Summer Arts Management Institute

Where Creativity Meets Strategy: The Fundamental Practices and Skills That Drive Successful Arts Organizations

For more than thirty years, the Boston University Arts Administration Program has prepared arts professionals throughout Greater Boston, the region, and the nation to advance in their careers and assume leadership roles in the field. Through a new partnership with BU’s Center for Professional Education, we are offering early-career arts managers the opportunity to obtain a grounding in the fundamental practices and skills required to run a successful arts organization.

A New Opportunity to Learn the Fundamentals of Arts Management.

In this intensive two-week Summer Arts Management Institute, participants will learn from the entire range of our distinguished faculty through lectures, hands-on exercises, case studies, and a day-long exploration with the department heads of a major cultural organization. The institute will provide an unparalleled opportunity to build a solid foundation for future advancement in the arts.

Too often, early-career arts managers have limited access to strategic decision-making and program development beyond their immediate department; or, if they are working within a small arts organization, they may be challenged to produce effective work without an understanding of organizational strategy and best practices. The faculty of the Summer Arts Management Institute, who teach across the curriculum in our MS in Arts Administration program, have distilled their course content to impart the essential fundamentals that all arts managers should know.

Each participant in the Institute will pursue a series of tracks that cover the following organization-level topics:

• Marketing
• Finance and Legal Requirements
• Fundraising and Development
• Community Outreach
• Strategic Development and Planning
• Leadership and Human Resources
• Program Development
• Advocacy and Public Policy

A day-long site visit to a major cultural institution will give participants an opportunity to meet with department heads in each of these areas to discuss how their work intersects with the whole institution.

Instructors

• Janet Bailey, Independent Marketing and Strategy Consultant to Arts Organizations
• Ilana Barker, Director of CRM and Analytics, Flint Institute of Music; former Senior Manager of Data Analytics, Boston Ballet
• Lucas Blackadar, Director of Legal Services, Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston
• Douglas DeNatale, Program Director, Boston University Arts Administration Program
• Michael Ibrahim, Chief Program and Impact Officer, TSNE MissionWorks (formerly Third Sector New England)
• Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, American Friends of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra; former Executive Director, Boston Baroque
• Lew Karabatsos, Independent Fundraising Consultant, Director of Global Philanthropy, Hewlett Packard
• Anita Lauricella, Independent Consultant focusing on strategic planning with partners interested in designing and implementing arts-driven community development, planning, and engagement. Former Director of Planning and Research, Downtown Boston Business Improvement District; and Director of Business Development and Planning, New England Foundation for the Arts
• Wyona Lynch-McWhite, Executive Director, Social Innovation Forum; former Executive Director of Fruitlands Museum and Fuller Craft Museum
• Danielle Olsen, Director of Programming, Peabody Essex Museum
• David Orlinoff, Chief Financial Officer, Facing History and Ourselves
• Nicholas Peterson, Director of Marketing, Central Square Theater
• Mary Doorley Simboski, Managing Director, Changing Our World

Daily Institute Schedule, July 21–31, 2025

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Week One

Week Two

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Accreditation and Future Opportunities

Participants who complete the Institute will earn a digital badge issued by Boston University, which can be included as a credential on sites like LinkedIn. Those who would like to pursue further training after the Institute may pursue our Graduate Certificate in Arts Management or the MS in Arts Administration and waive the 4-credit introductory course.

Requirements

The Summer Arts Management Institute is intended for early career arts managers who have had some degree of experience working in an arts organization, either as a staff member or as a volunteer. For more information, please contact the Arts Administration Program (artsad@bu.edu or 617‑353‑4064).

Cost

The Summer Arts Management Institute offers a standard enrollment fee of $1,500. Those who register by March 31, 2025, qualify for a discounted rate of $1,250. Additionally, organizations enrolling two or more participants can take advantage of a special group rate of $1,000 per person. Organizations or individuals wishing to take advantage of the special group rate should contact the Arts Administration Office at artsad@bu.edu or call 617-453-4064.

Registration

To register for the Institute, please visit the Center for Professional Education’s registration page. If you would like assistance with the registration process, please contact the CPE at 617-353-4497.