Art Management

Introduction

The interdisciplinary Arts Management degree offers students a rare opportunity to launch a career that combines business acumen with a passion for the arts. Arts Management majors develop a specialized set of skills that enables graduates to pursue positions at museums, galleries, nonprofit organizations, and art dealerships — or to launch their own arts-related entrepreneurial ventures.

The Arts Management program includes a full range of studio courses; students develop advanced skills in painting, illustration, sculpture, graphic design, and other media. In addition, students get a practical education in the business of art via two semester-long internships. Only a few institutions offer a major comparable to Delaware State’s Arts Management degree.

Professional Prep

The Arts Management degree prepares graduates for immediate employment with museums, galleries, art supply firms, nonprofit, and other arts-related organizations.

During the senior year, Arts Management majors complete two internships — one with a gallery, the other with a community arts organization. Both experiences enable students to cultivate professional contacts while developing practical skills that translate directly to the workplace.

Students also take a required Arts Management seminar in which they learn about arts-related careers and interact with guest speakers from various parts of the art world. And they have the opportunity to connect with artists, patrons, reviewers, art buyers, and others via involvement in the Arts Center/Gallery.

Faculty

All of Delaware State’s art faculty are successful practicing artists and dedicated teachers. The various members exhibit their art internationally, lead workshops and lectures, serve as judges, and participate in national conferences. Taken together, these activities provide the Delaware State art program with a wide network of contacts and a national reputation.

The faculty’s broad range of experience enhances their ability to function as mentors, helping young artists to carve out satisfying professional and creative niches. The department has a family-like atmosphere, in which instructors and students help each other meet the challenges of creative growth and career development.

Research and Experience

The Arts Management major culminates in two mandatory internships during the senior year, enabling students to develop some real-world survival skills and marketplace instincts. One of the internships takes place on campus at Delaware State’s Arts Center/Gallery, located in the Williams C. Jason Library. This exhibition space displays art by Delaware State students and faculty, as well as work by regional and national artists. The Arts Center/Gallery sponsors lectures, receptions, seminars, and interactive arts events. It also hosts the Regional Scholastic Art Awards.

In their final semester, Arts Management students complete an off-campus internship with a community arts organization — typically a museum, nonprofit agency, educational institution, government program, or other public-spirited entity.