Conceptualising Cultural EnvironmentsLecture One: Cultural Spaces and Places

About the Module In this module we will introduce you to the

creative and cultural industries with a specific focus on the events industry

We will look at the historical development of these industries, identify their current structure and examine current influences upon the production, consumption and regulation of ‘leisure’

The notion of leisure is central to the cultural industries

How would you define leisure?

Defining LeisureLeisure is generally defined as our free time

when we have no compulsory or necessary commitments

However, in this module we will begin to see that we are not always as free in our leisure time as we perhaps think we are…

As event/cultural managers it is our job to manage and control what people do with their ‘free time

Interestingly, the word leisure stems from the latin word licere which means to be allowed

Module Structure Weekly lecture (one hour)

Make sure to attend!

Weekly seminar (two hours) Split into two sections In the first hour we will review and analyse the topic covered in the lecture In the second hour we will introduce an another area of theory which is

relevant to your studies

Readings Each week you will be asked to complete a small number of readings,

these should be completed before you come to class Details of the set books and readings can be found in the module

handbook

We will utilise a blog rather than blackboard for this module – here you will find all of the materials that you need for the module http://caledonianblogs.net/idci We will go over the blog in your seminar classes later on today

AssessmentsYour first assessment for this module will be a

group presentation. Working in groups of 3-4 people you will present to your seminar class in weeks 7-8 of the semester. This assessment is worth 40% of the final mark for the module.

Your second assessment will consist of an individual essay. This will be due during the exam period in April. Further details will be given nearer the time.

Module StaffModule Leader

Jenny Flinn, Lecturer in Events Management Room M314, Jenny.Flinn@gcu.ac.uk

Lecturer Dr John Harris, Senior Lecturer in Events and Sport

Management Room M314, John.Harris@gcu.ac.uk

Seminar Tutor Claire McCauley, Events Manager

Defining Culture In this module we will talk a lot about culture

but we need to think about what we actually mean

Culture is ‘one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language’ (Williams, 2005:25) – it means different things to different people in different contexts

To simplify, there are two mains ways in which we can understand culture Conceptually (values and beliefs) Objectively (specific cultural forms)

Cultural Consumption In recent times the consumption of culture has grown in

importance (more on why this is next week)

As such, the creative and cultural industries have grown in prominence in the last 20-30 years

According to UNESCO they combine the creation, production and distribution of goods and services that are cultural in their nature and are often protected by intellectual property rights

In the UK cultural consumption provides around 2 million jobs with employment growing at double the rate of the economy as a whole

Culture and creativity is seen as highly desirable to individuals, cities and nations due to the symbolic meaning that it can convey

Cultural Places and SpacesAccording to Bull, Hoose and Weed (2003)

leisure can take place practically anywhere – any space, place or environment can be utilised

Events can take place in any number of settings

This includes, small spaces, large spaces, the city, the countryside, formal settings and informal settings…

Think of events that you have been to – where do they take place and why?

Formal and Informal Codes of BehaviourThe spaces of everyday life produce and are

produced by everyday culture, cultural experiences, and power relations

Think about how we behave in different cultural places and spaces

Behaviour in public is restricted by both official and informal regulatory codes

In some settings there are strict instructions of how to behave which may be explicitly stated, in others there are unwritten rules of behaviour

Space and Place It is these ‘codes’ of behaviour which distinguish

between space and place

Place is the physical arrangement of geographical or architectural elements – physical layout

Space is the practiced element of the place – the way in which the place is used by the people who inhabit it

As managers we need to think about how we want people to behave and how we can control and manipulate this…