Arts Management: The Complete Guide

Art spices up the way we perceive our world, instilling values and giving meaning to our lives. The aesthetics and elegance of art are compelling because they can potentially influence the way society thinks, society’s cultural values, politics in society and society’s economy. It does this by altering opinions, teaching values and being the repository of society’s collective memory. Most of the time, artists are the brains behind exquisite pieces of artwork. Their main task is to be creative using the tools of their trade and preference of medium, for example sculpture or painting. All this, the artists and the artwork must be thoroughly managed for both the artist and society's benefit. How can these elements and resources be assembled and managed to achieve a short- or long-term goal? We will introduce you to the concept of art management and the methods used in this field.

Art is appreciated regardless of its characteristics. To leverage artwork, you must determine its use and find ways to meet your goals. This course explores the four functions of management that are essential to understanding the impact of managerialism on arts management. First, investigate the planning principles that will guide you towards managing arts in their setting. Discover the types of plans and their application concerning the management of ideas and resources. Decision-making is an essential part of this field because it involves the cognitive process of making choices from gathered information and assessing alternative determinations. We discuss decision-making, which encompasses using sound judgement to make smart choices in utilising resources and maximising results in arts management.

Making financial plans in arts management helps predict future economic outcomes and determines the best way to utilise financial resources to achieve goals. We examine the basics and aims of financial planning, financial investments, the concept of budgeting, accounting, bookkeeping and financial statements. On top of that, we will show you the primary use of the three financial documents that analyse the performance of an organisation. Fourth, we explore the concept of leadership and entrepreneurship. Learn to lead and manage artists’ work in their settings and the difference between a manager and a leader. Lastly, we cover the influence of cultural policy and the effect of globalisation and internationalisation on arts management. You don't need any prior knowledge to take this course. If you love the arts or creative expression but don't know how to manage it, this course might be what you are looking for. Devise a strategy to push art in the right direction and enrol in this course today!