BCA101 The Arts in Culture and Society 1

Contents and structure

The course gives an comprehensive introduction to the arts as cultural, human and material phenomena, to Community Arts as an established field of practice and reflection. With a focus on workshopping as a critical and crucial methodology for CA practices, the course includes an introduction to psychology and motivation theories relevant for leading art workshops. Practical leadership training in a safe space is promoted through drama-based activities, which also provide a repertoire of ‘ice breakers’ and ‘energizers’. In this course every student starts developing their personal digital portfolio as well as starting to build their professional online identities. 

Academic content: 

• Arts as cultural, human and material phenomena 
• History of Community Arts as an established field of practice 
• Workshopping as methodology 
• Drama based activities   
• Developmental psychology and motivational theories and attribution theories 
• Develop digital portfolio / professional online identity 

Students must have smartphone or equipment for video and photo captivation. 

Assignments from this course will be carried out in real life settings in the course BCAPRA1 - Community Arts Professional Training 1" and experiences and observations from professional training will be linked back to the current course. 

Learning Outcome

Knowledge 

The student:  

• Has knowledge of the arts as human expression and cultural and material phenomena 
• Has knowledge of Community Arts as a field of practice 
• Has knowledge of terminology and theoretical aspects of workshop as methodology 
• Has knowledge of developmental psychology theories 
• Has knowledge of motivational theories and attribution theories 

 

Skills 

The student:  

• Is able to create and present a digital portfolio of own artworks / liveshows 
• Is able to critically reflect on art activities in relation to central Community Arts terminology 
• Is able to lead group activities on a basic level 
• Is able to transform an emerging understanding of own identity into own art practices 

 

General competence 

The student:  

• Is able to understand and is familiar with academic tradition 
• Can relate general theoretical knowledge to experiences and observations from fieldwork / placements  
• Is able to reflect on own learning processes and facilitate this knowledge in relation to community art practice

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Lectures, discussions, workshops, seminars online (synchronous and asynchronous), individual work, group work, individual literature studies.

Compulsory learning activities

• Active participation is expected, and compulsory attendance is a requirement for parts of this course. Which parts this is will be presented in the plan for each semester. 
• Initiate a professional online identity based on the digital portfolio
• Assignments mentioned in semester the plan (made available at semester start) 

Assessment

Portfolio assessment 

Grading scale: A - F

Examination support material

All printed, written, audio and audio-visual support material allowed

More about examination support material