The MA in Arts Management provides students with the tools to create, facilitate, and evaluate work in the visual and performing arts. With applied skills in administration, finance, and programming, graduates of the Arts Management program emerge prepared for fulfilling careers in nonprofits and social enterprise, public agencies and foundations, arts collectives and creative communities.

A partnership between Claremont Graduate University and Sotheby’s Institute of Art provides unparalleled access to diverse leaders and institutions in LA’s thriving arts and cultural scene. Faculty from LA’s professional arts community complement the expertise of scholars from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, The School of Arts and Humanities, and The Getty Leadership Institute.

The core courses provide a foundation in business and management skills essential to careers in the creative industries. Our personalized, seminar-style learning environment begins with coursework in art management dynamics, public policy, evaluation, marketing and communications, fundraising, and strategic planning. The core is fortified by elective courses and extracurricular programs that speak to student passions and career goals. Arts Management students also benefit from access to the full curriculum of the MA in Art Business.

For admission requirements, see the Admission  section of this Bulletin.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Arts Management requires 48 units of coursework.  The coursework is comprised of core courses considered necessary for Sotheby’s Institute students, irrespective of their concentration, as well as electives according to the student’s preferred career path.

Consulting Practicum or Master’s Project: As the capstone to the Master’s of Arts in Arts Management, all students are required to complete a capstone consisting of either a Consulting Practicum or Master’s Project.  Qualified students may enroll in the Consulting Practicum in their final semester. In this course, students engage in consulting projects for arts organizations based in Los Angeles. Activities include defining the scope of work, identifying deliverables, contracting, conducting the project, and writing a final project report. Integrating arts management skills learned through the program, the student provides 100 hours of consulting with the support of a faculty advisor. The project culminates with a final paper and public presentation.  Alternatively, students may enroll in the Critical Entrepreneurship and Startup Studio sequence of courses. Proposals for Master’s Projects must be approved by your academic advisor or the Director or Associate Director of CMCI. Master’s Projects take the shape of plans for ventures, initiatives, or businesses and are presented publicly at the end of the final semester to panels of arts professionals and investors.

Arts Management on Site: All students are expected to participate in field study travel in their first two semesters within the program.

University Policies:  University policies detailed in the Academic Policies  section of the Bulletin apply.