Critiques of Power in the Arts – A Global Classroom

Prior to the international convening, from Monday 22nd to Wednesday 24th of April, the international and interdisciplinary seminar “Critiques of Power in the Arts – A Global Classroom” will take place. This intensive seminar is a large-scale interdisciplinary collaboration between the University of Michigan’s Department of Entrepreneurship & Leadership, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna’s Department of Cultural Management and Gender Studies, and the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein, Germany. It aims to offer new opportunities for arts engagement as well as critical thinking for students and the faculty of these three institutions and others from different continents globally, as well as new networking possibilities with partner institutions to enable social change in the global cultural sector.

From Thursday to Saturday 25th-27th of April 2024 at mdw University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna an international gathering will be held on the topic of Critiques and Disruptions of Power in the Arts, initiated by the Institute for Cultural Management and Gender Studies in partnership with numerous organizations.

The topics raised at the gathering will include gender and social inequalities in the worlds of music and performing arts and from the perspective of artistic research, epistemic violence, hierarchies in music education and performance, power in cultural policy and management, critique of decolonization, global asymmetries and identity in crisis.

Special attention will be given to young researchers needs and support to the researchers, artists and music and performing arts professionals from marginalized communities.

The formats of the event are not necessarily standard academic conference formats, but also include co-creation, discussions, artistic research and experimenting with unproductive spaces or challenging hierarchies.

Additionally to mdw staff members of the Programming Board of the gathering also come from diverse Austrian and international organizations and backgrounds: Austrian Commission for UNESCO, the section „Transcultural Life Worlds“ of the Kulturwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft KWG, D/Arts, University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein, University of Michigan, EDUCULT Vienna, University of Vienna, TU Wien, Arts University Linz, Brunnenpassage Vienna, Salam Orient Vienna, vera*, University of London, University of Arts Helsinki, University of Oldenburg, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen, Leuphana University of Lüneburg etc.

English will be used as the main language of the event. Info on registration and participation fees will be published later. The event will be held in person only without livestreaming. Joseph Haydn-Saal, Klangtheater und Bankettsaal are barrier-free.

mdw Organizers
Department of Cultural Management and Gender Studies
Administrative Department for Equality, Gender Studies and Diversity
Artistic Research Center
Department of Drama (Max Reinhardt Seminar)
Department of Folk Music Research and Ethnomusicology
Department of Music Education Research, Music Didactics and Elementary Music Education