Programme and Project Development in Arts Management (PDF)

"This publication about the RUHR.2010 concept is the first comprehensive, practically orientated guide to planning and realising large-scale projects – A “must have” for those involved in the project management of European Capitals of Culture!

The programme and project management of a European Capital of Culture entails an unusual challenge. There is relatively little time to build up a cultural undertaking that is capable of planning, communicating and realizing a large number of projects. It is not only a festival that extends over a few weeks, but is the programme for a whole year that must be dealt with. Each Capital of Culture faces strong pressures concerning time and finances. Furthermore, there is a great range of artistic genres and players that have to be taken into consideration. Finally, the organisation of the Capital of Culture is expected to establish long-lasting effects concerning cultural networks and cultural infrastructure, especially an increase of cultural tourism and significant investments, both in cities and in the region as a whole.

In the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, the book’s authors go over the entire process, ranging from organising the company’s bearer to its liquidation. As moderator of the “Essen für das Ruhrgebiet” application and as the General Manager of RUHR.2010 GmbH, Oliver Scheytt was responsible for preparing and realizing the European Capital of Culture through all its phases. From the very beginning onwards, Eckart Achauer, as a consultant, has constantly supported the organisation during its setting-up as well as in all fields of its project and process management. This cooperation is the basis for the idea of writing this book which Eckart Achauer and Oliver Scheytt are responsible for.

What has been important for the authors was not simply to describe the setting-up of an organisation or the structure of a cultural undertaking (see chapter C - Tasks and fields of work), but to also reflect on the various processes that are of considerable significance for a cultural undertaking’s programme and project management (compare chapters B - Development of the organization and D - Processes). A Capital of Culture’s organisation, like any other cultural undertaking, has many interfaces to cultural players, agencies, partner organisations and consultants. Accordingly, the book explains in detail how to organize a transfer of know-how, how to recruit qualified personnel and how to accurately and efficiently assign an agency (chapter E - Personnel, consultants, agents). Finally, the “Cultural Governance” has a substantial function within decision-making and network management (chapter F - Co-operations, partnerships, networks).

The authors

Eckart Achauer, born 1959, completed studies in law and business management as well as an MBA post-graduate course. Then training as quality manager / EFQM assessor and business arbitrator. Started his career in a law firm, later changed to the international insurance industry. Worked a decade in this field in various managerial positions. Since 1996 management consultant for medium-sized businesses as well as companies listed on the German leading share index DAX (sectors: service providers, trade / logistics, energy industry) with the focal points strategy, organization and process consulting, quality and risk management. During the period 2007 to 2010 supported RUHR.2010 GmbH in building up and operating the Capital of Culture project company.

Prof. Dr. jur. Oliver Scheytt, born 1958, studied music and law. From 1986 to 1993 he acquired comprehensive experience in the area of local authority politics at the German Association of Cities and Towns as well as acting from 1990 as the authorized agent for the cities in the new Federal states. From 1993 to 2009 he was the head of the cultural affairs department of the City of Essen. From 2006 to 2012 he was managing director of RUHR.2010 GmbH after he had been responsible as facilitator and link-man for the successful campaign „Essen for the Ruhr Area - European Capital of Culture 2010“ from 2004 to 2006. In 2011 he founded the firm of personnel and strategy consultancy of KULTUREXPERTEN Dr. Scheytt GmbH and the network ACULTOS of consultants to European Capitals of Culture. Since 1997 he has been the president of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e. V. and makes his experience and know-how available to numerous national and international cultural organizations. Oliver Scheytt has held the chair for cultural politics at the Hamburg University for Music and Theatre since 2007 and is the author of numerous publications in the field of cultural politics and culture management. He is the co-editor of the periodical „Handbuch Kulturmanagement und Kulturpolitik“. The last books he has published: Kommunales Kulturrecht (2005), Kulturstaat Deutschland. Plädoyer für eine aktivierende Kulturpolitik (2008)."