Manage

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• Associations and Networks
• Information and Resources
• Recent Publications
• Consultancies
• Journals
• Resources
• Events
• Training
• Competencies

Associations and Networks

AIMAC (International Association of Arts and Cultural Managers) 
AIMAC is an international network of researchers in arts and cultural management. The Association's main activity is a biennial research conference held in various cities around the world.  

Arts Management Network
Arts Management Network is an international information service and network for cultural management and arts administration 

Association of Cultural Executives (Canada)
ACE is Canada's national multi-disciplinary network of cultural professionals.   

Information and Resources

Music Managers Forum
A worldwide network of professionals dedicated to delivering first class management services to the artistic community drawing from a wide variety of genres.  

Swiss Association of Cultural Managers
An association of cultural managers based in Switzerland 

Recent Publications

Berkun, S.  The Art of Project Management (2005)

Carter, T.  Machiavellian Arts Management: Timeless Advice for 20th Century Arts Management (2007)  

Haggort, G.  Art Management: Entrepreneurial Style (2004)

Hood, C.  The Art of the State: Culture, Rhetoric and Public Management (2000)

Rentschler, R.  Entrepreneurial Arts Leader: Cultural Policy, Change and Reinvention (2002)

Robertson, I.  Understanding International Arts Markets and Management (2005)

Suteu, C.  Another brick in the wall. A critical review on Arts Management Education in Europe (2006)

Consultancies

There are many consultancies offering arts management services – here are just a few examples, each with a slightly different focus: 

Artsadmin (UK)
Artsadmin produces, supports and promotes arts projects locally, nationally and internationally, developing long-term relationships with artists, often working in partnership with other producers, promoters and festivals. 

Arts Management (Australia) 
Arts Management is one of the most innovative and respected companies specialising in arts management in Australasia. 

Management Consultation for the Arts (USA)
Services include consultations in executive search, for senior level leadership, planning, organisational analysis, board and staff retreats, and seminar/workshop development and facilitation. 

Journals

Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management
The journal aims to support the promotion of a research ethos within the arts and cultural sector in the Asia Pacific Region. 

The multi-disciplinary ejournal of the Department of Cultural Policy and Management, City University, London. It reflects the academic & professional issues addressed in the Department by students and others in this field. 

International Journal of Arts Manageent (IJAM)
Published for the first time in the fall of 1998, the International Journal of Arts Management has quickly become essential reading for the arts management community. 

Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society (JAMLS)
Articles, commentaries, and reviews of publications address marketing, intellectual property, arts policy, arts law, governance, and cultural production and dissemination, always from a variety of philosophical, disciplinary, and national and international perspectives. 

Museum Management & Curatorship
A peer-reviewed, international journal for museum professionals, scholars, students, educators and consultants that examines current issues in-depth and provides up-to-date research, analysis and commentary on developments in museum practice.

Resources

Art Manager Magazine (Russia)
You need to be able to understand Russian…  

Arts Management Advisory Group (Australia)
AMAG's mission is to strengthen, support and stimulate the Victorian arts & cultural sector 

CAMT (Center for Arts Management and Technology) (USA)
CAMT was officially formed in 1996 to provide the proper organizational foundation for these research and service projects. Their mission is to investigate existing and emerging information and communication technology, and stimulate thinking about the practical application of this technology for arts managers. 

European Centre for Cultural Organisation and Management
Formed by economists, archaeologists, art historians, experts in training and cultural communication, ECCOM carries out analyses and research works for both public and private institutions, and realises projects on management and organisation of cultural activities and organisations.

A project factory for creative, open-minded personalities from all over the world who envision, develop, and determine the future of our cultures. In a collaborative effort they aim for a renaissance of intellectual, ethical and spiritual values. 

Events 

Previous AIMAC conferences were held as follows:

Montreal (2005)

Milano (2003)

Brisbane (2001)  

Helsinki (1999) 

San Francisco (1997) 

London (1995)

Jouy-en-Josas (1993)

Montreal (1991)

 Training

Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE)
An international organization which aims to represent college and university graduate and undergraduate programs in arts administration, encompassing training in the management of visual, performing, literary, media, cultural and arts service organizations.

Creative and Cultural Skills (UK)
An industry-led, campaigning organisation operating across the UK. Through better skills development, their aim is to secure world beating creative enterprise and more diverse cultural industries.

 Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) (Canada)
CHRC brings together representatives of arts disciplines and cultural industries in the cultural sector to address the training and career development needs of cultural workers.

European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres (ENCATC)
The European network of institutions and professionals involved in training and education in the broad field of cultural management. 

Courses

The organisations above provide links to higher education programmes in arts & cultural management and administration in the US, Canada and Europe.  Below are some other organisations or examples of related initiatives.

Arts Training Central (UK) 
ATC was formed in 1983 as the first dedicated provider of management training to the arts sector 

Centre for Applied Cultural Managers (Ukraine)
A non-governmental structure for cultural management training programmes, informational and publishing activities, consulting and culture-managing practice.

Graduate School of Arts Administration and Management, TNUA (Taiwan)
Providing professional knowledge concerning with cultural administration and management. 

Addresses the learning needs of current and future managers is by offering professional development opportunities for cultural managers through manageculture.com.

The following is a commentary on the Graduate Survey carried out by the Canadian Association of Arts Administration Educators (CAAE).  This commentary was produced by the  Cultural Human Resources Council and published in their Research Monitor in October 2006 (Volume: 5 Issue No: 4 ) 

This report, based on a survey of graduates of cultural management and arts administration programs in Canada, outlines the situation of young cultural managers in Canada. There is no mention in the report of whether the 285 respondents constitute a representative sample size of the target population of 883 program graduates. However, an analysis by Hill Strategies Research for this issue of the Arts Research Monitor shows that the 285 respondents would indeed constitute a representative sample (within 5 percentage points 19 times out of 20). 

Although the project targeted all arts administration graduates, response rates were highest for younger, more recent graduates.

About two-thirds of respondents work full time, but many (35% of respondents) consider themselves to be underemployed. Most respondents work in small organizations. 

Sales, marketing and communications positions are most common among the cultural management graduates, with 20% of respondents working in such positions. 

About one-fifth of all respondents (19%) earn under $20,000 per year. About three-quarters of respondents receive extended health benefits, while about two-thirds receive other types of benefits, including dental, long-term disability, and accidental death and dismemberment. 

The report finds that about two-thirds of respondents currently work in the cultural sector. It is not clear from the report whether cultural management graduates working in the cultural sector have higher or lower incomes (on average) than those working outside the cultural sector. 

Of those who do work in the cultural sector, almost 90% expect to still be working in the sector in five years. According to the survey, the keys to employee retention include pay levels, advancement opportunities and employee benefits. 

The skills that survey respondents cited most frequently as being learned through cultural management education, training and professional development are: sales and marketing; fundraising and development; and communications. The key skills and abilities for respondents’ career success include communications skills, adaptability and flexibility, and the ability to demonstrate positive attitudes and behaviours. 

The report concludes by highlighting “three ongoing challenges” affecting arts management: 

• Cultural management education makes a significant contribution to career advancement and, in some cases, income. Nonetheless, arts and heritage managers and administrators are looking for even more, and more specific, formal education, training and professional development opportunities.
• Informal education continues to be as important to cultural managers as formal education. It is crucial to find ways to develop more opportunities for on-the-job training, internships, mentorship and field placements.
• Recruitment and retention of cultural managers continues to be a serious challenge to the sector. This survey strengthens earlier calls for attention to the problems of poor compensation, long hours, little opportunity for advancement, and stress within cultural management. Alarmingly, higher percentages of younger workers and somewhat higher numbers of women than the average indicated that they are unlikely to stay in the sector in five years.”

Competencies

Various attempts have been made over the last 10 years, principally in the UK and Australia, to develop a statement of “competencies” for arts and cultural management and administration.  The following has been developed by the Innovation and Business Industries Skills Council in Australia.  The example below is from the Visual Arts, Craft and Design Training Package, and there are similar modules for other arts and cultural sectors.

Develop and implement arts administration systems and procedures

Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to develop and implement administration systems specifically within the context of an arts organisation. While skills in the development of administration systems are generic, this unit also has a focus on the contextual knowledge required for arts administrators. This unit would generally be undertaken by senior administrative staff or managers. 

Performance criteria 

1.1 Identify the need for new or amended systems and procedures, based on monitoring the workplace and consultation with colleagues and customers

1.2 Research information and evaluate options for new system or procedures

1.3 Select, develop or revise systems and procedures in consultation with colleagues, taking account of the needs of the particular arts context

1.4 Correctly identify and/or negotiate resource requirements for new systems/procedures

2.  Establish arts administration systems and procedures 

2.1 Provide appropriate advance information on new systems or procedures to colleagues

2.2 Introduce systems and procedures to the workplace in a manner that causes minimum disruption to colleagues

2.3 Ensure adequate resourcing of new systems/procedures in consultation with colleagues

2.4 Provide training and support to colleagues as required

3.  Monitor and review arts administration systems and procedures 

3.1 Monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of systems and procedures introduced to the workplace

3.2 Seek suggestions for improvements to systems and procedures from colleagues at all levels

3.3 Make adjustments to systems and procedures in accordance with feedback and other review mechanism  

Key competencies

Key competencies are built into all workplace competencies. The table below describes those applicable to this unit. Trainers and assessors should ensure that they are addressed in training and assessment.

Level 1 = Perform 

Level 2 = Administer and Manage 

Level 3 = Design and Evaluate 

Range statement

The following explanations identify how this unit may be applied in different workplaces, sectors and circumstances. This unit is applicable to a broad range of arts industry contexts, including galleries, museums, theatres and community arts centres.

Arts administration systems and procedures may relate to 

• one-off events
• marketing
• financial reports
• legal requirements
  public programs
  funding
• information technology
• personnel issues
• database management
• facilities management
• collection management
• record keeping requirements
• storage & handling of materials
• audience, visitor, patron records
• Evaluation of systems may include consideration of
• cost
• availability
• quality and reputation
• ease of application
• reports from other users
• technical and system support availability

Adequate resourcing may relate to 

• human resources
• financial resources
• specialist expertise
• appropriate timelines for introduction

Monitoring may include 

• obtaining user feedback
• cost analyses
• formal testing

Evidence guide

Underpinning skills and knowledge
 

Assessment must include evidence of the following knowledge and skills: 

• systems and procedure requirements as they apply to a particular arts administration context
• enterprise or organisation for which systems and procedures are required, including policy and goals, budgets, personnel, communication channels
• current technology as it applies to an arts administrative context
• planning techniques in relationship development and implementation of administrative systems
• Linkages to other units
• This unit has linkages to other general administrative units, and combined assessment and/or training would be appropriate.

Critical aspects of evidence 

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit: 

• knowledge of administrative systems and procedures in the specific context of arts administration 

• application of organisational and communication skills to develop and implement new systems within an arts organisation
• Method and contex of assessment
• The assessment context must provide for:
• practical demonstration of skills through the development of systems and procedures for a specific arts administration context

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

• evaluation of systems and procedures developed by the candidate
• evaluation of a report prepared by the candidate detailing the processes used in the development and implementation of new systems, including lessons learned
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of the issues to be considered when introducing new systems
• review of portfolios of evidence
• third party workplace reports of performance by the candidate

Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (eg people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling). 

Resource requirements 

Assessment of this unit requires access to the materials resources and equipment needed to develop administration systems and procedures in an arts industry.