CREA9405 Cultural Policy and the Arts GE

This topic is designed to introduce cultural policy to students whose interests concern the areas of public policy in the arts, culture and society. Students will gain theoretical knowledge of the relationship between arts, culture and the state, and a critical understanding of the relationship between public policy and artistic and cultural expression.

This topic will provide an overview of the critical factors which affect the development of cultural policy. It will investigate the nature of cultural policy by looking at the history of cultural policies in different countries under various political regimes & analyse the structure of institutions which have been put in place to promote policies. Students will develop an understanding of theoretical and policy issues as they relate to their own creative practice.

This topic aims to introduce students to the subject area and history of cultural policy to provide an understanding of the different models of cultural funding seen internationally today and compare these to the model of cultural funding used in Australia. Students will develop knowledge and understanding as well as the critical skills necessary to interpret and assess a range of cultural policy documents, and the issues that frame them.

1. Critique key issues and debates in cultural policy
2. Evaluate the history of cultural policy
3. Analyse different mechanisms of cultural provision, their costs and benefits
4. Critically evaluate a range of different kinds of cultural policy documents
5. Integrate a knowledge of cultural policy in any career within the cultural sector