A first of its kind program, this innovative MA is designed for a new generation of artists looking for the entrepreneurial acumen necessary today to build a sustainable creative practice and professional life in the arts.

This program merges studio practice from the Claremont Graduate University’s Master of Fine Art (MFA) program along with the Center for Business and Management of the Arts (CBMArts) with coursework in the business, markets, history, and theory of art, as well as core courses in finance, accounting, law, and marketing. Students maintain a fine art practice while learning broadly transferable business and management principles and techniques. In contrast to a conventional MFA, candidates for this degree pursue an entrepreneurship sequence, capped by the Startup Studio—a course in which creative initiatives are pitched to panels of artists, arts professionals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from the Los Angeles community.

Understanding the studio’s culture and the kind of work, planning, and management required to engage in ambitious artistic projects, either at a large scale or over long periods, is more necessary today than at any time before.

Admissions Requirements

Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin. Criteria for admissions include the high probability of students’ success in graduate study and their potential to thrive in subsequent professional careers following graduation. In keeping with the philosophy of Claremont Graduate University and CBMArts, the admission decision is individualized and based on a wide range of information about the applicant, rather than on rigid, pre-selected criteria.

Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Art Business + Fine Art is a 48-unit MA degree that combines 24 units of required course work from the Art Business program, 20 units from the Fine Art program, and 4 Transdisciplinary studies units.

Capstone

Entrepreneurship Sequence

Research, design, plan, and pitch a new venture for the arts and cultural sector.

Your venture can stand independently of existing arts institutions and businesses, or it can propose innovations for existing organizations. New ventures can be for-profit firms or nonprofit initiatives, or something in between (such as public benefit corporations). Develop comprehensive and persuasive arguments for why your new venture will positively impact the sector and attract the necessary resources and support to get it off the ground.

The Entrepreneurship Sequence culmination entails a public-facing pitch showcase, during which students present their new ventures to panels of jurors who the students themselves have invited. These jurors, often professionals and leaders from both the arts and startup communities, provide feedback and serve as important contacts to turn the ventures into reality.

Art Business on Site

Travel is an integral part of all CBMArts programs. All full-time students will be automatically registered for Art Business on Site in the program’s second semester. These study trips offer unparalleled access and exposure to the arts and cultural leadership, and infrastructure of cities other than Los Angeles. As such, they are considered integral to the CBMArts curriculum.

To resource these trips, every student is required to pay a travel fee in addition to tuition. This fee is not optional, nor is it refundable except in extraordinary circumstances and with an appeal filed with CBMArts administration and the full support of the CBMArts Director.

CBMArts organizes all travel, including transportation, lodging, site visits, and in some cases, meals. Students will be notified of itinerary and travel arrangements as soon as they have been confirmed.

The program cannot make individual arrangements for any student travel. If you need to arrange for different flights, trip extensions, or any other deviation from the group itinerary, you must do so on your own and at your own expense. There are no exceptions to this policy.

University Policies.  Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.