Festival producer
creates opportunities
in China for Cultural
Management student
A
QMU POSTGRADUATE STUDENT has won a competitive scholarship
that will allow her to travel to China to work alongside one of the
country’s leading arts producers.
Camilla Crosta, a MA Arts, Festival & Cultural Management student, will also
receive a monetary award of £1,000 as part of the Dr Chris Wang China Fringe
Award for Cultural Events.
Dr Chris Wang, who is based in Shanghai, is responsible for bringing some of
the highest quality Chinese productions to Scotland each summer. The Chinese
Art and Cultural Festival is now a prominent feature within Edinburgh’s Fringe
Festival. Dr Wang, who is an advocate of equality and democracy in China,
also produces the World Clown Festival in China. The event has become the
largest gathering of clowns in the world!
QMU and Dr Wang intend to create more exciting opportunities for Cultural
Management students in the future. The University is working with Dr Wang
to develop a partnership between QMU and Donghua University in Shanghai.
It is hoped that the initiative will open up opportunities for students at QMU
to study part of their course in China, as well as facilitating Chinese Cultural
Management students to continue their postgraduate education in Scotland.
Camilla, who is the third recipient of this annual award, will use the scholarship
money to fund her dissertation research. She explained: “The donation will
allow me to travel to Hamburg, a city with a unique and experimental approach
to culture, community engagement and public space. In particular, the city of
Hamburg is currently developing a pioneering culture-led regeneration project
along the waterfront spaces in the neighbourhood of HafenCity. The goal is to
develop a high standard of artistic and cultural programmes in collaboration
with local communities and cultural institutions.”
The scholarship will also fund a return flight and accommodation in China
where Camilla will have the opportunity to work alongside Dr Wang. Camilla,
talked excitedly about the prospect of her trip to China. She said: “Travelling
to China to work alongside Dr Wang will contribute positively to my career and
my personal development. This will be the first time for me to work outside
Europe and I will be able to gain knowledge of a unique and vibrant environment
and to create possible future contacts and collaborations that I wouldn’t be
able to initiate otherwise. It is an opportunity to engage with a new place,
its cultural identity and take an active part in projects that wouldn’t happen
elsewhere. This will be rewarding both from a professional and personal point
of view. Working internationally will raise my profile and allow me to develop
as a stronger candidate for future employment opportunities.”
Dr David Stevenson, Head of Media, Communication and Performing Arts,
said: “Dr Wang is passionate about events and cultural management and has
provided this funding to nurture talented young people who wish to contribute
to the cultural and creative industries. The monetary award, as well as the
flights and work experience in China, is invaluable in supporting student
development on the MA Arts, Festival & Cultural Management programme.
Without his generosity, Camilla, as well as the two previous recipients
of the scholarship, would have been unable to develop their research.” ❒
Tom Kitchin,
internationally acclaimed chef
A wealth of opportunities are available at QMU for people in arts,
festival and cultural sectors to develop their skills and experience.
If you want to develop your experience in the growing arts and cultural
industries, find out more about the MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Manage-
ment at www.qmu.ac.uk/afcm
QMYOU / Supporting Student Development
27