Photo by Dana Rogers
The University of Kentucky Department of Arts Administration offers an undergraduate degree at our Lexington campus.
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 Department of 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 Art's 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.
The role of an arts administrator is diverse and varied. Some of the duties which arts administrators are trained for include:
- Arts education
- Audience development
- Community outreach
- Fundraising
- Management
- Marketing and advertising
- Program management/season selection
- Public relations
- Special events
- Venue coordination and management
- Volunteer coordination
- Website development
Arts Administration BA
The BA program is designed for students who want to acquire the leadership and management skills for today’s arts organizations.
A graduate of this program will have the ability to:
Creative Social Entrepreneurship
Establish a dynamic creative career, build entrepreneurial skills for social good, become a creative social entrepreneur. The Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Social Entrepreneurship offers a flexible and in-depth curriculum in an asynchronous, 100% online learning environment.
Arts Emergency Management
Arts Emergency Management is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to effectively manage a range of crises within the context of the arts and cultural sectors.