Thank you to the many people who have been blog contributors to, and readers of ArtsBlog over the years. ArtsBlog has long been a space where we uplifted stories from the field that demonstrated how the arts strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically; where trends and issues and controversies were called out; and advocacy tools were provided to help you make the case for more arts funding and favorable arts policies.

As part of Americans for the Arts’ recent Strategic Realignment Process, we were asked to evaluate our storytelling communications platforms and evolve the way we share content. As a result, we launched the Designing Our Destiny portal to explore new ways of telling stories and sharing information, one that is consistent with our longtime practice of, “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

As we put our energy into developing this platform and reevaluate our communications strategies, we have put ArtsBlog on hold. That is, you can read past blog posts, but we are not posting new ones. You can look to the Designing Our Destiny portal and our news items feed on the Americans for the Arts website for stories you would have seen in ArtsBlog in the past.

ArtsBlog will remain online through this year as we determine the best way to archive this valuable resource and the knowledge you’ve shared here.

As ever, we are grateful for your participation in ArtsBlog and thank you for your work in advancing the arts. It is important, and you are important for doing it.

Assessing the Role of Formal Education in Arts Administration Training

<P>Today, there are approximately thirty-four programs across the and Canada offering graduate degrees in this field. Some offer comprehensive training in arts and entertainment management. Others have a specific focus such as theater, visual arts, or state and community arts agencies. Regardless of the focus, graduate programs in arts management seek to teach the methods and skills needed to function effectively in the increasingly complex environment of today's cultural institutions and businesses.</P>
<P>They also attempt to educate students to appreciate the value of the arts; to understand the economic, technological, social, and political climates in which arts organizations operate; and to anticipate the challenges and opportunities of the future. As more and more graduates of arts administration programs enter the field as professional managers, it is both appropriate and necessary to assess the training needs of the profession and to measure the success of arts administration programs in meeting these needs. To that end, a questionnaire was devised and field tested in spring 1994 in three cities; Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco.</P>
<P>The preliminary survey involved only not-for-profit performing arts organizations; the raw data from that pilot survey were presented eat the Association of Arts Administration Educators Conference in May 1994.</P>
<P>The preliminary research led to the development of a more refined survey instrument. Again, the decision was made to confine the survey to the field of professionally managed performing arts organizations, including theater companies, symphony orchestras, dance companies, and presenting organizations. (p. 5)</P>
<P>Overall, however, the survey results strongly suggest that formal arts administration training is serving the field reasonably well. For key management positions in professional performing arts organizations in the , arts administration training is preferred by an overwhelming majority of the institutions. This finding holds true across disciplinary boundaries and budget sizes. Furthermore, the responding managers embraced the internship programs offered by most training programs. In fact, they are pleading for expansion of internship opportunities, for they see how they benefit their home institutions and enhance the training of fledgling managers. In addition, arts managers have made a strong call for training programs to move beyond the traditional degree-granting structure and to create new packages of executive education programs for those in the field who cannot afford either the time or the money (or both) to enroll in a full - or even part time - program). (p. 23)</P>
<P>CONTENTS--Respondent profile. Skills required in managing arts organizations and acquiring those skills. Arts administration training in the hiring process. Major challenges facing arts organizations. Continuing or executive education. Service to the field. What do the surveys have to say?</P>

Today, there are approximately thirty-four programs across the and Canada offering graduate degrees in this field. Some offer comprehensive training in arts and entertainment management. Others have a specific focus such as theater, visual arts, or state and community arts agencies. Regardless of the focus, graduate programs in arts management seek to teach the methods and skills needed to function effectively in the increasingly complex environment of today's cultural institutions and businesses.

Approved
P
NA
Report
Martin, Dan J. and Rich, J. Dennis
December, 1997
Old URL: 
http://www.artsusa.org/NAPD/modules/resourceManager/publicsearch.aspx?id=9617
Research Abstract
Rank: 
0
Categories: 
Professional Development
Is this an Americans for the Arts Publications: 
No