Each year students are offered the opportunity to collaborate with arts, media and heritage organisations to conduct a piece of research that informs their final MA dissertations. This is an excellent opportunity for students to develop new networks, contacts and to develop research experience in their chosen fields.
Some of the titles and topics addressed by students in previous years include:
- How arts programming can unlock creative potential in disadvantaged communities
- Arts leadership in times of crisis and challenge
- Urban regeneration and artistic workspaces
- Building audience loyalty at live performance venues
- Tracking Live Cinema in the UK
Previous dissertation partners include Battersea Arts Centre, Black Live Theatre, Arts Council England, Dash Arts, King’s Cultural Institute, Live Cinema, Glyndebourne, Mahogany Opera Group, Lambeth Archives, OnRoad Media, Royal Society, Arts Cabinet, Iconem, and Greater London Authority.
For me, the most amazing part of this experience is knowing that the research result will be useful for an organisation working to bring about real social change. I am honoured to have my work as a part of that effort.
Qiuling Liu, MA Cultural and Creative Industries
I have found the collaborative dissertation to be an excellent opportunity for deepening my knowledge of the industry that I wish to work in. The experience of working closely with industry professionals has added several layers of complexity to my research and has ensured that my dissertation addresses current questions and challenges in the cultural heritage sector. My partnership with The Royal Society has given me many valuable contacts and has equipped me with important insights for pursuing a further career in scientific and cultural heritage.
Sofie Jaeger, MA Arts & Cultural Management
The Department has a lively CMCI Student Society for all MA and PhD students who are automatically members. With £1000 of annual funding, the Society organises exciting events and seasonal parties to provide for rich opportunities for socialising and networking with students and staff each term. Events in the past have included a river boat cruise, winter ice-skating and a summer tea.
In addition, the Student Society hosts cultural events, research seminars and industry workshops and speakers with students able to access additional funding to support these from £2000 set aside for this purpose. Students who are especially interested in developing action research related to diversity and inclusion in the Department can also apply for small grants from CMCI’s £2000 Equality and Diversity fund.
King’s Asian CCI Research Society
King’s Asian CCI Research Society consists of CMCI students who are interested in arts, cultural industries and cultural policy in Asia. The society holds various research events such as guest talks, workshops and research seminars. Its most recent events include guest talks on Chinese Internet culture, creative cities in Japan and the history of the Ghibli animation studio as well as a student-led workshop on selfie culture in the global context.
The society’s activities, which are determined and organised by its members, make great contributions to enriching the cultural (and social) life of CMCI students and their understanding of CCI. Joining the society and partaking in its events would be also a good way to make friends and improve organisational and communication skills.
The fifth annual CMCI PhD Conference was held on 15th June, 2018; it was organised by two current PhD students (Orcun Can and Linda Clayworth). The conference welcomed speakers and delegates from across the fields of Cultural and Media Studies, and from all over the world; as such it seemed especially fitting that the Conference was held in the historic setting of Bush House, the former home of the BBC World Service.
The Conference theme: ‘World in Flux: Cultural and Media Studies in a Changing World’ brought together a rich mix of research interests sparking lively and enlightening debate throughout the day. PhD Conferences are the perfect setting to experiment with alternative formats and modes of presentation, and this year, we were delighted to include practice-based methodologies, video diaries and Penny Ryan’s Moving Hearts art installation, as well an exciting range of high quality papers.
The insightful keynote lectures were delivered by Professor Anna Reading of King’s College London and Professor Catherine Grant of Birkbeck College. In both presentations the speakers used their own recent projects to reflect on their practice-based research, after which Catherine closed the Conference with a presentation of her most recent video essay.
I have learned so much. I look forward to attending the next year’s conference.
I just want to thank you for the fantastic event yesterday. Great conference, brilliant people!