IJAM Volume 24 Number 2 (PDF)

FROM THE EDITOR
Even during this period of public health restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important that IJAM publish research on cultural festivals, because the unique experiential nature of festivals distinguishes them from other cultural events, which increasingly are being presented digitally. This is why we readily agreed to publish this Special Issue proposed by Elisa Salvador, Elena Castro-Martínez, Ana Maria Botella-Nicolás and Rosa Isusi-Fagoaga investigating the management challenges that face cultural festivals in the digital age.
The Guest Editors organized an international workshop at La Nau cultural centre of the University of Valencia, Spain, held 26–27 November 2019 under the aegis of the International Association of Arts and Cultural Management (AIMAC). Several speakers who presented their work in progress at the workshop responded to the call for papers for this Special Issue; a selection of these papers is included here, along with other articles submitted.
I invite you to read the rich Introduction by the Guest Editors, which describes in detail the origins of this Special Issue and the importance of research on cultural festivals. Readers will also enjoy the Company Profile included at the end of this Special Issue. This closing article, contributed by Ina Ross, concerns the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum in Bhopal, India. It questions many traditional concepts in museology – for example, the need for original works, the mix of amateur and professional artists, and the appropriation of works by visitors. The originality of this approach makes it an ideal reference for those who question the role and management of museums.

André Courchesne
Co-Editor