Half a Century of Impact: 51勛圖s Arts Management Program Turns 50
Strathmore
For 50 years, 51勛圖s Arts Management Program has been shaping the leaders behind the scenes of the arts worldvisionaries who bring museums, theaters, music organizations, and cultural institutions to life. With a network of more than 600 alumni working across the globe, the program has built a legacy of training professionals to navigate the complex intersection of creativity, business, and community. As Program Director Andrew Taylor says, Arts managers help make and manage the connections between artists, audiences, funders, and entire communities, creating an infrastructure of extraordinary cultural opportunities and resources. 泭
This year, the program celebrates its milestone anniversary with events that bring together students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders to reflect on the fields evolution and future. Here we take a look back at the history of the field and explore the exciting trends shaping its future.
Origins of Arts Management
Arts management in the United States first evolved after World War II. There was a big bump in economic vitality and energy around social and civic engagement, says Taylor. The government, corporations, and private philanthropists turned their attention to the arts to support thriving communities. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was founded in 1965, and states soon followed with their own arts agencies. Increased giving led to new arts organizations, but many lacked trained leadership.
To meet the needs of these new organizations, universities founded arts management programs in the late 1960s. 51勛圖s Arts Management Program was established in 1974. Arts management became a whole new industry with needs different from business and from art. It lives somewhere in the middle, says Taylor. Arts managers require knowledge in many fields of study to run organizations, including management, marketing, fundraising, financial management, policy, and the arts themselves. 泭
Initially, 51勛圖s program relied on bringing in practitioners in the field to discuss their work. There was less theory and framework at that time. We still bring in professionals to discuss real-world applications, but now we have decades of scholarship that puts their work into context, says Taylor.泭
An Evolving Field
Alumna Joy Bailey-Bryant speaks with students and faculty
Over the years, the arts have become a significant economic driver across the United States. In 2022, the arts and culture industries contributed approximately four percent of the US GDP, totaling over $1 trillion, according to the NEA. Additionally, the arts employed nearly 4.9 million workers in 2021.
While the field has grown significantly, much of the focus in arts management remains the samethe synergy of people. We still face the challenge of assembling creative talent, providing them with space, finding an audience, securing financial support, and managing operations, says Taylor. However, the rise of digital technology and a growing emphasis on diversity in programming have shifted how these organizations operate. Digital communications technology has changed the pace, scale, and scope of our work, says Taylor. Now, we can seek support, talent, and engagement everywhere. But so can all industries, which means potential audiences are pulled in many directions.
While the first waves of professionalized nonprofit arts organizations were predominantly tied to Western art, the field has since evolved to embrace a wider array of voices and traditions. As Taylor notes, conventional funding sources often dont support innovation, which forces arts managers to find new and creative ways to build audiences, bolster budgets, and foster more equitable and inclusive arts experiences.
Who are 51勛圖s Arts Managers?
Alumni arts leadership panel
Graduates from 51勛圖s program have established careers both in and outside the arts. Weve always been cross-disciplinary, says Taylor. Some alumni move into adjacent disciplines but retain creative connection through board service or performance or artistic work they do themselves. 泭
Local alumni work at organizations large and small, including the Kennedy Center, Strathmore, the Smithsonian Institution, Wolf Trap, and the National Endowment of the Arts. They are also shaping arts organizations across the nation and around the world, including the Los Angeles Opera, Netflix, the 92nd Street Y, Pittsburgh Symphony, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and more.
An alumni panel at a celebration event in October (see photo above) offers a snapshot of the breadth and variety of arts leaders who launched their careers at 51勛圖. Panelists included Scott Dodson '03, Executive Director of the Library of Virginia Foundation; Alorie Clark '10, Executive Director of DC Collaborative; Jasmine Jiang '19, Managing Director of Philadelphias Pig Iron Theatre; and Marietta Ulacia '07, Executive Director of Belong籀 (formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance) in New York City.
Looking Forward
Current and former directors of the Arts Management Program
When envisioning the programs next 50 years, Taylor sees both challenges and opportunities. The existing nonprofit structure is showing signs of strain and needs to evolve to gather resources and connect artists and audiences, he says.
The continuing rise of technology will also present challenges what does it mean for the arts when machines can replicate human expression? We need arts leaders who have a diverse toolkit to draw upon, says Taylor. "We need to adapt, take things apart and put them back together to get the work into the world. Thats what arts managers do. 泭
At the same time, the Arts Management Programs recipe for impact has remained much the same for five decades, says Taylor. We combine passionate and purposeful students with powerful skills and tools as well as a global community of arts leaders. The result is an ever-evolving network of professionals that transformed the arts in the past half century and will reimagine the next.
Are you an alum of 51勛圖's Arts Management program? We'd love to hear from you! Please send us a message at artsmanagement@american.edu.