From Art to Business: Top US Arts Management Programs You Shouldn't Miss

发布时间：Date: 2023-03-18 返回新鲜资讯Back to News

Arts management, as an interdisciplinary field bridging art and business, perfectly meets the needs of students who are passionate about fashion and art while leaning toward business career paths. The discipline encompasses two main areas: performing arts and visual arts. Its curriculum integrates foundational art courses, management studies, and economics knowledge, aiming to cultivate versatile talent with market insight. In the U.S., such programs are typically housed within business/management schools or arts and humanities colleges, awarding either an MBA or an MA/MFA degree, offering students diverse academic pathways. In terms of employment, graduates enjoy broad career prospects. They can work in non-profit institutions like museums and theaters as curators or public relations specialists; in for-profit entities such as galleries and auction houses handling project financing and market strategy; or even become independent curators or join media conglomerates like Disney and Time Warner. CheersYou（清柚教育） has specifically combed through five types of arts management programs in U.S. institutions, including arts management, cultural management, and music management, and highlights top programs like NYU's to help students transitioning from art to business precisely locate and smoothly achieve their goals.

With the rapid growth of the cultural industry, arts management is gaining increasing attention. As an emerging discipline, arts management caters to students whose career plans lean toward business while still holding a passion for fashion and art. CheersYou（清柚教育） provides a detailed breakdown; if you're interested, keep reading～

What is Arts Management?

Arts management is a market-oriented emerging field that combines theory and application in a highly interdisciplinary way. Simply put, it's a fusion of art and management. The curriculum is broad, covering fundamental art courses like music performance, painting, dance, and media arts; management courses such as management, marketing, human resources, marketing strategy, and project management; and economics courses, which are an essential foundation for an arts management major.

What Are the Major Directions in Arts Management?

Arts management falls into two main directions: performing arts and visual arts. Performing arts include dance, theater, music, and other art forms that require stage presentation, performer-audience interaction. Visual arts encompass sculpture, painting, photography, and extend to installation art, video, and mixed media.

Five Types of Arts Management Programs at U.S. Institutions

Arts Management
Cultural Management
Stage Management
Theatre Management
Music Business/Management

Arts Management Programs in the U.S. Are Typically Found in Two Major Areas:

Economics and Management Domain:

Such as economics schools or management schools; these can award an MBA degree.

Arts and Humanities Domain:

Such as art schools, humanities schools, or education schools; these can award an MFA or MA degree.

Career Directions for Arts Management Graduates in the U.S.:

(1) Non-profit Institutions:

Represented by art museums, museums, national theaters, national dance troupes, and art foundations. Possible roles include exhibition curation, industry research, public relations, and project development/evaluation.

(2) For-profit Institutions:

Represented by galleries, auction houses, professional art performance agencies, and large-scale branded events like film festivals, TV festivals, and music festivals. Possible roles include project financing, coordination, market positioning and strategy, public relations, and project development/evaluation.

(3) Independent Curator:

An independent art curator is a professional who specializes in planning funds, selecting artists, and organizing exhibitions around a specific artistic theme.

They are responsible for conception, organization, project management, and exhibition coordination in art exhibition activities. Their work involves researching, appraising, classifying, and preserving various artworks; organizing art exhibitions; and seeking exhibition sponsors and art foundation grants.

(4) Media Track:

You can go to international fashion and art magazines like Harper’s Bazaar or ELLE, as well as media conglomerates like AOL/Time Warner Group, Disney Group, etc.

Top Recommended Master's Programs in Arts Management in the U.S.:

New York University – Visual/Performing Arts Administration

NYU admits students separately for visual arts and performing arts tracks. The school's location and film/television resources are unparalleled, making it a top choice for many.

https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/programs/visual-arts-administration

Columbia University – Arts Administration

Columbia's Arts Administration program is one of the pioneers of the discipline. With its Ivy League prestige and prime Manhattan location, it integrates resources from the Teachers College, Business School, and Law School.

https://www.tc.columbia.edu/arts-and-humanities/arts-administration/

Carnegie Mellon University – Arts Administration

CMU has a top-10 college of fine arts in the U.S., with a comprehensive range of disciplines and strong resources, providing a natural breeding ground for arts management. The Arts Management program, housed in the Heinz College of Public Policy and Management, is jointly taught by Heinz and the College of Fine Arts, with a curriculum leaning toward policy and related areas.

https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/programs/arts-management-master/

Boston University – Arts Administration

BU's Arts Administration program offers different tracks. With an excellent location, students have easy access to Harvard Art Museums, MIT's theaters, Berklee's concert hall, and various arts institutions that provide abundant activities and internship opportunities.

https://www.bu.edu/met/degrees-certificates/ms-arts-administration/

School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) – Arts Administration and Policy

The program has a mature, complete, advanced, and open teaching philosophy. The school provides students with opportunities to collaborate with other artists and various organizations, advocating a reconstruction of arts management at the intersection of art and society.

https://www.saic.edu/academics/departments/art-history-theory-and-critic...

Yale University – Theatre Management/Stage Management

Yale's Theatre Management program is ranked third in the nation. It focuses primarily on theater organizations but also covers other performing arts organizations, non-profits, and for-profits to aid in operations, development, and problem-solving.