring change
• explore Cultural Participative models for organisational change with look towards organizational culture, HRM, and the need to get people on board
• explore the role of Power and Politics in leading organisational change
• explore the role of Aesthetic Energy in artistic leadership and creative organisational innovation.    

Learning outcomes and competencies

• students are capable to analyse and describe change processes in arts organisations
• students are able to develop strategies for arts organisations, taking into account given resources and conditions
• students feel confident to lead change projects in cultural organisations
• students can recognise resistance to change, possible conflicts, and opposition tactics
• students are familiar with concepts of creativity, ideas and innovation in arts management context

In this module, you will deepen your knowledge of global challenges and link them to strategic opportunities for cooperation. After completing this module, you will understand the forms and characteristics of cultural cooperation at different levels and integrate them into strategic concepts.

Lecturer: Dr. Claire Burnill-Maier
Dates: Annually (Nov – Jan), exact dates on request

Course content

• What is meant by ‘cooperation’?
• Theories of cooperation, instrumentality and value
• Understanding cooperation and coopetition
• Identifying partners

Learning outcomes and competencies

• Understanding the rationale for undertaking cooperative projects
• Ability to identify potential actors and / or projects and with actors from adjacent fields into the context of the current social transformation – both nationally and internationally
• Ability to independently develop prototypes of cooperation and also experiment with new organizational and network concepts
• Students will have gained an interdisciplinary understanding of how this field is developing internationally
• Understanding the relevance of aspects including “coopetition” and “co-creation”

In this module, you will deepen your understanding of the social role of cultural management and consider it in terms of participatory approaches. You will learn how to implement a participatory approach within and outside of cultural organisations, create opportunities for engagement by visitors and employees, and contribute to the community-building process.

Lecturers: Beth Ponte
Dates: Annually (Mar-May), exact dates on request

Course content

• Introduction: Who are we? Are we empowered? What are our frames of reference?
• Key terminology and concepts of participation, empowerment, and diversity
• Case studies on participatory/community arts/co-creation Projects
• Cultural equity and how to achieve creative justice
• Empowerment strategies
• Leadership
• Social impact/value assessment

Learning outcomes and competencies

• Understand the key terminology and concepts of transcultural management
• Outline the development of community engagement and distinguish it from audience development
• Learn about different empowerment strategies
• Examine the theoretical issues of cultural equity and Creative Justice and apply them to different organisations
• Reflect critically on the evaluation and the assessment of cultural impact
• Consider future challenges particularly but not exclusively in the context of digitisation for the sector and how to deal with them
• Self-critical reflection on your leadership style and prejudices