This book offers a critical and transdisciplinary rethinking of project management in the creative industries. Bridging theory and practice, it explores how traditional approaches can be adapted, enriched, or challenged to better respond to the complex, uncertain, and value-driven nature of contemporary creative work.

Each chapter explores project management theory through clearly articulated frameworks from major schools of thought, referencing key scholarly contributions. These theoretical discussions are complemented by real-world examples from an experienced creative industries project manager, creating a dialogue between academic rigor and practical relevance. The text critically examines traditional project management assumptions, offering conceptual resources to reimagine project management as a collaborative, reflexive space for meaning-making. Drawing on provocative frameworks like the Scandinavian School and Making Projects Critical, alongside insights from design and the social sciences, it proposes integrative models that balance organisational efficiency with the unique values, rhythms, and processes inherent to creative practice. The dual approach of theoretical depth paired with practitioner wisdom equips readers with both intellectual understanding and practical tools to navigate the complexities of managing innovative projects. The result is a fresh perspective that honours the distinctive characteristics of creative work while maintaining necessary structure and direction.

Managing Projects in the Creative Industries is intended for researchers, students, project management professionals, and practitioners in the cultural and creative industries who seek to enrich their practices, challenge dominant norms, and develop more human-centred, critical, and context-sensitive approaches.