Cultural Events Management MSc

Over the past 20 years, there has been an explosion of cultural and commercial events across the world, from local creative events to international, multidisciplinary festivals that transform major cities such as Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Dubai and Hong Kong. This course will provide you with the vibrant learning environment, theory, latest industry knowledge and supported self-directed study needed to understand the synergies of developing and managing cultural events and creative enterprise.

The curriculum covers the expansive variety of cultural events and the organisations that present them. During the course you will learn about the event management and enterprise principles involved in organising community-based celebrations, local events, established festival networks, live music events and festivals, and international events. Through guest lectures and workshops, you will meet and network with professionals from wider creative and cultural industries. There are also placement opportunities to explore, through which past students have worked with a range of regional arts and cultural organisations including examples such as Birmingham Hippodrome and Leicester City Council’s Festivals and Events Team.

The events and festivals landscape are ever-changing and professionals in the sector must be adept problem-solvers, with the ability to embrace new challenges and offer dynamic solutions. This course will help equip you with the skills needed to adapt to the diversification of the sector, with projects enabling you to experience online event delivery, cultural and digital content, and the opportunity to tackle the real-life challenges of engaging audiences in increasingly innovative ways.

Throughout the course you will combine the academic study of theory and case studies with primary research and review of the latest industry trends and relevant policies. Our theory and industry combined teaching approach will grow your key skills in research (for both academic and industry), leadership, marketing, business planning and website design – all essential tools to succeed and forge your path as the next generation of leaders in this dynamic and vibrant industry.

Entry criteria

Placements

Students can undertake a work-based project in blocks five and six where you will gain experience of working on the development, promotion and delivery of a project, festival or cultural event. This will give you the opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills acquired from the taught course in a practical context working with a relevant organisation or company. 

DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Graduate careers

There may be as many as 25,000 festivals and events with a strong cultural dimension in the UK alone, so the opportunities for employment in this industry are substantial. Many go on to work on a varied range of festivals, such as the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Festival Republic and Athens Fringe Festival. Graduates are also adapting to the current realities of delivering virtual online events including Simon Brown who, in his role as Director, led the team who delivered ArtReach's online Journeys Festival International in autumn 2020.

Oli Page graduated in 2017 and now works at Big Difference Company which produces the renowned Leicester Comedy Festival. Oli said: “When I decided to study the MSc at DMU, I was swayed by the fantastic reputation of the course. Students have gone on to make a great impact in the city's creative and cultural sector. I'm very grateful for all the support and advice I was given from my lecturers. DMU gave me such a great experience. It’s allowed me to push on in my career as a freelance producer in an industry I'm so passionate about and I wouldn't be in the position I am today without it.” 

Read Oli’s story here.