Cultural Communication

Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Credits: 3

Code: 4006

Course: 1

Term: Second term

Type: OB

Module:

Matter:

Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: English

If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language.

Teaching staff

Head instructor:
Dra. MARTÍNEZ RIBAS, Inés - imartinezr@uic.es

Office hours:

Inés Martínez

Introduction

Implementing the correct communication strategy is crucial for the success of a cultural project. A communication campaign ensures visibility, as well as the understanding and engagement of the audience. Since the implementation of the Internet, communication tools are evolving in an exponential way, significantly changing the format, speed and relationship between the institution or the creator and the audience. At the same time, print formats and more traditional ways of interacting with the audience are still effective in communication campaigns.

Identifying which are the most suitable among the overwhelming number of communication tools is one of the challenges of this course, which combines practical training with a series of talks given by an outstanding expert in the fields of art and photography, the lecturer will discuss his experience in communication campaigns and exchange ideas with the alumni.

FACULTY

MAIN LECTURER

Inés Martínez Ribas (Barcelona 1968). Independent Communication Consultant. She holds a Ph.D. (with Cum-Laude) in Communication, Education and Humanities (2024, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya). Master’s in Journalism (1996, El País-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid). One-year course in Research Techniques (1996, University of East London). Bachelor of Political Science & Sociology (1996, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). Bachelor of Information & Media Studies (1995, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). She has worked for the Spanish newspapers El País, La Vanguardia, and El Periódico de Catalunya; Head of Cultural Press at ”la Caixa” Foundation (2001-2008); Head of Press and Public Relations at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona, MACBA (2008-2012). Author of the novel Caribdis. En mar de nadie (Distrito 93, 2020; finalist at the III Award Auguste Dupin de Novela Negra). More information: www.inesmartinezribas.com

GUEST LECTURERS

Montse Blanco (1 session). Director of Marketing at ”la Caixa” Banking Foundation.
Perico Pastor (1 session). Catalan artist. He combines illustration with painting, and has exhibited in Barcelona, Madrid, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Miami… He collaborates with The New York Times, El País, La Vanguardia, the International Herald Tribune… https://perico.net/
Martín Zaragüeta (2 sessions). Specialist in cultural communication and digital content with over 15 years of experience developing communication strategies for major institutions including the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and the APdC, among others.

Pre-course requirements

Same as for the Master's.

Objectives

To understand and have a good command of the essential communication tools in cultural activities.
To be able to design and organise a communication strategy for a cultural project.
To develop a critical approach to social media and digital communication.
To examine and identify specific communication strategies for each of the cultural sectors (Design, Heritage, Debates and Publishing).

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

Basic competencies
Knowing how to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.

General competencies
Lead, coordinate and work interdisciplinary teams.
Ability to communicate, share and mediate in relation to different agents who participate in a project, program or cultural service.

Transversal competencies
Design, direct, produce and evaluate projects, programs, strategies, policies or cultural activities where various professional profiles, actors and institutions are involved.

Specific competencies

Understand and know cultural communication in all its areas.
Learn the basics, methodology and application of communication techniques in different cultural sectors.
Establish and maintain a smooth and effective communication relation with the media through the development of dossiers and press releases and organizing press conferences. Recognizing which are the essential and most performative communication tools.
Being able to design and organize a basic communication strategy for a cultural project.
Developing a critical approach and a practical knowledge of social media and digital communication in culture

CB9 - Students should be able to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments supporting these conclusions to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous manner.
CE7 - To analyse, apply and assess marketing strategies in different cultural sectors, institutions and projects and develop a basic communication strategy for a cultural institution or project.
CG2 - To lead, coordinate and form part of interdisciplinary work teams.
CG4 - To know how to communicate, encourage and mediate between the various agents involved in a cultural project, programme or service.
CT1 - To design, direct, produce and assess cultural projects, programmes, strategies, policies or actions that involve a number of different numerous professional profiles, agents and institutions.

Learning outcomes of the subject

The students knows:

It communicates its conclusions and the ultimate knowledge and reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
He leads, coordinates and is part of interdisciplinary work teams.
It communicates, stimulates and mediates between the different agents involved in a cultural project, program or service.
Designs, directs, produces and evaluates projects, programs, strategies, policies or cultural actions in which varied profiles of professionals, agents and institutions are involved
Analyzes, applies and evaluates marketing strategies in different sectors, institutions and cultural projects and organizes a basic communication strategy for a cultural institution or project.

Syllabus

PART I. INTRODUCTION

The Methodology of the Course: Program, methodology, bibliography, guest lecturers and evaluation. Communication tools: The different departments of Cultural Communication & Information according to the personality of each institution. Communication versus Information.

PART II. PR DEPARTMENTS

How to create news stories. Media relations. Press Kits and Press Releases. Press Announcements. Press Conferences. Exclusives. Crisis Communication. Case studies of success and failure. Press Clipping. The importance of language and translations. Public Relations. Event openings. The medium is the message. The emergence of social media networks and peer-to-peer communication. Organizing and broadcasting conferences and debates. Fostering critical thinking today. The importance of content.

PART III. DIGITAL COMMUNICATION FOR CULTURAL PROJECTS

We will explore the key elements needed to design and launch an effective digital communication campaign. We’ll analyze real cases —from large initiatives to independent projects— and share useful tools to plan and combine online and offline communication in a coherent way. A practical space to discover resources, discuss approaches, and strengthen the digital presence of any cultural project.

PART IV. COMMUNICATION PLANS

How to develop a communication plan for a cultural institution. Strategy, Purpose, Objectives, Audiences, Messages, Channels, Evaluation, Results.

Session	Day	Month	Time	Lecturer	Hours
PART I: INTRODUCTION
Session 1	Thursday	8 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 2	Tuesday	13 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
PART II: PR DEPARTMENTS
Session 3	Thursday	15 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 4	Tuesday	20 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas Exercise I – Class Preparation	2
Session 5	Thursday	22 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 6	Tuesday	27 January	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas Exercise I – Speech Delivery in Class	2
Session 7	Thursday	29 January	6:30	Guest lecturer: Perico Pastor	2
Session 8	Tuesday	3 February	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 9	Thursday	5 February	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas Exercise II – Press Conference Attendance Submission: 9 February, before 2 pm	2
Session 10	Tuesday	10 February	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 11	Thursday	12 February	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas Exercise II – In-class Review	2
PART III: DIGITAL COMMUNICATION FOR CULTURAL PROJECTS
Session 12	Tuesday	17 February	6:30	Guest lecturer: Martín Zaragüeta	2
Session 13	Thursday	19 February	6:30	Guest lecturer: Martín Zaragüeta	2
PART IV: COMMUNICATION PLANS
Session 14	Tuesday	24 February	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 15	Thursday	26 February	6:30	Guest lecturer: Montse Blanco	2
Session 16	Tuesday	3 March	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Session 17	Thursday	5 March	6:30	Inés Martínez Ribas	2
Exam	Tuesday	17 March	4:30 8:30	Group Oral Presentation - Communication Plan	4

Teaching and learning activities

In person

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

EVALUATION SYSTEM

Class attendance and participation. 34% of the final grade.
Two individual short exercises.33%. Two exercises: (i) Spokesperson’s Speech, and (ii) Press Conference Analysis. Students will have one hour in class to complete each short exercise (more explanation on page 4 of this document).
Exam - Group Oral Presentation - Communication Plan. 33%.

Bibliography and resources

AZOULAY, Ariella (2012) Civil Imagination. A Political Ontology of Photography. Translated from Hebrew by Louise Bethlehem. London / New York: Verso.

BARTHES, Roland (1957) Mythologies. Paris: Editions du Seuil.

COLEMAN, Kevin + JAMES, Daniel, edit. (2021) Capitalism and the Camera. Essays on Photography and Extraction. London / New York: Verso. Especially the text by Christopher Stolarski Marketing the Socialist Experiment: Soviet Photo-Reportage between the World Wars.

EAGLETON, Terry (2000) The idea of Culture. London: Blackwell Manifestos.

JENKINS, Henry + FORD, Sam + GREEN, Joshua (2013) Spreadable Media: Creating value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York: New York University Press.

SENNET, Richard (2005) The Culture of the New Capitalism. New Heaven: Yale University Press.

WALES, Jimmy (2025) The Seven Rules of Trust: Why It Is Today's Most Essential Superpower. London: Bloomsbury.

WILLIAMS, Raymond (1976) Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society. London: Fontana.

Teaching and learning material

Material

Print version