Enhance the Power & Potential of the Arts in the 21st Century
The arts have the power to shape individuals, engage current social issues and build communities. To help artists and entrepreneurs achieve these goals, an administrator needs a well-balanced mix of creativity, programming, marketing, community organizing and collaboration. UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Arts Administration & Entrepreneurship provides the training and knowledge to enhance the power and potential of the arts in the 21st century.
Career-Defining Curriculum
The arts and cultural field will always need talented management professionals who can thoughtfully guide organizations into the future. Our unique curriculum will prepare you to work in an art career that is increasingly collaborative and cross-disciplinary.
Arts Administration is essentially a dual major in business and the arts. The program takes advantage of our well-developed Business and Management program as well as courses in the arts, to prepare you for careers in administration for various arts organizations, both for-profit and non-profit.
Program Overview
Program Highlights
- Engage in hands-on, practical creative research projects to prepare you to work effectively with non-profit organizations, for-profit entities in the arts, and as entrepreneurs.
- Learn professional skills in business while developing creativity in understanding and presenting arts.
- Participate in authentic creative research experiences using theories, methods, and techniques critically to administer and facilitate the arts in a sustainable and equitable way.
- Apply legal and ethical standards as pertained to working in the arts, especially when decisions involve new ways of addressing societal needs.
As a multi-disciplinary major, Arts Administration and Entrepreneurship will train you in the visual and performing arts with a background in business administration. Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Arts Administration & Entrepreneurship.
Request Information
School of Art & Design Community (SOAD)
SOAD works hard. We spend a lot of time in the studios and labs. You’ll get to know other SOAD students and join a community of creatives who are just as passionate about art as you.
We play hard, too. There’s so much to experience with SOAD. Events you can participate in are:
FYX is your “first-year experience,” it's the time for you to discover. FYX welcomes you into the SOAD community, guiding you in your program and career paths and walking you through your first-year. SOAD faculty and staff are here for you through FYX - to help you understand and succeed as a member of the SOAD community.
Upon completion of the Arts Administration and Entrepreneurship program via experiential learning and the development of a broad foundation across diverse fields in arts and design, students will be able to:
- Articulate the role that the arts play in the community and the economy.
- Demonstrate facility with operational and fiscal planning and administration, within both established and start-up for-profit and non-profit arts organizations.
- Demonstrate familiarity with and an ability to describe a variety of organizations representing the creative and cultural industries, regionally, nationally, and globally.
- Collaborate effectively with diverse parties including artists, the government, local communities, non-profit organizations, private corporations, advisory boards, board members, and patrons.
- Demonstrate knowledge of regional, national, and global resources for arts organizations.
- Apply market and marketing theory towards the development of strategic methods to engage audiences/customers and generate sales.
- Use financial tools effectively and to analyze information to make compelling data-driven budgetary decisions.
- Research and analyze national and international policies related to the arts.
- Communicate an understanding of the implications of various policies to their organization and to relevant stakeholders.
- Solicit support and sponsorships through fundraising and grant-writing.
- Analyze, assess, and resolve difficult ethically sensitive issues that may arise in an organization.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the kinds of legal challenges that face both non-profit and for-profit arts organizations.
Advisory Committee Members
| Lucas | Chase | Executive Director | The Mabel Tainter |
| Alex | DeArmond | Professor, Graphic Design | UW-Stout |
| Elizabeth | Dillenburg | Student, B.S. AAE | UW-Stout |
| Greg | Hennes | Owner | North American Art |
| Jerry | Hui | Program Director, B.S. AAE | UW-Stout |
| Anne | Katz | Executive Director | Create Wisconsin |
| Jill | Paetzold | Assistant Professor, Business | UW-Stout |
| Mary | Spaeth | Assistant Professor, International Business and Entrepreneurship | UW-Stout |
| Sara | Wabrowetz | Development Database Specialist | Guthrie Theater |
| Miranda | Wipperfurth | Photographer | MLW Photography LLC (Stout alum) |
