Arts Management Program

 About the Class of 2010

Lisa Manchester is a Research Fellow for the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD)

Lisa Manchester is currently working as a Research Fellow with the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), assisting the Co-Director of Government Affairs in a nationwide museum advocacy project. In 2008-2009, she held the College of Arts & Science’s Artistic Expression and Performing Arts Graduate Assistantship, assisting the Office of Development in stewarding the Robert and Carol Morris Creative Arts Fund. Lisa also completed a paid internship with the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo, working as an artist liaison for the Boundary Waters Treaty Celebration. The event took place on June 13, 2009, in Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario, and was attended by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Prior to attending the Arts Management program, Lisa held positions as Director of the Wendy Cooper Gallery (Madison, WI/ Chicago, IL), Custom Design Consultant for The Artful Home (Madison, WI), Public Relations Manager for The ArtsCenter at Dave Poulin Studios (Jamestown, NY), and Assistant Operations Manager of the Gallery Shop at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo, NY). She has also pursued independent arts consulting projects and writing. Lisa holds a BA in Literature with a minor in Modern Dance from SUNY Potsdam, where she currently sits on the Advocacy Board for the College’s Gibson Gallery.

"I struggled for many years in my decision to pursue a graduate degree. It appeared as though my only options in the visual arts were either a studio track or an art history track, neither of which seemed worth giving up the work experience I was gaining. The Arts Management program has added significant depth to that experience, however. While my classes have illuminated my theoretical understanding, the program’s experiential focus has helped me further engage with arts organizations and dialogues on a regional, national and international level. In my first year of study, I held three paid positions in my field of interest, and attended major art events in New York, Washington DC and Venice, Italy. I believe that the program’s major strength lies in its approach to immersing students in their chosen field, as agents instead of mere observers.”

Cindy Navarro holds a law degree from the University of Buffalo and is Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) Research Fellow .

Cindy P. Navarro holds a Juris Doctor, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and Spanish from the State University of New York at Buffalo. As a Specialist with the Contributions Department at Altria Group, Inc., a patron of arts institutions for over 50 years, she evaluated and administered grants to established and emerging visual and performing arts organizations, as well as cultivated relationships with arts administrators throughout the United States.  Cindy is interested in pursuing opportunities where she can merge her experience in the Arts, Law and International Relations disciplines by working in the arts community, with both individual artists and arts organizations, on transactional, business organization, dispute resolution, litigation and advocacy issues.In July 2009 Cindy will take up her position as an AAMD Research Fellow.

Since attending the program Cindy has undertaken fieldwork at the Shaw Festival, Niagara on the Lake, Canada, and has been awarded a full scholarship to take part in the American Legal Institute and American Bar Association in Association with the American Association of Museums Conference on Legal Issues in Museum Administration.  This summer she will undertake a project with other students from the program for Mirvish Productions in Toronto, Canada.

"My classroom experience in the Arts Management Program is where I am challenged to consider what it means to deliver the best possible art before the best possible audience. The curriculum’s dynamic nature facilitates ongoing interaction with several arts and cultural organizations which allows me to learn from professionals in the field. The program is more than just about acquiring real-world appreciation for the little nuances of the arts management practice; it is about active participation, legal analysis, social and academic policy considerations, and challenging conceptions about what it means to make artistic expression possible."

Greg Faust is currently the Technical Theater Director and Production Manager at Buffalo State College

Greg has most recently worked with the Chautauqua Theater Company, the theater arm of the Chautauqua Institution, as the production manager and technical director. He continues to work with many regional theater and entertainment companies as designer, technical director, technician, and CAD specialist.  Greg teaches scenery construction, lighting and sound design, and theatre management. He has been Buffalo State's technical director since 1996. He earned his B.F.A. from SUNY College at Fredonia.

Since attending the program Greg has undertaken fieldwork at the Shaw Festival, Niagara on the Lake, Canada.

"The primary reason I chose this program was its approach to the subject. It is much more than an MBA with a smattering of 'arts' frosting. The approach of this program is truly interdisciplinary (with law and business), with equal emphasis on the theoretical and the practical. It is just as important to study the nuances and intricacies of elusive topics such as "what is art", as it is to be able to interpret the balance sheet. This Arts Management program at UB provides a good balance of the two."

Vivianne Sanchez is a current Schomburg fellow

Vivianne attended Boise State University and graduated in 2008 with a BA in History of Arts and Visual Culture.  Her paper entitled, "The Construction of Mexican Identity in Colonial Art: The Developing Styles of Art in Puebla, Mexico through Pottery and Architecture, 1600-1800", was written after field work conducted in Puebla, Mexico and received the President's Writing Award for Boise State University in 2008. She was also a McNair Scholar and attended conferences in the field culminating in independent research in summer of 2007. Professionally Vivianne,was a Fine Arts Assistant at Boise State University under their newly formed Arts program at the Student Union where she gained experience as a curator, researcher, performing arts assistant, permanent collections registrar, administrator.  Through her experience as a Fine Arts Assistant, she realized the need for effective Arts Managers and found the Arts Management Program at the University at Buffalo.

"After research and college visits, I found the Arts Management Program at UB through resources provided by the McNair Scholars Program. I had looked at over 25 programs that offered similar courses and not one compared to what the Arts Management program at UB could provide. It was more than just being a graduate student, it was the promise to engage in intellectual training, wonderful opportunities to conduct meaningful research and working with a handful of professors that are dedicated to cultivating the arts management experience for me."

Yi-Hsuan Kuo comes to the program from Taiwan and has worked there in the Museum of Contemporary Art.  She will be working at the Buffalo Science Museum during the summer.

Yi-Hsuan Kuo holds a bachelor degree in Public Administration in Tunghai University in Taiwan. After graduating she joined the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei as a part-time employee, working as an assistant dealing with administration affairs and a guide for the exhibitions. The working experience in the museum made her decide to pursue her higher education in Arts Management in United States at SUNY Buffalo. Yi-Hsuan thinks the experience in US could enable her gain more knowledge not only academically but also to appreciate cultural distinctions which is an important factor in many fields of international exchange.

"I really appreciate the opportunity to become a member of the Arts Management Program. The arts have always been part of my life, and I would like the arts to be more than my interest, but my career in the future. I want to engage myself in art field, being the bridge between the artworks and the audiences. The program provides different courses in all aspects, from visual art to theater, from business to legal issues. And I believe that Arts Managements Program will help me to reach achievement successfully. I believe being an international student in Arts Management Program in UB will be a fascinating experience."

Nadejda Petrova has worked at Albright-Knox Gallery and in private art galleries.  She is the Venice Summer School Co-ordinator and will assist Professors Bereson and Laufer on a special edition of the Journal of Arts Law Management and Society on Creativity and Innovation

Nadejda holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and has worked in the not for profit art sector for many years through her employment at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. She has also worked for contemporary private galleries, gaining administrative, curatorial and PR experience in the for profit art sector. She co-organized the international 2005 Panel Discussion The Business of Art, sponsored by Buffalo Rising and Artefakt Magazine, in an attempt to generate discourse between arts institutions and the general public. Most recently, she completed her practicum work at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, (www. Bechs.org), where she focused on finding foundation support for a new website. She will also provide coordinating and editing support for a special edition of the Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society on Creativity and Innovation.

 “When I  began my studies in the Fall of 2008, I couldn’t have anticipated how vital the interdisciplinary approach of the Arts Management Program would be. Understanding the overlap between the arts, law, management, business and philosophy is a critical component in an arts manager’s career. In additional to tailoring the program to my needs and interests, I have gained invaluable local, national and international experience through Museum Advocacy Day, my Fieldwork Assignment and the Summer School. I am much better prepared to face challenges, both theoretically and practically, in the arts management field.”

Pamela Martin comes to the program from Washington and Los Angeles where she has worked in Visual and Peforming Arts .  She will be working with the Theatre of Youth in Buffalo over the summer.

Pamela earned a B.A. in Print Journalism from American University in Washington, DC; held internships with the National Gallery of Art and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts; and has worked as a project manager, writer, and user experience lead for various government, commercial, and non-profit web sites.  She was inspired to join the Arts Management Program after attending a steady stream of exhibitions, concerts, and artist lectures while living in Los Angeles, CA for two years. Pamela is particularly interested in exploring how events and activities can encourage audiences to engage with the arts in different ways.

Since starting the program, Pam has undertaken fieldwork at the Buffalo Museum of Science and has become a volunteer with the Burchfield Penney Art Center. She will attend the summer school at the Venice Biennale this June.

"I have always had a deep interest in the arts but I was never sure how to initiate a career in the field. When I heard about UB's Arts Management Program, with its interdisciplinary approach and international focus, it sounded like the perfect fit for me. I'm extremely excited to be starting my first year in the program and look forward to all of the wonderful opportunities my classmates and I will have as students and as eventual graduates."

Tara Sullivan will be spending the summer break working at Kirkland Arts Center, Seattle Washington assisting Director of Development, Lauren Erlinger, Alum '08

Tara holds a B.A. in English with a minor in education from the University at Buffalo. Unsure of what career path to pursue, she actively participated in three of her main interests—art, journalism and education. Throughout college, she worked at Dia:Beacon, which piqued her interest in modern and contemporary art. After gaining managerial and editorial experience from running UB’s weekly publication Generation, and museum education knowledge from an internship at the Albright-Knox, the Arts Management program was the best fit for her career goals. Tara is interested in exploring what museum education can offer to both students and adults, while gaining knowledge on how to solve the many problems arts organizations face.

Tara is currently working at the Buffalo Museum of Science for her fieldwork project. This summer, she is traveling to Venice for summer school and will work as an intern at Kirkland Arts Center near Seattle. She was quoted in a recent issue of AAM's Museum magazine with regards to Museum Advocacy Day. See article here, pt. 1. pt.2

“I have always been interested in the arts, and visiting museums was especially exciting for me. I hope to gain the tools necessary to extend that same excitement to others through UB's Arts Management program. Because the classes cover many subjects and use real-life examples, even after the first few weeks I feel that I’ve found exactly what I was looking for in a graduate education.”  

Thomas Rosamilia has a JD from Syracuse and is interested in grant writing and Entertainment Law

Thomas is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, where he was interested in pursuing a career in Entertainment Law and enrolled in a joint degree program in Communications and Law centered on TV and Film production. He applied to the Arts Management program because of his interest in helping artists protect their individual rights as they create original works in new and evolving multi-media.  Thomas recently worked with the Buffalo Arts Studio in writing and developing a grant aimed at helping local artists design their own websites and market their own work on the internet. He also plans to participate in legal clinics and workshops for specific issues arising from the commercial and other relationships between artists and those who purchase or support his work.

“Artists today have the means to create and display their work directly to more people than ever before, but also at the risk of the misappropriation, unauthorized use and exploitation of their work by others.  I am interested in helping these artists to successfully market themselves and their works in a manner consistent not only with their individual legal rights, but also with their individual artistic vision and freedom.”

Alisha Cowan

Alisha Janelle Cowan is a second year Arts Management student. She holds a B.A in Art Education and is an artist herself. Alisha taught Visual Arts for a year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Teaching about art is a love of hers, but she found herself interested in the administrative side of arts organizations. Alisha was an intern for the Buffalo Arts Studio, and helped out with the “Trimania” fundraising event. She also was a Marketing intern and Artist Assistant for the University at Buffalo’s television program “Music is Art”. Alisha would like to run her own arts organization where youth and adults can come and learn about different kinds of art media, artist, and be able to create their own artwork. She would like to be a vehicle to expose them to different art forms and ideas.

“I would like to be in a more powerful position to bring the benefits of art outside of the classroom, and into other places where it can also be used to help individuals who may not get the chance to express themselves through the arts. The Arts Management program will help me obtain the tools I need to develop and manage a non- profit organization.”