My passion for the arts has led me to want to pursue a career in the arts & cultural industry from a managerial perspective. While researching various arts management focused master’s programmes, I came across the one at University of Manchester (UoM) and immediately knew it was the perfect fit. The curriculum offered a balance of theory and practical experience, which was exactly what I was looking for. 

Through local arts venue tours, volunteering, and a placement module, I had the chance to network with industry professionals and dive into areas like creative producing, which was something I was eager to learn about. The creative producing module explored and pushed our thinking in terms of what a good cultural event entails and how a producer brings it into being, this was through practical essays where we had to design our own events and justify the choices we’d make as the producers. The programme also provided essential insights into the UK arts sector, including how to fundraise for creative projects and understand the impact of policies on cultural initiatives. 

The highlight of the programme for me was definitely my placement at Manchester Art Gallery where at present I am still active as a member of the board of trustees. This placement taught me various marketing, fundraising, and development skills such as how to liaise with potential sponsors and advertise the gallery online through working with paid ads and social media, which have further enriched my development as a young professional.  

Everyone working in this industry will let you know that networking is crucial to make it, without this degree I would never have been able to meet and enrich my network to its current level. Networking and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field was invaluable to me. I’d highly recommend this degree to anyone interested in entering the cultural industries from a business perspective or understanding how wider politics shape the arts & culture industry.  

 Written by Viktoria Barillova, MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice Graduate 2024

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