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.

Higher Education Training in Arts Administration: A Metaphoric Reappraisal

<P>This article a reappraisal of the role and nature of arts administration training. It&nbsp;provides a set of strategies to reform the field in light of vast changes. Changes that include:</P>
<UL>
<LI>the downsizing of federal agencies, programs, and funding; </li>
<LI>increased competition among cultural organizations and entities outside the field;</li>
<LI>>audience demographics; </li>
<LI>multiculturalism; and</li>
<LI>the culture wars.</LI></UL>
<P>To date, arts administration training programs have lacked unifying standards and curriculum. The current programs represent a variety of disciplinary orientations and administrative settings. In 1999, the fields professional organization, the Association of Arts Administration Educators, sought to change this through the identification of a common core curriculum and the development of standards for programs and faculty tenure.</P>
<P>Even in this challenging phase, the author gives reasons for considering the future of higher-education based arts administration training. He accomplishes this by offering a series of metaphors (the arts administrator as warrior, explorer, and architect) to convey specific skills, outcomes, and values that programs need to foster in order to mold the fields practitioners and future leaders. </P>

Approved
P
NA
Periodical (article)
Sikes, Michael
The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society
Volume 30, Number 2
Publisher Reference: 
Heldref Publications
Old URL: 
http://www.artsusa.org/NAPD/modules/resourceManager/publicsearch.aspx?id=9988
Research Abstract
Rank: 
0
Categories: 
Professional Development
Is this an Americans for the Arts Publications: 
No