Arts Administration is the business of managing nonprofit and for-profit arts organizations in order to facilitate day-to-day operations and fulfill the overall organizational mission.
The University of Kentucky’s undergraduate degree in Arts Administration is designed to prepare students for a future in the management of arts organizations and for graduate study. Students are provided with a strong liberal arts education, an understanding of the business world, and a comprehensive education in one of the four arts disciplines of art, music, dance, and theatre.
Students in the Department of Arts Administration take courses that introduce them to the best practices in arts administration. These courses are designed to provide students with a sound basis for meeting the unique political, economic, financial, marketing, and developmental challenges facing the arts community. Additionally, students acquire a background in business and economics, fundamental to running a financially viable arts organization, as well as devote considerable study to the fine arts and art creation through courses with the College of Fine Arts’ accomplished faculty of artists and scholars.
The department emphasizes applying information learned in the classroom to hands-on, relevant work experiences, including volunteer activities, internships, and jobs both on and off-campus. Advisors and faculty within the Department of Arts Administration are readily available and are committed to establishing a one-on-one relationship with each student.
Admission
All students declaring a major in arts administration will begin as a premajor. In order to be admitted in the B.A. in Arts Administration as a full major, students must first:
- be enrolled in the University of Kentucky;
- complete 30 credit hours of course work;
- have a minimum 2.8 cumulative grade-point average;
- complete all premajor courses with a grade-point average of 3.0 in premajor courses;
- submit an application; and
- participate in an interview process with the arts administration faculty.
Students meeting these requirements will be accepted as majors in the program.
Students in Arts Administration must complete the following program requirements: