You Cao (’18)
You Cao is originally from Ürümqi, a small town along the Silk Road in China. She is currently enrolled in the Arts Administration Master’s program at Boston University. She is also the President of the AASA.
Like many people, she played piano throughout her youth; though she chose not to become a pianist, this experience provided her with a great interest in and love of art.
Following high school, You Cao moved to Paris to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Management and Event Production at the IESA (Ecole Marché de l’art et Métiers de la Culture), a private arts school. During her four years living and studying in Paris, she had many meaningful internship opportunities such as at the Art Paris Art Fair and as an assistant at the prestigious Parisian contemporary art gallery Galerie Daniel Templon.
Her years of study and internship experiences made her realize that most major art activities are in the US, China, and Europe, which are also the homes of the most bustling art markets. So after she finished her undergraduate study, she decided to continue her studies in the US in order to explore one of the most important art markets in the world.
You worked as a graduate assistant and interned as an Administration intern at the Boston Center for the Arts while in the program. With an enterprising and adventurous spirit, and proficiency in Chinese, French, and English, You Cao is very passionate about her studies and is happy working in various environments, especially exhibitions, art fairs, and galleries.
‘As a foreign student, I was worried about enrolling in a program in the United States because I was not familiar with US corporate customs or American art organizations and the nonprofit system in which they so often operate. The Arts Administration program here at Boston University starts with courses that provide basic information and an approachable and global-minded way to become familiar with how arts organizations in America work. The structure of the program is very reasonably designed so that students can choose their schedules depending on their own career-specific goals. I enrolled in this program with the idea of becoming a protector of the art world, and I’m confident that it will help make my dreams come true.’