Can Art make the world ‘better’ and how?

A special showcase event will bring together an exhibition of the most recent research from the Masters in Arts Management students at Queen’s and featuring guest speaker Dr Anthony Schrag (Queen Margaret’s University, Edinburgh) who will speak about his most recent work on Socially Engaged Art and Ethics. 

The event will start with Dr Schrag’s short talk and a conversation with QUB researcher Dr Ali FitzGibbon. This will be followed by an informal reception and viewing of the exhibition.

Following this event, the poster exhibition will open to the public for viewing from 6 - 12 November 2025 in the Main Site Tower of the Law Building located on the main campus opposite the Queen’s Film Theatre.

This event presents a unique opportunity to engage with a range of new research emerging from Queen’s in the field of arts and cultural management and policy and to meet the next generation of researchers in a special exhibition of their work. The event also presents an opportunity to consider whether Art can make the world ‘better’ and how?

We know cultural or arts activities and those making them aim to ‘do good’ and make the world a better place: but - is it the purpose of art to make the world ‘better’? Can it do that? And who decides what is ‘goodness’?

Dr Schrag's guest talk will tackle the complex story of how artists working with communities, publics and social contexts might understand ‘goodness’ and the ethical problems that emerge when cultural activities happen in social environments

Dr Ali FitzGibbon and Dr Anders Rykkja, School of Arts, English and Languages, Queen's University Belfast

Anyone is welcome

Of particular interest to cultural professionals and policymakers, volunteers from the third sector including arts and cultural organisations, individual artists, other people working in the cultural and creative sector.

Also of interest to those interested in culture and cultural institutions, and young people (<21) interested in getting to know what research and work in the cultural and creative industries may look like.

Following this event, the poster exhibition will be open to the public for viewing from 6 - 12 November 2025 in the Main Site Tower of the Law Building located on the main campus opposite the Queen’s Film Theatre.

4 November 2025