Chief of Arts Management (MAM)

This program is accepting applications for Fall 2022 on a rolling basis. Outset an applicationhere.
Time to degree: two years (48 credits)

Columbia Higher Chicago's full-time, two-twelvemonth Chief of Arts Direction plan is specifically designed for arts and entertainment professionals who know their professional person success requires them to refine or deepen their knowledge of for-profit and nonprofit management. Students will eternalize their financial, legal, organizational skills, every bit well as strategic concepts within an arts and entertainment context. Graduates of the program keep to lead organizations in fields such as live performance, music business, theatre, marketing, visual arts, public date, and community service.

In this selective arts administration graduate programme, yous'll study in a team environment with colleagues from around the world, edifice relationships that will set the foundation for your professional network. Y'all'll receive individual attention from our renowned faculty of successful arts administrators and working artists. You'll gain real-life experience in project-based classes centering on artistic disciplines including gallery management, the business concern of music recording, publishing and distribution, live events direction, fundraising, and artist direction.

mam

In the Classroom

Columbia College Chicago Master of Arts Management Gallery Practicum Course

    • You volition immerse yourself in business theory your first yr, with courses similar accounting, economic science, and marketing. All business administration courses will be taught inside the context of the artistic industries.
    • Your core courses in your second semester will focus on  financial management, leadership, and law.
    • Nosotros leave a lot of the decisions up to you the second twelvemonth of the programme. In addition to required courses in new media strategies and strategic planning, you'll take six electives during your 2nd year. Constituent courses encompass topics tailored to your interests. Topics include fundraising, sponsorship, cultural policy, negotiation, and project management.
    • You lot tin can cull to work on a graduate thesis or an independent project nether the guidance of a faculty mentor.
    • If you're interested in launching your own business or organization, we offer a course defended to new business creation in the context of the arts, with a special focus on arts consulting as a potential entrepreneurial pursuit. If you're specifically interested in launching an entrepreneurial endeavor, we encourage you to look at ourEntrepreneurship for Creatives MA.

Easily-On Feel

You lot'll take on a leadership role in one of several practicum courses. These courses requite you opportunities to launch real-world projects. Our educatee-run tape labels sign artists and promote their work, and our gallery management practicum launches exhibitions and programming in downtown Chicago. Nosotros likewise offer practicum courses that allow you lot to manage a nightclub, plan and execute events, and manage pattern and marketing projects for actual clients.

All practicum courses are taught by faculty members who have extensive experience in their fields. For example, the hip-hop label course is run by one of Chicago's leading label owners, and the curatorial practicum is led by a professional person with a yearslong background in the New York and Chicago fine art communities.

Visit the Business and Entrepreneurship blog to read more well-nigh the current work of our students, faculty, and recent alumni.

Business and Entrepreneurship Blog

Assistantships and Scholarships

Through assistantships, graduate students accept many opportunities to gain experience in administration and leadership. For example, Arts Management graduate students can plan and coordinate the section's leap trip to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music, Moving picture, and Interactive Briefing in Austin, Texas, carry research in collaboration with a faculty fellow member for academic publication, or serve as a instruction banana for our undergraduate courses.

Scholarships are also available to incoming and current students. For a full list, visit our scholarships folio.

Chicago: An Arts Hub

Master of Arts Management Chicago Skyline

At Columbia, Chicago is our campus. We expect y'all to explore all the urban center has to offer: iconic museums and concert venues, artist collectives, prominent theatres, a booming tech industry, and more. Yous'll have the opportunity to interact with Columbia'southward collaborative organizations, such as TEDx and Google for Entrepreneurs equally well every bit many local theaters, music venues, and museums. Our faculty members will assist you foster connections in Chicago'due south creative industries in both for-turn a profit and nonprofit organizations.

Internships and Networking

Working closely with a faculty mentor, many students observe internship opportunities in their chosen field.

Our students take interned at venues like Lookingglass Theatre and The Metro, media companies like MTV and Pitchfork, record labels like Warner Music Group, galleries and museums like the Museum of Contemporary Fine art and Hyde Park Fine art Center, and events companies like Anarchism Fest and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Faculty

Columbia faculty members bring their experience into the classroom every day. They non only study how management works, they lead teams and execute projects on the ground. Many are active entrepreneurs, producers, agents, lawyers, lath members, and administrators. They know what you need to learn to get ahead and will shape your understanding of what's next in the creative industries.

Alumni Success

Jacky Schiestel MAM 04 Columbia College Chicago

Primary of Arts Direction alum Jacky Schiestel '04 uses her creativity and innovative spirit as a human resource business professional at Google.

Read More than

Our Master of Arts Direction alumni are on the forefront of rapidly irresolute creative industries. They work at marketing firms and talent agencies too equally world-class museums, galleries, and concert venues. They produce music festivals and curate theatre productions. They're shaping not but the future of their fields just the very office of art in guild. And they're ever looking for Columbia grads to join their teams.

Alumni Success Stories

Justin Kamps MAM '09, Music Supervisor, Chop Store

Justin Kamps MAM '09 spends a lot of his day watching TV and listening to music. But being a music supervisor is about mode more than than rampage-watching or binge-listening. "For me, it's the perfect combination of left-brain/correct-brain skills," Kamps says. He gets to use his creativity to find the perfect song to make a scene, only as well has to negotiate licensing of the music. "I've been lucky to work with several corking artists … for movie and Tv set projects like Friction match, Mad Men, Grey's Anatomy, Supernatural, and more," he says. "My favorite function is getting to tell an contained creative person I love that their song is going to exist ambulation on Idiot box in the coming weeks."

Renee Rock MAM '14, Director of Operations, CSz Chicago (ComedySportz)

CSz Theatre Chicago is home to one of the near love all-ages improv shows in the urban center: ComedySportz. As managing director of operations, Renee Stone MAM '14 makes sure it all goes off without a hitch. "I get to guide the company's overarching vision for the future while working with some of the funniest people in the city," she says. Rock has a hand in CSz's strategy, including programming initiatives and marketing. Merely she'south particularly proud of developing a positive visitor civilization. "Our shows … unify with the i thing we all have in common: laughter. We work hard to emulate that inclusive spirit both onstage and throughout our organization—which is very hard work, only incredibly rewarding."

Lisette Medina MAM 'x, Special Events Project Manager, Illinois Eating house Association

"When people think of issue direction, they picture glamorous parties filled with fancy food, specialty cocktails, live music, and famous people," says Lisette Medina MAM 'ten, special events project director for the Illinois Eating place Association. "What doesn't come to heed are all the details that have to be attended to in order to produce a successful result. And the details thing. A lot." Medina spends months preparing for huge events such every bit Gustation of Chicago, the James Beard Awards, and Chicago Gourmet. "From restaurant recruitment and coordination to copywriting and editing, my job allows me to utilise my skills … to produce some of the largest and well-nigh well-received food and beverage events in the country."

Benjamin Kelner MAM '09, Manager of Strategy and External Relations, Chicago Sister Cities International

Chicago Sister Cities partnered with 28 cities around the globe to bring international artists, businesses, educators, and advocates to Chicago. Benjamin Kelner MAM '09 helps Chicago stay connected with cities from Toronto all the manner to Osaka. "I provide guidance on our organizational and communications strategies, help increase awareness of our mission, and promote the collaborative nature of our work," he says. For example, he works on an educational activity initiative that brings 25 girls from sister cities to Chicago for the Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Top. He as well managed Chicago's involvement in the 2015 Earth's Fair, taking Chicago chefs and bands to Milan for public events. He now works on a complete rebrand of the organization, which will help Chicago maintain its reputation as a global urban center. "I'm passionate almost raising an international cultural awareness in Chicago … as nosotros strive to make our urban center more than diverse and inclusive."