On Friday, 21 September 2018, the Department of Arts and Culture Studies at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) celebrated the 15th Anniversary of its international MA in Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship. It was an excellent occasion to reflect on the MA considering its past, its present and its future. With a great atmosphere and many alumni present, the celebration counted with 150 participants.
The Dean of the School, Prof. Dymph Van den Boom, opened the day welcoming all the participants and reflecting on the role of this MA in society as well as on its international scope. The chair of the Department of Arts and Culture Studies, Prof. Filip Vermeylen remembered his arrival at the Department and underlined the openness of the approach adopted that allowed him to add his historical perspective to the cultural economics analysis. He also paid tribute to all the students who graduated and welcome the current MA students who started the new Academic Year.
Dr. Mariangela Lavanga, present director of the master, showed how such a MA course perfectly fits the profile of EUR and, especially, of the city of Rotterdam. She evidenced how the city vibe and the dynamism of the EUR allowed the introduction of this programme which is unique.
Prof. Ruth Towse, currently professor in Economics of Creative Industries at Bournemouth University, UK, and Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management, was among the co-founder to the master. She provided a short and effective summary of the history of the master.
The MA was born from an intuition of the cultural economists working at the department and has proved to be one of its kind scoring every year among the best masters on cultural management in the world (first in the Netherlands, second worldwide). More than 700 students have graduated from the program in the last 15 years and the celebration has been an incredible occasion to celebrate with the alumni.
Among them, Elena Bird, class 2006-2007, came all the way from Canada to share her experience of the master. Elena is currently Senior Policy Advisor in the City of Toronto. She enchanted the public with her memories of the MA. She was so eager to learn more that she choose the MA in place of a trip to Machu Picchu. What attracted Elena was the unique focus on cultural economics that is the feature of the MA. And, in fact, several of the Alumni underlined how this specific approach has provided them with critical skills that proved to be fundamental in their job experience.
Cultural economics, with its lights and shadows, was the focus of Prof. Olav Velthuis’ intervention, currently professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). He amused the audience with his memories as a PhD candidate at the department and the debates that characterised the seminars there, where different approaches met … and sometimes struggled. Certainly Prof. Arjo Klamer (professor of Cultural Economics, ESHCC) and Prof. Ruth Towse embodies these two different economic approaches to culture, their role within cultural economics and their cooperation within the department show how this multifaceted approach to economics of culture adds value to the master stimulating students to consider different perspectives and, by doing so, developing critical thinking. Something most needed in nowadays society.
The capacity of considering all the values at stake is in fact fundamental to ensure the blooming of the cultural sector and to help it in ‘doing the right thing’ as Prof. Arjo Klamer suggested in closing the event. The capacity to exchange ideas, considering different opinions and different perspectives emerged from the parallel sessions that invited participants to choose the topic closer to their interest and discuss it in small groups to raise issues to share with all participants during the concluding session. Several issues emerged showing how the current students of the master as well as the alumni are engaged at the fore front of the debate on cultural economics.
On behalf of the MA Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship, we would like to thank all guests, alumni, staff and students who made this celebration a great moment for sharing experiences and foster fruitful discussions.
