On Oct. 19, 2021, the Fine Arts Department called all potential and current Arts Administration minors to meet and network. The event was hosted by professors and program directors Colleen Stockmann and Dave Stamps and Fine Arts Department Director Miguel Sousa. The Jazz club also gave a special performance while all the attendees mingled and discussed the purpose of the Arts Administration minor.
The Arts Administration minor provides students with the necessary skills to manage their careers in the fine arts. The minor opens opportunities for students who are interested in how to kick-start and sustain their future careers in various aspects of the arts.Sousa describes the importance of the minor as such: “Arts administration is a valued skill for any music teacher and performer. Nowadays, we are expected to know how to run our business – your own studio, music tours, and such. Arts administration provides the tools to create a successful path in the music business, no matter what the student’s goal is.”
The Arts Administration minor, which began in 2012, is currently open to students who are majoring in Art, Art History, Music, Theatre, and Dance. One of the goals for the program is to make the minor more inclusive, so that anyone from any major is able to hone their skills in the business of art.
The Arts Administration encourages students to explore more than their artistic abilities. Sousa discussed the importance of broadening one’s skills and ended the event with words of encouragement. “Arts administration is a valued skill for any music teacher and performer. Nowadays, we are expected to know how to run our business – your own studio, music tours, and such. Arts administration provides the tools to create a successful path in the music business, no matter what the student’s goal is.”