Research

Our research effort focuses on:

• access and education
• urbanism
• the politics of heritage
• the cultural economy and entrepreneurship
• digital culture, the management and governance of the creative and cultural sectors (ranging from continuing professional development to the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict). 

It also encompasses studies of "representation" in art galleries and museums, and the cultural politics of identity.

Our research outputs are typically analytic and intentionally interventionist: they are intended to make a difference to the development and practice of current cultural policy and are often targeted at, if not commissioned by, those working in public bodies. We prioritise a close relationship with the end users of our research - principally those working within the subsidised cultural sector.

Research activities

We are actively seeking funding for a number of research projects from sources such as HEIF, AHRC and EPSRC. Large-scale interdisciplinary projects such as these are critical to our research development. Our academic staff continue to publish in the areas of their research interests, and the latest publications can be found on their individual pages.

We continue working on research projects with the sector (such as Arts and Business, Museums Libraries and Archives Council, London) and with research students particularly in areas of the creative industries, critical cultural discourse and cultural management and practice. See details of our most recent Knowledge Transfer activities.

Our research activities are ranked in the latest RAE exercise (2008) at both 4* and 3*: "Quality that is both world leading and internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour". We congratulate all the staff who contributed to this result. Emeritus Professor Patrick Boylan, Professors Sara Selwood and Robert Hewison, Dr. Juliet Steyn and Dr Nicola Frost, Visiting professors John Holden and Kate Oakley, and Vicky Woollard.