UMD is offering a new major starting in the fall, 2020– Arts Administration. It was approved by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents in December.
The major is a collaboration between the School of Fine Arts and the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE), and includes all of the courses of the LSBE Business Administration minor.
“Our grads need to be trained in management. Arts is a special avenue that requires learning the business side," says Bob Kase, dean of the School of Fine Arts, who sees a great need for arts administration. “There were thousands of jobs open last year.”
Lindsay Brown, an academic services specialist in the School of Fine Arts, says this is a popular and growing field nationally, and is a terrific option for students who want to be involved in multiple arts disciplines. “It provides a skill set for both artists and non-artists who want to contribute to an arts organization on a managerial or organizational basis.”
Arts Administration majors are required to complete one smaller internship, likely with a local organization, and one larger semester-long internship that could be anywhere regionally, nationally, or even internationally.
About the Field
The degree provides students with preparation for careers in the administration and management of arts programs, organizations, foundations, and arts-related fields.
Arts administrators' duties may include staff management, marketing oversight, budget management, public relations and cross-sector collaboration, fundraising and grant writing, program development and assessment, board development, and arts advocacy.