Summer Arts Management Institute

Where Creativity Meets Strategy: The Fundamental Practices and Skills That Drive Successful Arts Organizations

For more than thirty years, the Boston University Arts & Cultural Management Program has prepared arts professionals throughout Greater Boston, the region, and the nation to advance in their careers and assume leadership roles in the field. Through a new partnership with BU’s Center for Professional Education, we are offering early-career arts managers the opportunity to obtain a grounding in the fundamental practices and skills required to run a successful arts organization.

A New Opportunity to Learn the Fundamentals of Arts Management.

In this intensive two-week Summer Arts Management Institute, participants will learn from the entire range of our distinguished faculty through lectures, hands-on exercises, case studies, and a day-long exploration with the department heads of a major cultural organization. The institute will provide an unparalleled opportunity to build a solid foundation for future advancement in the arts.

Too often, early-career arts managers have limited access to strategic decision-making and program development beyond their immediate department; or, if they are working within a small arts organization, they may be challenged to produce effective work without an understanding of organizational strategy and best practices. The faculty of the Summer Arts Management Institute, who teach across the curriculum in our MS in Arts & Cultural Management program, have distilled their course content to impart the essential fundamentals that all arts managers should know.

Each participant in the Institute will pursue a series of tracks that cover the following organization-level topics:

• Marketing
• Finance and Legal Requirements
• Fundraising and Development
• Community Outreach
• Strategic Development and Planning
• Leadership and Human Resources
• Program Development
• Advocacy and Public Policy
• Board Governance
• AI

A day-long site visit to a major cultural institution will give participants an opportunity to meet with department heads in each of these areas to discuss how their work intersects with the whole institution.

Instructors

Faculty for the 2027 Summer Arts Management Institute will be announced soon. As in past years, participants will learn from a distinguished roster of practitioners and executives from across the arts management field.

Daily Institute Schedule, July 19–29, 2027

Dates are being released in advance; full daily schedule to be announced.

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Week One

Week Two

Accreditation and Future Opportunities

Participants who complete the Institute will earn a digital badge issued by Boston University, which can be included as a credential on sites like LinkedIn. Those who would like to pursue further training after the Institute may pursue our Graduate Certificate in Arts Management or the MS in Arts & Cultural Management and waive the 4-credit introductory course.

Requirements

The Summer Arts Management Institute is intended for early career arts managers who have had some degree of experience working in an arts organization, either as a staff member or as a volunteer. For more information, please contact the Arts & Cultural Management Program (acmprogram@bu.edu or 617‑353‑4064).

Cost

Pricing for the 2027 Summer Arts Management Institute will be announced soon. Organizations interested in enrolling multiple participants are encouraged to contact the Arts & Cultural Management Program at acmprogram@bu.edu or call 617-453-4064 to discuss options.

Registration

Registration for the 2027 Institute is not yet open. Please check back on the Center for Professional Education’s registration page, or contact the Arts & Cultural Management Program at acmprogram@bu.edu with questions.