Culture in Review

Culture at King’s 2013-14 IN REVIEW INTRODUCTION A look back In 1852 John Henry Newman set out his thoughts on the role brought together academics, students, of a university, championing a well-rounded education that artists and local communities and gave us a taste of the potential for teaches students ‘to think and to reason and to compare and this new facility to create collisions to discriminate and to analyse’. A university’s primary purpose, between science and art that will he wrote, was to give students ‘the clear, calm, accurate vision enhance the King’s experience for researchers and students while and comprehension of all things’ that supports good judgment: connecting the university more ‘prophetic from its knowledge of history’ and with ‘supernatural effectively with its locality. charity from its freedom from littleness and prejudice’. I’m very grateful to those people and organisations that have supported and enabled all this work – in Newman’s midwifery experienced through the particular, Wellcome Trust, Guy’s & sentiments came music of Sawchestra. St Thomas’ Charity, Legacy Trust to mind as I read At the same time, we’ve continued UK and LUMA Foundation – and an introductory to connect the university’s academics to the many colleagues across the message this with cultural organisations and artists, university and the cultural sector summer from our ensuring that knowledge generated whose engagement has made it new Principal, within King’s has real impact in possible. I’d also like to thank my Professor Ed the sector, where it can stimulate teams for the ongoing dedication Byrne. In his new approaches to contemporary and hard work that have enabled the note, the Principal sets out the role challenges and opportunities. I’m successes featured in this report. of the university in assisting ‘the particularly proud that we have played The following pages set out what development of analytical skills, a leadership role in addressing the was achieved over the course of the willingness to engage in debate, sector’s increasing demand for access last year for student and academic tolerance of ambiguity and lateral to evidence, through the development communities, for King’s and for arts thinking in our graduates’ and of CultureCase (www.culturecase.org). and culture. In collaborations that describes a responsibility to produce Designed specifically with the end extend across the university and out ‘educated citizens who are not only user in mind, this web-based resource into the sector, we’re setting out a new proficient – if not leaders – in their collates academic-standard research vision for how universities can work professions, but able to take part in a and puts it in the hands of the cultural in partnership with artists and cultural measured and informed debate about sector, where it can inform decision- organisations to inspire students, the great issues of our time’. The world making and help to build a compelling enrich academic research, drive may be very different, but 160 years case for investment. innovation, widen participation and after Newman, our responsibility to The benefits of these collaborations engage a broader public – in cultural provide our students with the fully flow in both directions. Cultural London and beyond. rounded education that underpins partnerships offer academics across civil society remains unchanged. King’s new ways to approach their Throughout my second year at work and Professor Ben Quash’s King’s, it’s been heartening to see description of one of our creative hubs, the powerful role that culture can play the Cultural Institute, as ‘completing in creating the environment where an electrical circuit and channeling this kind of education can take place. academic energy to new places’, Through cultural partnerships we’ve vividly encapsulates the unique role we offered students an unparalleled range play in brokering collaborations that Deborah Bull of opportunities to develop new ideas, unlock ideas and provoke alternative Director, Cultural Partnerships, to think imaginatively, to discover perspectives on research. King’s College London new skills, to challenge conventions As our second year drew to a close and to apply their learning in new I was very pleased to see our first environments: from sector internships, series of pre-opening programming through behind-the-scenes access to take place in and around the site LEFT: Robot from Welcome to Happy the development process for Privacy on Guy’s Campus that will become Redoubt by Juneau Projects. Image at London’s Donmar Warehouse, to Science Gallery London. Frequencies by Jana Chiellino Annual Review 2013-14 3 INTRODUCTION Culture at King’s Through Culture at King’s, we aim to connect the finest minds 2016 – offers an innovative space across higher education and cultural practice, finding new where science and art collide. Part of the Global Science Gallery Network, ways to enhance the academic and student experience while, Science Gallery London will bring at the same time, adding value and delivering benefits across together researchers, students, local arts and culture. communities and artists in new ways to stimulate fresh thinking and drive innovation. Our activity is realised in a number The Cultural Institute connects the Partnership is fundamental to of ways, including: university with practitioners, producers, everything we do: we work in • A programme of Cultural Enquiries, policy makers and participants across partnership with students and which provide academic insights arts and culture, creating space where academics across our eight Faculties and recommendations on major conventions are challenged and original and the Global Institutes, and with issues, from the legacy of the perspectives emerge. Through its an ever-increasing number and range Cultural Olympiad to access to programmes and activities, the Cultural of artists and cultural organisations the arts for young people. Institute aims to put academic research across the sector. • The creation of tools like CultureCase, to work in the cultural sector, enhance Through cultural partnerships, which makes academic research the student experience, inspire new we have: accessible to those people who can approaches to teaching, research • Enriched the university experience use it most effectively in their work. and learning and increase public of nearly 1,800 students, providing • Two cultural hubs: the Cultural engagement with the work of King’s. employment, internships and events Institute and Science Gallery Science Gallery London – set and exhibitions, opening up access London. to open on Guy’s Campus in early to the best minds in arts and culture 4 Culture at King’s INTRODUCTION LEFT: Museum of Water, installation by Amy Sharrocks, commissioned and produced by ArtsAdmin and Somerset House Trust, in partnership with the Cultural Institute and LIFT. Image by Jana Chiellino RIGHT: Post-apocalyptic market stalls from Welcome to Happy Redoubt. Image by Jana Chiellino as part of their learning. These genuine impact beyond our walls. the university has much to offer the collaborations have also allowed • Attracted almost 30,000 visitors to cultural sector, but also much to gain. our cultural partners to engage with our exhibitions and events, with The World Economic Forum Global the next generation of producers, a further 65,000 listening to our Agenda Council has recognised the practitioners and participants, podcasts, engaging a broader public potential for art to ‘exert a powerful benefiting from their original with the work of the university and influence on societal development’ and thinking and new ideas. providing our academics with a live for artists to ‘challenge commonly held • Supported over 160 academics audience on which to test out ideas. perspectives with innovative thinking, from 45 departments across raise awareness about social issues, King’s, giving them opportunities break down barriers to cross-cultural to collaborate with artists and The close links between the Cultural understanding and global dialogue and cultural organisations to transcend Institute and our department have inspire creative ideas’. disciplinary boundaries and put proved both productive and very exciting. In line with its mission to work their research to work in the These links are extremely valuable to us in service of society, King’s College cultural sector. as individuals and as a department, and London has set itself an ambitious • Connected King’s with nearly 400 I hope they continue to grow. challenge: to identify solutions to cultural organisations, artists and Professor Josephine McDonagh some of the world’s biggest questions. creatives – from the Crafts Council to Former Head, Department of English With its capacity to bridge divides, the BBC, China Culture Connect to challenge the status quo and provoke the Mental Health Foundation, the Building on the university’s new thinking, Culture at King’s has Donmar Warehouse to Resonance long history of collaboration and an increasingly important role to play FM – creating spaces for innovation interdisciplinarity, the second year in helping the university deliver on and ensuring that King’s research has of Culture at King’s has shown that this ambition. Annual Review 2013-14 5 OUR IMPACT Enhancing the student experience In its recent strategy for the creative industries, Create UK, the Southbank Centre and V&A, Creative Industries Council identified the importance of increasing giving them unique opportunities and

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