Home / The University / Faculties / Faculty of Philosophy / Degree Programmes / Master's Degree Programmes / Faculty of Philosophy / Cultural Studies / Arts and Contemporary culture (20th–21st c.)

   

 

1.1. It offers general disciplines, which would form knowledge, understanding and capacity for comparative study of the different art subfields and the system of the contemporary arts in general: interpretation and critical evaluation of art works, history of the contemporary literature, visual arts, theatre, music, cinema, dance etc. These courses introduce the students in the similarities and differences between the various arts and discuss contemporary processes, phenomena and personalities in the art scene, both in Bulgaria and abroad. The courses discuss also the transformation of styles and art paradigms as well as some philosophical, aesthetical and cultural-political problems of the arts in XX and XXI centuries: the so called “death of the arts”’, the disintegration of the art canons and of the hierarchy between “high” and “popular” culture, the mix between “national” and “global”; the link between contemporary arts and the youth sub- and counter-cultures; the politics of representation in the arts; the tension between verbal, visual and audio codes in contemporary cultural and media environment etc.

 

1.2. An essential part comprises the second group of disciplines. They are mainly with practical realization and equip the students with practical knowledge about the institutional, legal, economic, organizational and communicational aspects of art management. The students will be introduced in the Bulgarian and Sofia art scene, in the institutional and administrative context, in the civic networks and informal artistic groups, in the market milieu and legal rules of art functioning in Bulgaria and abroad.

 

2.1. Didactic formats: lectures, seminars, workshops, visits and discussions of cultural events, participation in art projects, meetings with artists and critics, publications in the electronic journal of the program.

 

2.2. General knowledge and skills:

 

  • Artistic schools and trends in the XX and XXI centuries
  • Genre and style development
  • Development of audiences
  • Crucial artistic turns, crises and debates in the XX and XXI centuries
  • Relation between arts and popular culture
  • Various methodological approaches
  • Skills in interpretation, contextualization and critical evaluation of art works

 

2.3. Practical knowledge and skills

 

  • Financing of the arts
  • Art markets
  • Arts organizations and art management
  • Legal aspects of art management
  • Arts projects, fund rising, project management
  • Evaluation of the social effect of an art phenomenon
  • Urban and strategic planning
  • Team work, communication skills, professional ethos

 

The students from this Program prepare for:

 

  1. Managers of Arts and Literature;
  2. Curators;
  3. Arts and literary critics, journalists;
  4. Art administrators;
  5. Scholars and researchers in the area of arts and literature.

 

Graduate students can successfully find professional realization in a number of sectors, which have a direct relation to the arts, to the organization of artistic work, public expertise and public discussion on arts and literature:

 

  • State and municipal management and administration of culturе and the arts;
  • Private companies focusing on activities related to the аrts;
  • televisions, info-sites, related to he arts and literature
  • Business organizations and cultural institutions focusing on activities related to the arts and literature;
  • Experts, operators, organizers and animators in cultural-information institutes, agencies and galleries abroad;
  • Agencies for literature and the arts;
  • Festivals, competitions, celebrations and other cultural events;
  • Researchers and scholars in the field of culture;
  • Free-lance professions (curators, critics, impresarios, consultants, animators, producers etc,).

 

The Master Program is suitable both for students coming from undergraduate programs in social sciences and humanities and for practitioners with some experience in this area.