Arts Administration

Arts administration is the management of arts organizations of all kinds, including in the nonprofit sector symphony orchestras, opera companies, presenting organizations such as the Carnegie Hall Corporation, museums, theaters, dance companies, arts councils and service organizations. Arts administrators can also be found in for profit organizations in such areas as artist management, recording, art gallery and auction house management, film and television.

Administrators typically work in the areas of general management/planning, artistic administration, operations, development (fundraising), marketing, public relations, education, community outreach, human resource management, financial management or government relations. Salaries vary widely, depending upon the size of the organization, whether it is nonprofit or for profit, and where it is located.

Any undergraduate major is acceptable, but typical majors are performing or visual arts, business administration, or theater. Most programs also require some direct work experience in the field before admission, including administrative or volunteer work at the undergraduate level. Most are two-year graduate programs, accepting 12-15 students each year, with course work in the fields of management, fundraising, and law, as well as arts administration. Programs usually include some kind of field experience, such as an internship, and may require a thesis..

Arts administration programs help students develop skills in the areas of organizational management, financial management, marketing, fundraising, and public relations as applied to both the business and the arts worlds. Therefore, graduates may eventually opt to work in non-arts sectors that utilize the same skills, such as fundraising for a hospital or university.