44 research outputs found
Simone Wesner. Artists’ Voices in Cultural Policy: Careers, Myths and the Creative Profession after German Unification. Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
Get PDFReview of Simone Wesner. Artists’ Voices in Cultural Policy: Careers, Myths and the Creative Profession after German Unification. Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. xv + 197 pp
Artists' voices in cultural policy: careers, myths and the creative profession after German Unification
No full textThis volume examines visual artists’ careers in the East German region of Saxony, as seen through the lens of cultural policy studies. The book discusses how myth binaries, memory layers and identity markers shaped artists professional lives in an interwoven and fluid approach following German unification, taking a fresh look at the intricacies of visual artists’ careers within the specifics of the cultural, social and political changes. It surveys artists’ professional practice and work under the new framework of the professional class, and discusses the implications for the profession of artists with special reference to visual artists. Simone Wesner looks beyond geographical and political contexts and provides the reader with a longitudinal narrative that produces a revised understanding of artists’ careers within the cultural policy context
Cultural fingerprints – the legacy of cultural values in the current cultural policy agenda in Germany
No full textThis paper explores the historical roots of cultural values as a prerequisite for German cultural policy. With reference to current investigations of the social impact of the arts, the analysis is based within the framework of the history of ideas and focuses on three concepts: the common base of culture, the nation of culture and culture as a state aim. The author argues that the transformative positive powers of culture are linked in a complex system of historically grown intellectual alliances while directing current policy thinking. As a consequence, the positive impact of culture in society is strengthened over time and remains unquestioned by actors in the cultural sector
Adaptation and resistance: the impact of German unification on the living and working conditions of visual artists in Saxony and their response to transformation
Get PDFThis thesis analyses the changes in visual artists' living and working conditions and the ways in which visual artists reacted to these changes after German unification. It has sought to explore aspects of the interface between the state, the individual visual artists and the visual artists' community in a society of transformation and comments on the impact of change on the existence of such a relationship. The aims are twofold. First, to contribute to an understanding of visual artists' reactions to the dynamics of change created by changes of their working and living conditions after German unification. A second aim was to analyse the causes of the behaviour of the group of older visual artists.
This study of change employed an interdisciplinary approach and combined sociology, psychology, history and cultural policy studies in order to analyse visual artists' responses to the challenge of German unification. Exploration of these themes has been informed by a qualitative empirical study of how visual artists respond to change in the East German region of Saxony. A theoretical framework was developed using grounded theory, which was used to code the following datasets: interviews with 30 visual artists, 10 administrators and 3 group discussions. The theoretical perspective adopted drew on organisational change theory, on sociology of culture and on socialisation theory. In this way it contributes to the relocation of visual artists as key actors in cultural policy research.
The results of the research revealed that initial expectations of the swift adaptation of visual artists' to the new living and working conditions were not fulfilled and that visual artists moved between adaptation and resistance. Although the administrative transformation of the state was completed by 1998, the process of change is ongoing for the visual artists. Unification left the visual artists in a state of shock, a state they have been recovering from since 1990.
The findings lead to development of the Visual Artists Adaptation Model, which as a unique approach combines the collective cultural shock model and human change role model with the responses of visual artists to German unification. It analyses the process of change experienced by visual artists in five stages (1. euphoria, 2. shock and disconfirmation, 3 adaptation, 4. stabilisation, 5. normalisation). In an ideal case scenario, the result of adaptation should be a career re-start, which can be achieved once visual artists manage to overcome cultural shock. I argue that adaptation is delayed when learning anxiety conflicts with survival anxiety and when a psychologically safe situation fails to be provided. This proved to be the case for the group of older visual artists.
It is concluded that values, developed as part of a socialist socialisation, acted as key obstacles to adaptation to the capitalist system. These values and norms evolved in different ways over years due to successful indoctrination with Marxist-Leninist ideology
Researching the creative and cultural industries: a guide to qualitative research
No full textResearch into creative and cultural organisations has proliferated, benefitting from insights from a range of disciplinary perspectives. Starting a research journey can be daunting in such a diverse field. This book provides expert insights into research process and practice, with a qualitative focus.
The book helps readers to plan, execute and analyse research, turning their work into data, results and new knowledge. Taking an individual perspective, the author addresses a trilogy of paradigms, methodologies and methods, and applies them to the whole research process, from start to finish. The book seamlessly links theoretical and conceptual aspects with best research practice along the way.
A book for researchers at all stages of their work, the resources are also valuable for students and reflective cultural practitioners who want to know how to plan, implement and evaluate their research project
Avatars, art and aspirations: the creative potential for learning in the virtual world
No full textThe Creative Industries regard the virtual world as a potential aid for fostering creative approaches. The Experimental Learning Framework (ELF) was a 3 year research project that analysed the capacity of Second Life for learning and teaching in project management, aiming to understand virtual learning environments in relation to physical world experience. This chapter focuses on the avatar as an embodiment of a physical person. It analyses avatar design and its workability and avatar awareness, which are discussed within the framework of reflexive methodology. Two research outcomes are presented. Firstly, creative avatar applications resulted in fostering creativity as part of the independent learning process. Secondly, the enduring comparison between physical and virtual worlds as triggered by the avatar-supported analytical thinking skills
Howard S. Becker: Art Worlds. Berkeley (University of California Press) 2008 [1982]. Alison Gerber: The Work of Art: Value in Creative Careers. Redwood City (Stanford University Press) 2017.
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