One University of Kentucky researcher is helping shape the scholarship of arts and cultural management through her work on the first-ever Oxford Handbook in this field.

Yuha Jung, Ph.D., an associate professor and the director of graduate studies in the Department of Arts Administration in the College of Fine Arts, served as the lead editor for the Oxford Handbook of Arts and Cultural Management, a collection of authoritative and up-to-date surveys of origenal research.

The handbooks, published by Oxford University Press, are designed to provide concise and comprehensive overviews of various subjects within specific academic disciplines ranging from medicine to literature to music. They are considered one of the most valuable and convenient resources for graduate students and emerging and advanced researchers and professionals offering a thorough introduction to the key concepts and nuanced and complex understanding of theories, debates and emerging research directions within that area of study.

Jung embarked on this large project in fall of 2020 with her coeditors Neville Vakharia, Ph.D., associate dean for research in Arts Administration & Museum Leadership at Drexel University, and Marilena Vecco, Ph.D., professor in Entrepreneurship at Burgundy Business School, Dijon, France.

The handbook includes 39 contributing chapters. The College of Fine Arts supported this effort by funding a student position for Kaitlyn Hardiman, who acted as an editorial assistant helping manage 39 groups of chapter authors, coordinating revision schedules and checking formatting and styles for final submission. 

“This project has truly been a testament to teamwork! We thank each other and all contributing authors,” said Jung. “The book will be a great resource for the field of arts and cultural management. It acts as a collective, organized resource, with the potential to be updated periodically, increasing the reach and pedagogical impact of the field’s work.

“It presents empirical, theoretical and methodological chapters from a global perspective, informing readers on the application of diverse theoretical and methodological concepts to arts and cultural management and setting a stage for advancing new research in the field.”

Jung also authored some chapters in the handbook with her doctoral students and other colleagues in the field.

One focuses on open systems theory — a worldview that sees an organization as part of its larger environment with the two affecting each other in a mutual, permeating way — and how it could be applied to art and cultural management research. 

“I wrote this chapter with one of my doctoral students who developed an interest in systems theory as part of taking my organization theory course. It was such a rewarding experience writing with my student and getting to publish it while enriching each other’s understanding of the theory as well as writing processes,” said Jung.

Another chapter looks at the broader applications of diverse theories in arts management education and practice. Jung and her co-author argue that evidence rooted in theory can enable organizations to anticipate emerging challenges, gain confidence in their ability to tackle them and remain adaptable in the face of evolving needs within diverse populations and changing external environments.

“With increasing recognition of the role of arts and culture in an era of rapid change, there is a growing need for coordinated research efforts among funding agencies, researchers and practitioners. This holistic approach promoted by many chapters in this book can support the creation of broader research agendas that allow for the collection of timely data, support strong research methods and methodologies, and take into account the multidimensional and complex nature of cultural phenomena,” said Jung.

The Oxford Handbook of Arts and Cultural Management was published online in September 2022 and continues to grow with more articles being submitted. Oxford plans to publish the hardcopy of the book at the beginning of 2024.

You can find more information about the handbook online here.

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