Course Title: ATA 365: Arts Leadership and Program Development
ART125 FYS (Freshman and Fall /Only)
Term: Spring

Course Description

This course will provide students with the opportunity to develop knowledge of arts management by exploring current issues and emerging trends in technology, arts and cultural policy while developing their writing for proposals, grants, and marketing. Students will develop an understanding of program management and the challenges facing administrative leaders of arts and cultural organizations. If the student has not previously taken ATA 265, this course may be taken with the permission of the instructor.

Course Objectives

1. Develop skills in grant writing and other fundraising;

2. Gain skills in developing educational and program activities and marketing;

3. Work collaboratively to lead discussion and debate on a current issues and trends in technology, arts, and/or cultural policy;

4. Demonstrate effective public speaking skills;

5. Demonstrate research, analytic and written skills.

Course Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate skills in grant writing and other fundraising activities through the development of a grant and a proposed fundraiser.

2. Students will demonstrate skills in developing educational, program activities and marketing through written assignments, the development of marketing strategies and mock- proposals for an organization.

3. Students will demonstrate their ability to work collaboratively through a graded group assignment on a current issue or trend in technology, arts and/or cultural policy.

4. Students will demonstrate oral presentation skills by developing presentations to peers and faculty regarding their proposals.

5. Students will demonstrate research, analytic and written skills through the final case study research papers.

Artifact Reflection Forum

Students will be required to read articles related to current topics in arts management and follow at least two arts organizations on social media. While some specific articles and artifacts will be shared for class discussion, the weekly forums are your opportunity to share articles and artifacts of your choosing. They may relate to the topic we are covering that week or there may be a current happening in the arts world that catches your attention. I recommend using artsjournal.com as a starting point.

At the end of the semester, students work individually and in groups to identify the trends which appear in their own posts and the posts by the class collectively. 

Note: In the Spring of 2021 we also utilized this Padlet page to share resources to facilitate group work between students in the classroom and those working remotely while on quarantine.