So, what exactly is arts management?
Arts management is the application of arts management techniques and processes to the art world. It involves running the daily business of private or public arts institutions. For example, arts administrators, artistic directors (theater and opera), museum directors, and gallery managers.
The goal of arts management is to coordinate two disciplines that may have opposing objectives. The former is a means of expression, carrying the author's vision and emotions without concern for profit. The latter focuses on the practical aspects of running a business: rational management of resources, keeping expenditures within budget, and pursuing efficiency.
What positions can you get with an arts management degree?
You may also wonder, why should I start a career in arts and cultural management? As their titles indicate, arts managers and arts administrators are strictly management-related positions. However, many other roles include some arts management duties and tasks. For example, budgeting and staff management play core roles in senior positions such as artistic directors, museum and gallery managers.
Degree setup
Arts management is an emerging professional field that combines management skills with an arts background, and it has a specific degree offering in the United States. There are about 40 schools offering master's programs in arts management. The prestigious Ivy League school Columbia University was the first to officially launch an arts management program.
Subsequently, some comprehensive universities in large cities, especially those strong in liberal arts, have also established this program. The exact degree names are not entirely the same, so when selecting schools, you can search for Arts Management,
Arts Administration,
Theatre Management,
Music Business, and so on.
Program focus
In the field of arts management education, there has long been debate over how to design and set up arts management programs, and approaches vary across countries and schools.
The earliest arts management program in the United States was reportedly established at Harvard Business School (Harvard Business School Program in Arts Management), but that program has long since disappeared. Today, a few schools still have arts management programs in their business schools, but they are rare. Better arts management programs are often housed in education schools or art schools.
If housed in an education school, the focus may lean more toward the social educational aspects of arts management.
If housed in an art school, the emphasis may be on the artistic professionalism.
If housed in a business school, the program may concentrate more on the commercial operations side of arts management.
If housed in a public administration school, it could highlight policy aspects and public service in arts management.
Overall, there are currently several scenarios:
1) Housed in education schools or art education departments within art schools.
Arts management program in the Arts and Humanities Department, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Visual Arts Administration program in the Department of Art and Arts Professions, Steinhardt School, New York University.
Arts Policy and Administration program/concentration in the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, Ohio State University.
Arts management program/concentration in the Department of Art Education, Florida State University.
2) Housed in art schools.
Columbia University's arts management program was founded in 1971 in the School of the Arts and moved to Teachers College in 1990. Current examples include:
Yale University (School of Drama)
Pratt Institute
Fashion Institute of Technology
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Drexel University
University of Oregon
3) Housed in business schools or public administration schools.
Carnegie Mellon University
Indiana University
4) Housed in art history or art departments within liberal arts colleges.
American University
Temple University
Sub-fields of Arts Management for U.S. Graduate Studies
Media Management
Performing Arts Management
Visual Arts Management
Arts in Youth & Community Development
Studio Art
Art Education
Art Therapy
Curriculum:
Arts management is an interdisciplinary field combining theory and application. Art is the foundation, management is the support, and subjects such as art appreciation, economics, marketing, psychology, statistics, and accounting are integrated into it.
Courses in arts management include: arts courses, management courses, and economics courses. Art courses form the common foundation. The field of art is broad, including music performance, painting, dance, media arts, etc.
Management courses are professional courses in arts management and are also general education courses required for all management students. They include management, marketing, human resource management, marketing planning, project management, and more.
Economics courses are the professional foundation courses for arts management.
Generally, schools require 40 credits and a duration of 24 months:
The Art World
Legal Issues in Arts Administration
Internship in Arts Administration I & II
Raising Funds and Grant Writing for
Nonprofit Organizations
Writing for the Arts
Leadership and Career Development for Arts Administration
Capital Campaigns
Marketing and Audience Development for the Arts
Education in Cultural Institutions
Individual Fundraising
Application Requirements:
Arts Background:
Whether it's instrumental performance, vocals, dance, painting, drama, hosting, or other artistic skills, as long as you have a mastery of an art form, it demonstrates a deep understanding of the arts, which is the best foundation for studying arts management.
Language Advantage:
Superior English communication skills, even proficiency in other languages, are the most needed abilities for international art exchange and performance markets.
Business Mindset:
Undergraduate knowledge in budget planning, marketing, fundraising, financial operations, and other management-related areas.
Creative Thinking:
Creativity, the ability to "think out of the box," and knowing how to flexibly use limited resources.
TOEFL:
100/250/600, minimum: 80/213/550
GRE:
Generally required
GMAT:
Some schools require GMAT scores. For example, Southern Methodist University, University of Cincinnati; check school requirements.
GPA:
3.0 or higher
IELTS:
Some schools accept IELTS scores, need 7.0
Career Prospects:
Graduates of arts management can pursue careers as arts managers or agents for arts and cultural organizations.
Arts administrators in small institutions are responsible for market research, scheduling events, and handling related financial matters. In larger arts and cultural institutions, their responsibilities are broader, including directing the development of artists' or performers' creativity. More senior arts administrators also need to propose strategic plans to management.
Arts management graduates also work in fields such as Media Management, Performing Arts Management, Visual Arts Management, Arts in Youth & Community Development, Studio Art, Art Education, and Art Therapy.
Schools and Programs:
New York University (New York University, Steinhardt)
Program: Visual Arts Administration
Founded in 1971, NYU's Visual Arts Administration was the first arts management program in the United States. Each year, 35 students are carefully selected. The two-year program requires 51 credits. Courses are taken jointly with Stern School of Business and the Public Service School. Located in Washington Square, New York, and benefiting from the rich and dynamic arts resources of Lower Manhattan, students have opportunities to access core art resources through classes or internships. Faculty is top-notch, and alumni resources are extensive.
TOEFL 100+, GPA 3.0+, strong art history background and relevant work experience. GRE not required.
Internships and a final project/thesis are required.
Application deadline: January 6th
State University of New York at Buffalo (State University of New York at Buffalo)
Program: MA Art Management
School Profile: The State University of New York at Buffalo (University at Buffalo, the State University of New York) is the largest and most comprehensive research university in the SUNY system, hailed as the "crown jewel" of SUNY. Founded in 1846 and incorporated into SUNY in 1962, it is New York's largest and most comprehensive public university, with research strength among the top public universities in the U.S. The university's strengths are in medicine, engineering, and computer science, with over 18,000 undergraduate and 9,000 graduate students.
University of Oregon (University of Oregon)
Program: MA/Master's degree program in arts management
School Profile: The University of Oregon is a century-old renowned public university in the United States, focusing on undergraduate education and scientific research. It is one of only 63 members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). UO has produced two Nobel laureates and eleven Pulitzer Prize winners. In the 2012-2013 U.S. News & World Report, UO ranked 115th nationally. The College of Education, College of Business, and School of Journalism and Communication are the school's most famous colleges, with the College of Education consistently ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. and considered one of the best value education schools.
Carnegie Mellon University (Carnegie Mellon University)
Program: Master of Arts Management (MAM) program
School Profile: Carnegie Mellon University is a world-renowned private top research university. Though small in size and with limited disciplines, it is a world leader in nearly all its fields. The main campus is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university had the first computer science school and drama school in the U.S. Its College of Fine Arts, Tepper School of Business, College of Engineering, and Heinz College of Public Policy and Management are all nationally top-ranked. The computer-related programs are extremely popular, with computer science ranked first and computer engineering often in the top five in the U.S. CMU's MBA ranks among the best in the world, placed 16th by The Economist and 15th by Business Week.
Minimum TOEFL requirements (Reading: 22, Listening: 22, Speaking: 18, Writing: 22). GRE or GMAT accepted, quantitative background required.
Internship and capstone project required.
Application deadline: January 10th
Boston University (Boston University)
Program: MS in Arts Administration
School Profile: Founded in 1839, Boston University is the third-largest private university in the United States. It has over 29,800 students from all 50 states and 125 countries, with about 4,700 international students. BU adopts an international and diversified management approach, attracting students from around the world and making it a hub for global cultural exchange.
TOEFL 95+ (Reading: 21, Listening: 18, Speaking: 23, Writing: 22), GRE or GMAT accepted. No specific undergraduate major required, but good academic standing.
Application deadlines: Spring entry November 15th, fall entry March 15th.
Drexel University (Drexel University)
Program: MS program in Arts Administration
School Profile: Drexel University is a four-year private university founded in 1891, one of the three major universities in Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University). Drexel has been ranked as one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report for five consecutive years, ranking 89th in 2009. According to the Yale Daily News Guide to Colleges, Drexel is renowned for its "five-year co-op program": except for the first and fifth years, when students attend three ten-week terms, in the second, third, and fourth years they alternate between six months of study and six months of work. Students can earn about $17,000 per year while gaining work experience and determining their career paths.
Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah College of Art and Design)
Program: MA Art Administration
School Profile: Savannah College of Art and Design is the largest art and design school in the United States, with over 10,000 students. The main campus is in Savannah, Georgia, a beautiful historic city that predates the United States, ideal for studying art, architecture, and design. The school focuses on preparing students for professional development in the creative industries, with all curricula and equipment designed to train students as true creative professionals.
