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Arts Management/ What It’s About

The Master of Arts (MA) in Theatre, Arts Management concentration prepares students for this growing industry – to build careers in educational settings, not-for-profit environments as well as government and commercial industries, including presenting organizations, arts agencies, and a diverse body of arts and cultural institutions.

This unique program is a collaboration of the College of the Arts, Department of Theatre and Dance, School of Business, and Legal Studies. It is the only program of its kind in New Jersey.

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What You Will Study

Students in arts management learn management principles and practices; negotiation techniques and contracts; legal and ethical issues; fiscal management; institutional development; grant writing and fund raising; artistic production and distribution models; research and evaluation methods; strategic planning; social theories; managing communication; and more.

The 36-credit progressive curriculum allows full-time students to complete the degree in just two years, as well as offering the convenience of part-time study for students who prefer that option. Students appreciate the choice of night, weekend and hybrid courses, complemented by internship opportunities that help build their résumés.

Curriculum Links –

Curriculum requirements for the arts-management concentration and additional programs in the Department of Theatre and Dance may be found through the links below:

• MA Theatre, Arts Management Conc. - Curriculum
• University Catalog – Theatre and Dance section

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An Outstanding Faculty

Arts-management majors work with an outstanding faculty and guest artists who are prominent scholars, world-class performers, directors, designers, technicians and producers. Collectively, they bring exceptional expertise and lay the foundation for professional networking.

Faculty Links –

• Department Graduate Studies Faculty (note: Students also study with faculty in the School of Business and Dept. of Legal Studies)
• All Department Faculty
• Guest Artists

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Exceptional Facilities and Cultural Programming

Arts-management majors enjoy access to Montclair State’s outstanding performance facilities on campus including the state-of-the-art 500-seat Alexander Kasser Theater, 946-seat Memorial Auditorium, 2,000-seat amphitheater, intimate L. Howard Fox Theatre and a Dance Theatre used exclusively for dance. The diversity of our performance spaces reflects the breadth of the industry, thus fostering students’ preparation to manage and work within a broad range of settings.

In the visual arts, Montclair State supports the University Art Galleries, including the award-winning George Segal Gallery and the MFA Gallery – each producing vibrant exhibitions of professional and academic work. Students witness the fruits of arts management in visiting the galleries and attending department productions and Peak Performances – the university’s program of eclectic theatre, dance and music productions.

Close-by, just beyond the campus, lies the abundance of Manhattan’s theaters, 30 minutes away by bus or train. The arts-management program helps students find internships in such facilities, thus enabling them to tie their academic training to a professional experience.

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Accreditation

Montclair’s MA in Theatre programs are widely recognized and meet the rigorous standards of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), thus placing it among the most-competitive programs in the region.

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Careers in Arts Management

Successful arts managers possess a special combination of business expertise and a passion for the arts to support and market artists and art events, raise funds, manage finances, write grant applications and proposals and develop programming for arts-related and cultural organizations, among other duties. Graduates from the arts-management program at Montclair State find that their skill sets are marketable in a wide range of professional settings including government arts agencies, museums, cultural institutions, non-profit arts organizations, arts centers and educational institutions, to name just a few.

Alumni of the program have entered and advanced in the arts-management field prepared to be advocates and part of a thriving cultural network connecting the arts and artists to the community. An increased demand for arts administrators* has provided new career opportunities including jobs ranging from marketing, fund raising and consulting to general management and institutional development.

*Note: According to the U. S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, total employment of all workers is projected to increase by almost 10 percent and, in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry, by almost 16 percent, by 2018.

Links –

• Arts Management – Sample Job Titles
• Professional Development - Resources & Links
• College Career Services

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How to Apply

For information on applying to the MA in Theatre programs, see the Department Admissions page

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For Further Information

Contact –

MA Theatre Programs Coordinator:
Dr. Jane Peterson
petersonj@mail.montclair.edu

Graduate School Resources –

To learn more about programs and academic-support services provided to all university master’s-seeking candidates, follow the link to the Graduate School:

• The Graduate School

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