RESEARCH ON THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS AND EMPLOYERS TOWARDS THE CURRICULA IN THE FIELD OF ART MANAGEMENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to explore the attitudes of students and employers toward the existing academic curricula in the fields of arts management, public relations (PR), and arts marketing at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Asen Diamandiev" – Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The study seeks to evaluate the applicability, effectiveness, and relevance of academic disciplines and to propose potential avenues for their update in the context of changing professional realities and the evolving needs of the cultural and creative industries.
The methodology includes an empirical analysis based on online surveys conducted with two main respondent groups: undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in the selected programs, and employers from the cultural sector. The research gathers insights on key topics such as curriculum flexibility, the balance between technical and communication skills, the digitalization of the learning process, and the expansion of interdisciplinary approaches in education.
The results show that both students and employers highly value subjects related to communication and management, such as "Public Relations, Media, and Advertising", as well as practice-oriented courses like "Arts Management and Business Models". Digitalization and the integration of new technologies into the learning process are viewed as essential for future success. Students also emphasize the need for more in-depth inclusion of courses related to finance and marketing in the cultural industry.
The findings indicate a need to update the curricula with a stronger emphasis on achieving a better balance between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and an increased focus on digital and interdisciplinary competencies. The recommendations include the periodic revision of course content, the introduction of new disciplines aligned with the needs of the cultural sector, and the development of new forms of collaboration between universities, industry, and employers.
Additional data gathered from the surveys show that students report high levels of satisfaction with their education but recommend strengthening the practical orientation of the programs. The study also highlights a growing focus among employers on the creative abilities of their employees, which suggests the potential for formulating a research hypothesis linked to the concept of Artistic Intelligence (AI). Artistic Intelligence can be defined as the collective capacity of artistic and practically oriented skills through which individuals create impact and added value that goes beyond the specific and individual outcomes of a particular professional task.