Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration

Students sitting around a conference table with professor

Apply for the arts administration certificate 

Welcome to the Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music!

The College of Music’s professional Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration prepares students with the managerial skills and knowledge they need to work in the performing arts industry. Students gain knowledge and insights into the opportunities and challenges facing today’s arts administration professionals through unique class sessions bringing Boulder students and distance learners together in a boardroom setting.

The goal of the certificate is to provide students with a valuable credential to supplement existing graduate degrees, and an attainable and cost-effective credential for practicing professionals. The program is open to working professionals and any CU Boulder students already enrolled in a graduate degree in music, theatre or dance.

Demand for arts administrators

The arts industry, taken as a whole, is a vast enterprise in our country. According to Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit arts advocacy organization located in the nation’s capital, nearly 5 million workers were employed by arts and cultural industries (2021). In Colorado, 748 performing arts organizations employ some 5,242 people (2023). Combined, these data demonstrate the robust nature of the performing arts industry as a whole and the corresponding demand for qualified, educated arts administrators.

What we’re hearing from our graduates

Mary Kettlewell (MM ’18 voice performance) applauds the certificate for opening doors to her position as program administrator at the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA), a small state government commission in Austin dedicated to funding arts organizations in Texas: 

It’s the reason I was hired. And now, I have the satisfaction of going to work every day knowing that I’m part of the reason that arts organizations in my area receive funding and are able to commission new works, create new outreach programs and provide artistic opportunities to underserved populations in Texas.

Courses

Introduction to Arts Administration (3 credits) 
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of managing arts organizations. General subject areas include organizational structure, mission, planning, programming, operations and ticketing, venue management, governance and boards, financial management, fundraising, marketing and advocacy. Current trends and issues in nonprofit administration are explored through case studies and discussions about arts organizations in the news.

Management and Leadership in the Arts (3 credits)
This course presents leadership theories and management principles and their application to arts organizations. It examines concepts and approaches for leaders of small, medium and large arts organizations in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including human resource management and effective communication.

Sustainable Arts Organizations: Forecasting + Fundraising (3 credits) 
This course equips students to create comprehensive fundraising plans rooted in strategic business planning for arts organizations that depend on contributed income for sustainability. Students learn the basics of planning, budgeting and forecasting, followed by proven, effective fundraising strategies and techniques. Course will include case studies and guest speakers with extensive professional expertise in the field. 

The successful applicant will have earned either an arts or a humanities baccalaureate degree, or have at least three years’ experience working in an arts organization. For more information on how to apply for the certificate, visit the application info page.