Your Interviews
Ten minutes with....
Aleksandar Brkić (MSc Management 2005)
What is your current position/occupation?
I am the Lecturer/Research Fellow at the UNESCO Department for Cultural Policy and Management in Culture at the University of Arts in Belgrade. At the same time, founder of Eighty Ten, art production company. You can find out more at http://www.connectcp.org/AleksandarBrkic or soon on www.8010.rs
Why did you study at Cass?
Cass has an amazing international community that surrounds you every day. I studied at MSc Management course, and I had colleagues from more than 30 different countries studying together with me. And, of course, professors that have diverse methodologies, which helps you get much wider perspectives.
What is your most treasured memory of your time at Cass?
Friends for life I gained there... Ali Mansouri, Panagiotis Vagionitis, Tung Ho, Stella Terzis, Fabio Campos, Heena Mandalia, Ebitu Ukiwe, Masha Gradobitova, Sarah Pastora... so many of them with which I have amazing memories - studied together, hanging out in All Bar One near Cass, going out, doing projects together, travelling around UK.
How has your career developed since you left Cass?
I continued my studies. Finisher MFA in Scene Design at the University of Arts in Belgrade, and currently in the process of writing a PhD thesis at the Management in Arts and Media program at the Faculty of Drama Arts in Belgrade. I am active in the field of social sciences and cultural policy, working as a cultural policy expert at the EU level, doing trainings in different countries, publishing articles, speaking at conferences.
At the same time, I did not forget the entrepreneurial spirit from Cass... I formed my own company, Eighty Ten, and last year I produced a performance "Untitled", by Jozef Nadj, choreographer from France/Serbia. We performed in Prague, Belgrade, Subotica, Budapest, and this year we are going to Colombia, France...
Why did you get nominated for a CPRA award?
There were more then 30 applicants from all over Europe, young researchers from the field of the cultural policy. I was nominated for my research paper "Cultural Policy Frameworks (Re)constructing National and Supranational Identities: Balkans and European Union", together with 5 more finalists. I guess my topic, and my approach were fresh and brave enough to potentially bring something new to the field.
How has winning the award helped you?
CPRA has put me in the focus for some time now amongst the cultural policy community. It felt good in the beginning, but now it becomes more of a burden. You start realizing how difficult it is to cope with this pressure of being good at something, which draws the attention and expectations of others.
What does the future hold for you?
So many things... I have different plans. On the academic level, I want to finish my PhD thesis, and become more active at the University. I already have offers to teach at different Universities worldwide, and since I have a family (wife Dragana is a costume designer, and daughter Tara is 16 months old), I have to think what is the most appropriate way to go. On the level of professional development, I see my company going even more internationally, and doing large international artistic projects, involving interesting and creative people from all over the world.
What’s your favourite thing to do in London?
Walking around Angel, going to Barbican to see some concert... eating at Belgo's. Playing soccer in Regents park with friends... digging into books in Foyles. Going out to Koko's, Jazz Cafe, Fabric. Eh... so many things. I find London my second home, after studying at Cass, and I have so many places there I consider mine.