Course Descriptions

Conceptualizing Community-based Arts

This course provides a critical examination of theories, methodologies and practices in contemporary community-based arts from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students are expected to demonstrate understanding and critical ability in analysing the rationales, development and expressions of contemporary arts practices with a community focus and their impacts on education. Students will be involved in theoretical discussions and critical analysis of contemporary arts practices from economic, political and socio-cultural perspectives and their implications on the broader education context on different levels. Through discussions, structured debate, and group activities, students will investigate and examine particular art issues/concepts/phenomena/art practices as they develop a conceptual framework for their own artistic practices.

Pedagogy of Community-based Arts

The course aims to introduce a community-based educational approach that connects the arts, education, social learning and community development. It emphasizes a holistic understanding of authentic arts learning in a variety of community settings, promoting learning in environments that value creation, public engagement, critical reflection, empathy to social needs, respect for cultural diversity, technological advancement, and the joys of learning and sharing. Course participants will study topics such as educational programs managed by arts institutions and organizations, intergenerationality, cultivation of cultural and aesthetic sensitivity, and cultural shifts in the contexts of globalization, glocalization and localization. This course encourages participants to view learning from the perspectives of arts practitioners, promoters/managers and the community at large. It will combine theoretical explorations with real-world assignments related to teaching and community-based arts that connect theory to practice.

Public Arts and Social Practice in Education

The production of public arts is increasingly becoming intertwined with the remaking and redeveloping of public spaces. However, this process could often lead to a contest between the interests of particular groups with the local public audience. The course addresses the complexities underlying the meaning of the terms ‘public arts’ and ‘public space’, and also explores private interests and theoretical frameworks that effect upon the public sphere. It emphasizes project-based community practice as a core method and pedagogy to address the aesthetic and social strategies involved in the intersection of art with public space and education. Focusing on public arts acts as a critical point of intervention in an existing urban space, course participants will produce a portfolio of creative artworks with a public space focus.

Aesthetics and Community Arts Education

Sonic and visual artworks have contributed to people’s aesthetic enjoyment. While individuals and cultures may differ in their judgments of what constitutes beauty, their responses to aesthetic experiences and cultural expressions may be understood from sensory, semantic, cognitive, affective and social-cultural perspectives. The prevalent belief in the subjective judgment of beauty that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” has been challenged by developments in neuro-aesthetics, which proposes that beauty is found “in the brains of the beholder”. Course participants will engage in discussions of questions such as: “What is the neural basis for visual and musical perception, cognition, and emotion?”, How is an aesthetic idea best conveyed?”, “Does it matter if art is beautiful?”, “Does interpretation depend on taste and culture?”, “What are the implications of neuro-aesthetics for arts management?”, and “How should aesthetic education be introduced in today’s schools?”  This course aims to strengthen participants’ capacity to critically analyze, interpret, respond, evaluate and reflect on a range of aesthetic theories in relation to art, music, culture, arts management and education.

New Media in Community Arts Education

This course examines the relationship between community-based arts practice, new media and education, through a workshop- and fieldwork- centered approach. It explores how artists, designers, and scholars have utilized technology to apply on creative, critical, and scholarly practices. By examining new forms of social and ubiquitous media, engagement from various distributed and local audiences, and interactive techniques, students gain advanced understanding of the role of new media in community arts education through guided study and in-depth research into the contemporary interdisciplinary art forms.

Practice-based Research

This course focuses on theoretical frameworks and critical methodological approaches to research investigation undertaken for the purpose of gaining new knowledge about the nature of practice and leading to new knowledge about or within practice. Demonstrations of originality and contribution to knowledge may be through creative outcomes that include artefacts such as images, music, designs, models, digital media or other outcomes such as performances and exhibitions. These outcomes are complemented with written descriptions of the significance and context of the claims to provide a fuller understanding of the research.

The course seeks to strengthen and extend the professional practice of course participants, providing them with tools for framing, experimenting, analysing and evaluating their artistic practice. Course participants develop a practice-based research project contextualized within a community-based arts perspective. Their output is a project proposal that demonstrates their understanding of the research process and ability to apply relevant research methods to their areas of interests, strengths and/or needs. 

Seminars in Cultural Ecology and Arts Dissemination

This course aims to provide all MA students with the opportunity to learn first-hand from industry leaders of the cultural industry as well as to reflect on arts dissemination and promotion activities from the perspective of cultural ecology development.  Seminars featuring guest speakers comprise the main content of the course, supplemented by possible regional visits to specific cultural ecologies/events/organizations.  The teacher plays a facilitator and co-ordinator role in planning seminar speakers, contents and regional visit schedules; as well as preparing participants to maximize their learning outcomes through relevant introductions, guidance and assessment tasks.  Areas covered by the course may include Presentation & Promotion, Resource & Policy Support, Commercial Operation, Intermediaries & Dissemination, etc., either in the local and/or the regional context.  Participants shall have to bear their own traveling and boarding expenses incurred by any possible regional visits which form an integral part of the course.  

Arts Management in Hong Kong

This  course  examines  the  social,  economic,  and  political  environment  of  the  arts  in Hong Kong and the role of arts managers in management and dissemination of the arts. Students study the historical development of cultural policy and funding models of the arts in Hong Kong. Different aspects of arts management and dissemination including strategic   planning,   programming,   marketing,   audience   development,  financial management,  human  resources  management,  board  functions,  fundraising  will  be investigated.  Through  a  discussion  of  current  theories,  contemporary  issues  and practical skills, students will acquire knowledge and insights on arts management.

Community-based Arts Education Project

This course involves the development, planning and execution of a community-based arts education project. This may include either an individual or small group project in consultation with an assigned supervisor. The final outcome of this course should comprise two parts: (1) written submission of the significance and context of a community-based arts education project, and (2) evidence of contributions to new knowledge of or within practice. Creative outcomes may include artefacts such as images, music, designs, models, digital media or other outcomes such as performances and exhibitions.