Module manager: Anna Douglas
Email: A.F.Douglas@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces you to the wide range of employment possibilities within the contemporary arts and cultural sector. Whether you are interested in becoming a practicing artist, working in community or socially engaged arts, or pursuing roles in curation, arts education, administration, or other event co-ordination and production roles, the module helps you understand what it takes to build a sustainable career in this ever-changing field. The module also enables you to critically engage with key issues including sustainability, equality, ethics, the impact of social media, networking, collaboration, and working at local and international levels, supporting you to understand what professionalising your practice in the arts could look like today. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the opportunities for working in the wide-ranging contemporary arts, exploring live issues that affect this sector, including topics such as arts policy, funding, ideas of audience, cultural instrumentalism, what careers are emerging and how do they progress. It seeks to provide students with first-hand experience of the local arts and cultural landscape while fostering awareness of key cultural policy issues. You will be encouraged to critically reflect on your personal motivations and values, and potential issues affecting routes into work you find meaningful and rewarding.
The module aims to equip students with sector-relevant professional skills applicable to a range of employment pathways, including presentation, budgeting and finance, project management, commissioning and funding proposal writing, communication, promotion and marketing.
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
1. Evaluate the structures, practices, and challenges of the contemporary arts sector.
2. Critically reflect on arts policy debates and evaluate their impact on arts and cultural practitioners and organisations.
3. Appraise through independent research, arts and cultural organisations and their practices.
On successful completion of the module you will be able to:
4. Apply sector-relevant professional skills, including project management, budgeting, communication, marketing, and proposal writing, within practical and event-based contexts.
5. Develop Research skills, including interviewing and analysis leading to presentations (written reports, presentations, verbal).
6. Reflect critically on personal learning, professional development through sustained reflective practice.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Lectures | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Seminars | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Practicals | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Independent online learning hours | 181.7 | ||
| Private study hours | 0 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 18.3 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
In each seminar session students will work through and share ideas in small group discussions supported by the Module Leader, in addition to collaborating on researching and preparing student group presentations. In addition, one student tutorial will be offered by the Module Leader.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Written Work | Project Proposal | 50 |
| Written Work | Reflective Report | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team