Abstract:

In the past fifty years Arts Management Education has become a growing academic major within American universities and currently over one hundred and forty US colleges and universities offer an Arts Management Bachelors and/or Masters Degree.

Arts organizations within the US are predominantly not-for-profit organizations and represent over eighty six percent of all arts organizations. Every one of these organizations must compete in a capitalistic marketplace with very little or no funding from the US government (federal) and diminishing support at the state, and local municipal levels. Therefore, the new generation of Arts administrators must be able to compete at a high level of business and arts expertise and receive a proper education that can teach them to understand, finance, strategic management, statistical and date marketing, social media management, branding, and exploitation of intellectual property.

All of these areas of education are essential for an Arts Management degree and are being offered in both a traditional classroom engagement as well as online learning degree programs.

Training professionals at the academic level to be able to direct, administrate and create fundraising initiatives to support arts organizations has become as competitive as the organizations themselves. A key component to training young executives for the Arts Management community must include the essential component of online/internet-based fundraising initiatives. The changing role of Arts Management programs within the United States is converting from a liberal arts degree to a business degree. The essential tools and skills for being able to administrate an arts organization now hinges upon a directors ability to be able to:

• Understand of financial statements, employment contracts, and legal issues
• Plan and understand estates, trusts and living gifts within a legal context
• Understand the future value of money in a global marketplace
• The creation and exploitation of intellectual properties
• Manage and develop branding campaigns
• Develop and execute online systems and platforms for audience development and e-commerce
• Social Media management and online content development

In my paper I will address the cost and value of an Arts management degree as well as the barriers of entry toward earning a traditional classroom degree in relation to an online degree. I will discuss the competitive course components and trends of courses being offered within traditional classroom and online degree programs and their value in the US marketplace.

Keywords:

Arts Management Degree, On-line Education.