Cultural project management is different from the project management found in other organizations and companies. Its purpose, the variety of its stakeholders, its different objectives, and the creativity it mobilizes require professionals who are passionate and trained in its specifics.

Find in this article the specifics of cultural project management:

Cultural management

Cultural project management: an overview

Cultural project management is project management that takes into account the specifics of the world of culture and art in order to manage and coordinate the project effectively and realistically.

Cultural projects are as varied as they are numerous, both in their genre: performing arts, audiovisual, art exhibitions or artistic performance, festival, and in their duration: an annual event lasting a day, a week, or a month or more.

What Is a Cultural Project?

What defines a cultural project and sets it apart from a non-cultural project is its social aim: the message and objectives it carries, beyond the aesthetic artistic approach and/or entertainment.

Objectives of Cultural Projects

  • Promote Art and Culture
  • Raise Awareness and Educate
  • Develop Tourism and the Appeal of a Territory
  • Preserving and Bringing Heritage to Life
  • Promote Intercultural and Intergenerational Dialogue
  • Offer a Better Quality of Life

The Different Types of Cultural Projects:

  • Festivals: music, film, theater, poetry, literature/books, comics, historical reenactments, etc.
  • Art exhibitions: in museums or galleries.
  • Theater or Dance Projects
  • Heritage Restoration and Conservation
  • Cultural Educational Programs
  • Film or Audiovisual Production Projects
  • Art installations in public space
  • Artist Residency Programs

The specifics of the cultural project

The different aspects to take into account and comply with in cultural project management are numerous and make the task complex. They vary enormously from one project to another, from one edition to another, and mostly concern these elements:

  • Selecting periods and dates: project dates and duration take into account an analysis of various factors: cultural calendars (do not schedule several events at the same time), season and weather risk (for an outdoor event), availability of venues and artists, creation and rehearsal time, fundraising, audience habits, etc.
  • Funding: The forecast budget of a cultural event or project is made up of different sources of funding (sponsorship, ticketing, partnerships, grants).
  • The people: actors, visual artists, directors, catering staff, reception staff, technical stage management, carriers, venue management, public authorities, communications officers, graphic designers, press officers, etc.
  • Security and transport of works and audiences: a precise organization complying with standards must be applied for the safety of equipment, works and people. It must be organized on the project management side but also in connection with public institutions.
  • The objectives and messages conveyed: the organization and management of the project depend on the expectations and the cultural and social objectives pursued. Returns on investment are not only financial but aim for a social impact.

The Career of a Cultural Project Manager

The cultural project manager coordinates and manages the project’s development step by step. It is a profession where versatility is essential, and it must be combined with an overall vision that allows the manager not to lose sight of their objectives and to prioritize tasks.

Duties of the cultural project manager:

The project manager’s duties vary according to available resources, the type of project, and the organizer. They may have to be on all fronts, or to work in collaboration with other specialists in cultural management professions :

  • Planning and organization: scheduling backward from deadlines, budgets, identifying stages and resources (time, funding, people, venues, equipment). The programming officer.
  • Budget management: defining and balancing forecast budgets, seeking funding. The cultural project manager works with sponsorship officers on the private resources side, and with the cultural departments of public institutions (regional, departmental, national).
  • Coordination of teams: artists, technicians, communication officers, etc.
  • Communication and stakeholder relations: links and exchanges with the various partners, public authorities, and audiences.
  • Monitoring, control, and adaptation in case of unforeseen events.
  • Monitoring the results of marketing and communication actions around the project to attract the public and make the project or event known.
  • Communication and marketing are handled by a cultural communication officer or, for major events and festivals, by a team overseen by the digital art director who gives the project its graphic identity.
  • Logistics, insurance, and safety management: housing for artists, transport, catering, but also insurance for the event and venues, and safety measures according to the rules in force and in liaison with local authorities.
  • Compliance with regulations and standards: copyright and intellectual property.

Cultural Management Programs

Cultural management programs are spread across France in universities and specialized schools. They lead to Master-level degrees (5 years after high school).

Bac+2/+3 Bachelor or bachelor’s degree in cultural project management

Bac+3 degrees and programs let students discover the cultural sector, its organization and its players during the first two years; the third year is devoted to specialization through an internship or work-study.

Bac+5 Master in Cultural Project Management

At university:

  • Master in Direction of Cultural Projects or Institutions
  • Master in Cultural Organization Management
  • Master in Arts and Cultural Management
  • Master in Cultural Organization Management

At a specialized school: