MS in Arts & Cultural Management
Offered on the Charles River Campus and online, the MS in Arts & Cultural Management program is designed for students who wish to pursue professional careers in arts and cultural organizations in the public, nonprofit, and commercial sectors both domestically and internationally.
The Master of Science (MS) in Arts & Cultural Management program emphasizes excellence, creativity, economic problem solving, global networking, and a commitment to new technologies. We are particularly concerned with helping arts organizations successfully achieve their missions. It is toward such an end that we sustain a deep conviction in the centrality of the role of the artist and in the fundamental importance of artistic excellence as issues central to the health of all arts organizations in the 21st century.
Students can earn a concentration in one of the following areas:
- Fundraising
- Commercial Theater Development
- Marketing
- Organizational Leadership
The program’s faculty of working professionals emphasizes an interdisciplinary curriculum and encourages collaboration between students from both visual and performing arts backgrounds. Our students are able to consult and network with a range of national and international companies and nonprofit organizations that operate within the art world. The program also emphasizes a global perspective through our international travel study course, which enables students to engage with world-renowned cultural leaders, museums, arts organizations, and artists.
This program requires an average of 8–16 months to complete. Students may begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer term.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand and apply knowledge of appropriate business and governance structures in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors in the US.
- Explain and assess relevant legal regulations in nonprofit and for-profit arts organizational settings.
- Create effective financial, marketing, and fundraising plans for arts organizations.
- Analyze differences in national cultural policies and practitioner methods and assess their impact on systems of cultural production.
- Explain and assess issues in diversity, equity, access, and inclusion affecting mission, programs, and operations in the arts and propose solutions.
Requirements
Students are required to complete the non-unit course MET AR 110 Laboratory in Professional Practice in addition to the core courses and general electives. Students who want to earn one or more concentration(s) must satisfy the stated requirements of each concentration they wish to pursue.
A total of eight courses (32 units) is required, as follows. Students choosing a concentration will complete nine courses (36 units):
Core Courses (four courses/16 units)
- MET AR 520 Introduction to the Art World
- MET AR 525 International Arts Practice and Policy
- MET AR 610 Financial Management for Arts and Cultural Organizations
- MET AR 615 Legal Issues in Arts and Cultural Management
General Electives (four courses/16 units)
Students who are not choosing to complete a concentration must select four general electives (16 units) from the list below, with at least two at the 600 level or above. Please note that not all electives are available in the online format.
- MET AR 530 Managing Performing Arts Organizations
- MET AR 535 Managing Visual Arts Organizations
- MET AR 540 Fundamentals of Arts Marketing
- MET AR 550 Raising Funds and Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
- MET AR 560 Fundamentals of Individual Fundraising
- MET AR 565 Capital Campaigns
- MET AR 570 Commercial Theater Production: The Broadway Model
- MET AR 600 Special Topics in Arts and Cultural Management
- MET AR 640 Technology in Arts and Cultural Management
- MET AR 650 Public Art Project Management
- MET AR 660 Curating in Multidisciplinary Contexts: Theory and Practice
- MET AR 670 Creative Startups: The Entrepreneurial Process
- MET AR 675 Strategies for Performing Arts Businesses
- MET AR 680 Marketing for Commercial Theater and the Performing Arts
- MET AR 685 Global Commercial Theater Producing and Presenting
- MET AR 700 Leadership in the Arts
- MET AR 725 Educational Programming in Cultural Institutions
- MET AR 730 Political and Public Advocacy for the Arts
- MET AR 735 Arts and the Community
- MET AR 745 Data Analytics for Arts Marketing
- MET AR 755 Arts and Cultural Research
- MET AR 796 Advanced Management and Consulting for Arts and Cultural Organizations
Concentrations
Students may choose from the following concentrations.
Commercial Theater Development
Students in the MS in Arts & Cultural Management concentration in Commercial Theater Development gain advanced training in the development and production of commercial performing arts productions, including skills in managing commercial arts venues, securing and developing commercial productions, engaging with new technologies and innovative partnerships, and programming performing arts productions.
Learning Outcomes
- Advanced knowledge of the history, structure, and institutional behavior of performing arts organizations in the commercial sector.
- Proficiency with a sophisticated skill set emphasizing best practices with regard to the development of commercial performing arts projects.
- The ability to identify, interpret, and apply relevant legal regulations in the management of commercial arts enterprises.
- An understanding of the issues and factors affecting the development and touring of performing arts productions internationally.
- Strategic approaches to personal development, networking, and self-marketing for professional advancement within the field of commercial performing arts management.
Concentration Requirements
In addition to the MS in Arts & Cultural Management core curriculum (16 units), students pursuing a concentration in Commercial Theater Development must also take the following concentration requirements and electives.
(five courses/20 units)
- MET AR 570 Commercial Theater Production: The Broadway Model
- MET AR 675 Strategies for Performing Arts Businesses
- MET AR 680 Marketing for Commercial Theater and the Performing Arts
- MET AR 685 Global Commercial Theater Producing and Presenting
Capstone Requirement (choose one course from the list below)
- MET AR 795 Arts and Cultural Management Practicum
- MET AR 796 Advanced Management and Consulting for Arts and Cultural Organizations
Fundraising
The MS in Arts & Cultural Management concentration in Fundraising provides administrative, financial, technical, and leadership skills for master’s students seeking careers as professional fundraisers.
Learning Outcomes
- Knowledge of the most important challenges and opportunities facing nonprofit organizations.
- Knowledge of professional practices with regard to fundraising and financial management.
- Skills to identify funding sources and other professional grant applications.
- Knowledge of best practices in designing and managing fundraising strategies and capital campaigns.
- Knowledge of structural and operational similarities and differences between several categories of nonprofit organizations, including healthcare, faith-based, cultural, and educational organizations.
- The ability to take a strategic approach to the professional development, networking, and self-marketing necessary to obtain a professional position as a fundraiser.
Concentration Requirements
In addition to the MS in Arts & Cultural Management core curriculum (16 units), students pursuing a concentration in Fundraising must also take the following concentration requirements and electives.
(five courses/20 units)
- MET AR 550 Raising Funds and Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
- MET AR 560 Fundamentals of Individual Fundraising
- MET AR 565 Capital Campaigns
- Plus one 600-level course selected from the MS in Arts & Cultural Management general electives list
Capstone Requirement (choose one course from the list below)
- MET AR 795 Arts and Cultural Management Practicum
- MET AR 796 Advanced Management and Consulting for Arts and Cultural Organizations
Marketing
Students in the MS in Arts & Cultural Management concentration in Marketing receive preparation to work as marketing managers within arts organizations, equipped with a sophisticated skill set in the latest marketing and advertising approaches.
Learning Outcomes
- The ability to use a sophisticated tool set to analyze transactional arts organization data, discern trends, and develop strategies for reaching target goals in audience development.
- Knowledge of current effective marketing techniques employed in fields related to arts management and apply these to arts marketing.
- The ability to market oneself effectively based on acquired skills and knowledge gained through the concentration.
Concentration Requirements
In addition to the MS in Arts & Cultural Management core curriculum (16 units), students pursuing a concentration in Marketing must also take the following concentration requirements and electives.
(five courses/20 units)
- MET AR 540 Fundamentals of Arts Marketing
- MET AR 745 Data Analytics for Arts Marketing
Two courses selected from the following:
- MET AD 523 Strategic Marketing in AI-Driven E-Commerce
- MET AD 601 Digital Platforms and Quantitative Marketing
- MET AD 737 Innovative Marketing Techniques
- MET AD 856 Market and Economic Research and Analysis
- MET AR 680 Marketing for Commercial Theater and the Performing Arts
- MET CM 707 Writing for Media Professionals
- MET CM 716 Digital Communication
- MET CM 719 Interactive Marketing Communications
- MET CM 726 Strategic Brand Solutions
- MET CM 736 New and Traditional Media Strategies
- MET CM 739 Principles of Search Engine Marketing
- MET CM 744 Design and New Media
Capstone Requirement (choose one course from the list below)
- MET AR 795 Arts and Cultural Management Practicum
- MET AR 796 Advanced Management and Consulting for Arts and Cultural Organizations
Organizational Leadership
Students in the MS in Arts & Cultural Management concentration in Organizational Leadership gain the skills necessary to lead an arts organization, including principles of organizational structuring, marketing, human resource management, contract negotiation, performance measurement, strategic planning, research, and program evaluation.
Learning Outcomes
- An understanding and applied knowledge of best practices in structuring arts organizations.
- An understanding of principles of responsible human resource management.
- The ability to create well-reasoned strategic development plans.
- The ability to understand and apply best practices in organizational marketing.
- The ability to understand and apply basic knowledge of contract law.
- The ability to understand and apply research methods for program evaluation.
Concentration Requirements
In addition to the MS in Arts & Cultural Management core curriculum (16 units), students pursuing a concentration in Organizational Leadership must also take the following concentration requirements and electives.
(five courses/20 units)
- MET AR 530 Managing Performing Arts Organizations or MET AR 535 Managing Visual Arts Organizations
- MET AR 540 Fundamentals of Arts Marketing
- MET AR 700 Leadership in the Arts
- MET AR 755 Arts and Cultural Research
Capstone Requirement (choose one course from the list below)
- MET AR 795 Arts and Cultural Management Practicum
- MET AR 796 Advanced Management and Consulting for Arts and Cultural Organizations
International Travel Study Course
The Arts & Cultural Management program is committed to exposing its students to the growing impact of globalization on the art world. US students enrolled in the master’s program are required to take MET AR 525 International Arts Practice and Policy. This course involves short-duration travel to a country outside of the US. Past travel destinations have included London, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, Bangkok, and Cuba. Future destinations will vary.
