New Arts Administration Minor Aligns Program with Arts Industry Career Trends

A group of Meredith College faculty representing a variety of programs came together to revise the minor previously known as arts management for the 2020-21 academic year. The goal of these revisions was to better align the program with the current career trends in the arts industry.

The redeveloped minor, now known as arts administration, is an interdisciplinary program that pairs well with any arts major, as well as majors in other fields. The curriculum prepares multi-passionate students for a variety of careers in the arts, including arts advocacy, arts management, fundraising or marketing for the arts, and more.

“The arts administration minor is a complementary addition to a major in visual arts, dance, theatre, or music, but will also be of particular interest to students majoring in business, hospitality management, or communication,” said Alyson Colwell-Waber, professor of dance.

Colwell-Waber helped lead the way in the redevelopment of the minor, hoping to provide students with more hands-on, practical experience through internships, client-based courses, and professional practice courses.

“Arts administration roles range in function,” said Colwell-Waber, “from a focus on financial management, to promotion and marketing, community outreach and education, arts representation, advocacy and government relations, grant writing and fundraising, audience development, and tour and company management. Opportunities are vast in both the commercial and non-profit sectors of the arts and entertainment industry.”

A number of updates were made to the minor, including the name change, a reduction in the requirement of credit hours, and changes to the list of courses. The new curriculum gives students more flexibility and more opportunities to pursue hands-on experience within the arts administration field.

Some examples of organizations within the field that Meredith students and alumnae have worked with include the North Carolina Arts Council, The Carolina Ballet, the Charlotte Art League, and the American Dance Festival.

Students minoring in arts administration are required to complete a total of 20 credit hours: 14 hours of required core courses, three hours from an arts theory elective, and three hours from a professional practices elective. Core classes in the program of study provide foundational skills and knowledge, while elective choices can be made based on a student’s specific career interests.

Learn more about the Arts Administration minor.