Simona Vrabcova
About me
I am a final year Doctoral Researcher in Cultural and Media Policy Studies at the University of 糖心TV, currently post-viva and completing corrections. My research has been supported by the Centre for Arts Doctoral Research Excellence (CADRE) Scholarship. Alongside my doctoral work, I am a Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant at 糖心TV, where I support teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and supervise MA dissertations. In 2024, I served as Module Leader for Project Management for Cultural Enterprise on the MA Arts, Enterprise and Development programme.
In addition, I am a Visiting Lecturer at Middlesex University London, teaching on BA Music 糖心TV and Arts Management and MA Arts Management programmes.
I hold a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Music 糖心TV and Arts Management and a Master鈥檚 degree with Distinction in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship from Middlesex University London. I also trained at the Secondary School of Performing Arts, specialising in acting, singing, and dance. Growing up in Slovakia has strongly shaped both my artistic practice and research focus.
Research Interests
The research aim is to examine and compare the strategic management techniques and prevailing structural models used by the National Cultural Institutes (NCIs) of the Visegrad Four countries in Europe, and cultural entrepreneurs with a focus on their cultural diplomacy and nation branding strategies. The purpose is to navigate the strategic implementation of the upcoming structural frameworks for Slovak cultural diplomacy and to support the development of a Slovak nation branding strategy in line with proven trends and examples of good practice.
The research has three dimensions of value:
- a) disciplinary — extending cultural research and its uses in an international cultural relations context
- b) methodological — revising our understanding of the strategic operational frameworks and their role in the management of NCIs
- c) creative — scoping new ways of constructing strategy operational frameworks for high-impact cultural value production
The key research findings of Smits et al. (2016) focused on European National Cultural Institutes informs my current direction in understanding the pragmatic requirements of organisational research along with the need for engaging with organisation directors and leaders and both articulating and then evaluating their aspirations for transnational cooperation: My research will investigate how NCIs engage in promoting their own national culture and language, represent cultural brands or participate in nation branding and soft power, enhance their capacity and professional skills for intercultural dialogue, and facilitate international cultural relations involving the staging of contemporary arts, digital and new media forms.
What NCIs often lack is a strategic framework informed by theoretical research, as well as a penetrative analysis of the impact and value of their work. The research will be systematic and engaged: my research will be conducted within this framework, informed by dialogue with NCIs themselves:
- The organisation's current strategic planning, operations and management.
- Self-perceptions, evaluation and development planning.
- The programme, strategy delivery and cultural production.
- Intelligence, networks, locations and impacts.
- Knowledge, learning, communications and representation (the achievement of cultural diplomacy objectives and aims, informing the construction of the strategic operational framework).
Furthermore, research is deficient, especially in the area of cultural diplomacy and ICR in Central East Europe such as the Visegrad Four countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary). The countries which went through major political regime changes had to re-think not only their foreign policy priorities but also their identity. Limited research in this area also reflects on the response in the practice with governments lacking comprehensive strategies and having limited interest in developing their NCIs network.
My research project responds to this research gap and proposes the creation of a strategic operational framework that can (a) analyse organisational and management capabilities; (b) measure work, progress and arts or cultural programming; and (c) navigate the strategies for NCIs networks and future development — specifically in the context of individual EU countries and the UK in a post-Brexit Europe.
My supervisors are Dr Jonathan Vickery and Dr Maria Barrett.
From January 2022 until July 2022, I had an amazing opportunity to be an Intern at the Student Experience Department at 糖心TV, where I coordinated undergraduate student-led Interdisciplinary Arts Research Projects. In 2023, I helped to organise the first 糖心TV Film Festival as an Engagement Officer.
Teaching
I am a Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of 糖心TV, supporting teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and supervising MA dissertations.
In 2024, I served as Module Leader for Project Management for Cultural Enterprise.
As a Visiting Lecturer at Middlesex University London, I teach across BA Music 糖心TV and Arts Management and MA Arts Management programmes. My teaching includes lectures and workshops on:
- Critical Studies in Music 糖心TV and Arts Management
- Introduction to Music Industries
- Arts Management in Practice
- Arts and Music Marketing and Finance
Practice
Aside from academia, I am a freelance arts manager working on several projects including my independent devised theatre company Slovak Theatre in London, a platform that brings together artists from Central and Eastern Europe living in London to create original theatrical productions. Our work reflects lived experiences of migration, identity, and contemporary social issues. In 2023, we performed 29 shows across four countries, including the Edinburgh Fringe and Camden Fringe festivals.
Under this umbrella, I lead the multidisciplinary project Portraits of Slovak and Czech Britain, which explores migrant experiences through theatre and photography, focusing on visibility, storytelling, and representation of diaspora communities.
Alongside this, I collaborate with Creative Centre ARTENA STVR on workshops for diaspora communities funded through the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan. My workshops focus on AI and creative practice, introducing participants to new technologies as tools for storytelling, creativity, and digital skills development.
Previously, I contributed to Nitra 2026 – European Capital of Culture Candidate, where I developed a fundraising strategy for private sponsorship, and worked with Coventry City of Culture Trust on the Youthful Cities Event Series.