Arts Management

Phone: 843.953.6301
Chris Burgess, Director

About the Program

The field of arts management prepares students to become effective leaders, managers, and patrons in a wide array of visual and performing arts non-profit organizations and artistic enterprises within the creative sector. Students learn to support the work of performing, visual and media artists, and to develop a broad range of managerial, organizational, entrepreneurial, decision-making, and problem-solving skills in the areas of fund raising and grant writing, financial management, creativity, marketing and audience development, public relations, artistic and educational programming, event planning, policy, governance, and legal issues. These skills are then applied in students’ work with artists, institutions and enterprises through hands-on and practical training through volunteer and internship experiences. The program maintains close relationships with local and national arts institutions including Spoleto Festival USA, the South Carolina Arts Commission, and the South Carolina Arts Alliance.

Full-time faculty, professional artists, and practicing arts industry leaders augment the perspectives in courses.

Music Industry Concentration

The optional music industry concentration prepares students for careers in the music industry through relevant coursework in areas such as record company operations, artist and venue management, legal issues, public relations, marketing and merchandising. The concentration requires 18 credit hours for arts management majors.

About the Minor

An Arts Management minor prepares students to become art managers, members of arts organizations and work with artists. This minor is especially relevant to students majoring in an arts discipline who need to develop skills to manage their career or work with arts organizations. It is also relevant to Business School majors who have an interest in relating their business skills to the arts industry. The School of Humanities and Social Sciences majors (Communication, Political Science, and Psychology, etc.) are also often involved in careers that relate to arts management.

The courses emphasize management, organizational skills and arts disciplines relevant to the unique world of the visual and performing arts industry. Internships and participation in the School of the Arts and community arts organizations reinforce classroom experiences. Professional artists and art industry leaders augment the perspective of the courses.

Majors

• Arts Management, B.A.  
• Arts Management, Music Industry Concentration, B.A.  

Minors

• Arts Management Minor