The potential of the arts and culture sector to enrich lives, boost economies and generate new career opportunities, can be witnessed across the globe. In Hong Kong, the M+ art museum only debuted to the public in late 2021 but has already established itself as one of the most popular exhibition spaces in Asia. While on the Mainland, the boom in the construction of cultural infrastructure has continued apace since the early years of the century.
This growth is leading to a burgeoning demand for trained professionals who have both a broad perspective and an innovative approach, as well as the ability to run a wide range of facilities and events in this rapidly evolving field. That is why Lingnan University, Hong Kong, together with Goldsmiths, University of London, are launching a new MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy (MAAACP) this year. Students enrolled on this dual-degree programme will split their time between Hong Kong and London, and will have the opportunity to gain not only a unique international perspective but also two internationally-recognised degrees.
To underline the value of the MAAACP’s international aspect, programme co-director Professor Eric Chan, of Lingnan’s School of Graduate Studies, points out that successful professionals working in this sector are likely to move around the world in the course of their careers. “This mobility exposes these professionals to more diverse experiences, influences and ideas, that can enhance their creative outputs and their understanding of different cultural contexts.”
However, Prof Chan adds, an international perspective is also increasingly important for those who work solely in their home countries. “Local arts and culture professionals need to adopt a more global lens when presenting the local arts and cultural content to a global audience.”
A unique partnership and a unique opportunity
Professor Elle Li, School of Graduate Studies faculty and Prof Chan’s fellow programme co-director, believes the MAAACP will give students a wonderful chance to experience the differences, as well as the similarities, between the cultural environments in London and Hong Kong.
“In London they are likely to encounter a multicultural-metropolis scene that reflects its diverse population with a variety of cultural expressions from around the world,” she notes. “By contrast, Hong Kong’s arts and culture scene is shaped by its unique position as a nexus between East and West, its relatively recent colonial past, and its return to China.”
But beyond the opportunity students will have to immerse themselves in these exciting environments, the rich mix of theoretical and experiential learning in the programme’s curriculum is designed to leave them extremely well-positioned for life after graduation.
“We want to help our students enhance their employability in this super-competitive world,” says Prof Li. To that end, the MAAACP curriculum integrates theory and practice in areas such as arts management, cultural policy, curatorial practice, art projects, entrepreneurial initiatives, and professional education. “It is crucial that in arts education, nowadays, we provide out students with a broader and more diverse understanding of the global arts trends, theory, knowledge and practice.”