Arts Management Program

About Our Past Students:

About Our Graduating Class, May 2009:

Click here to read about some of our current graduating class.

Andrew Spong graduates in May, 2009. He is pursuing a JD through UB Law School in conjunction with Arts Management.

Andrew's belief in the fundamental importance of the arts and culture to a full life and healthy communities has led him to ask what structures help or hinder the work of creative people and organizations. Andrew helped develop a release contract governing the archive at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and attended NUROPE in Kassel, Germany and the summer school In Gattieres, France 2007 Turku, Finland and Stockholm Sweden in 2008.

"Formalizing influences like systems of law, government, and management can have philosophically complex and pragmatically frustrating effects on the organic, often unpredictable processes of artmaking and cultural life.   A detailed, rigorous understanding of these connections informed by a multi-disciplinary, international comparative perspective could create a tremendous amount of added value and qualititively novel benefits for interests on both sides of the divide.   It's wonderful to have a University really get behind us on this project. It also turns out to be a lot of fun to study these things, especially in the field."

Hsin-Ching Wu wrote 'Encountering Art Firms in Gattieres' published in A Masters of Business Art? Arts Management Paper Series #3. 

Hsin-Ching, also known as Tiffany, joined the Arts Management program after obtaining an M.A. in American Studies with a concentration in Museum Studies from UB.  She wishes to pursue a career as a museum or gallery professional.  Hsin-Ching had previously worked for Dr. Sandra Olsen, the Director of UB Art Galleries, conducting research on selected artwork for shows during an internship.  Later she undertook a fieldwork course for the collection management department at Burchfield-Penny Art Center.  In addition, she provided assistance to Mr. David K. Anderson in organizing his personal collection for a year between 2008 and 2009.  The program nurtured her interests in cultural policies, which she found vital for the analysis of arts management, and she contributed an essay to A Master's of  Business Art?, the 3rd volume of the Arts Management Program Occasional Paper Series, after attending the summer school course in Gattières, France.  In the summer of 2009, she joined the UB Anderson Gallery to assist in various projects related to collection management, including the acquisition and registration of its new collection.

“The program has given me so much valuable experience in the field of arts management, both intellectually and in practice.  I found myself gaining great confidence since I know that all I have learnt from the program will eventually assist me in the future.  The program's dynamic energy has offered me a new way of understanding the relation among the arts, culture and policy making.  I am eager to learn more and will take the knowledge into my professional development as an art manager.”

Ayondela Noble co-ordinated Buffalo Arts Studio's triennial "Trimania"

Ayondela entered the Arts Management Program with a strong interest to work in the media arts industry.  She has performed in theater since she was 7 years old and her most recent performances include Vagina Monologues, a theatrical fundraising event that raised $3000 for Crisis Services (a non profit organization dedicated to working with survivors of sexual assault.) In addition to her work in theater, she served as a Co-Volunteer Co-ordinator for Hallwalls Media Art Center annual fundraising event, Artists and Models (2007) and as Co-ordinator of Buffalo Arts Studio’s tri-annual, fundraising campaign, Trimania which raised over $80,000.  Her ultimate goal is to create her own media production company with a focus on women’s roles in all aspects of media.

“My whole life I have been in love with the arts but it was not until I began this program that I realized why.  The Arts have a complex and intricate role in life of society and only through the Arts Management program at UB I have began the process of developing the skills to understand what that role really means.”

Jiehsan Wen is currently an intern with the American Symphony Orchestra and working at Bard College this summer

Jieshan followed her interest to become an art manager and came to the United States to continue her education at the State University of New York at Buffalo.  She joined the graduate program of Arts management to broaden her knowledge in this field.  Since she arrived in the U.S. she has learned a lot about cultures different from her own.  As an international student at UB, she has make friends and professional contacts from all around the world.

“The education in this program broadened my scope of understanding about the arts.  I came to this program having spent four years of undergraduate study in Beijing to learn how to become an arts manager. Now, this program has provided me with different viewpoints about how the arts are managed. Armed with the knowledge gained from two study experiences in the same field but different emphasis, I am ready to contribute to the fascinating field of arts business.”

Jeff Langridge is currently writing grants for the Buffalo Arts Studio

Jeff joined the program after exploring many different subjects including Business, English, Art History and Library Science.  Finally finding the ideal subject in Arts Management, he forwards his career aspirations of working in the arts not-for-profit sector.  While in the program Jeff has written press releases and website needs assessment reports for the Darwin Martin House Complex.  Currently, he is writing grants at the Buffalo Arts Studio. 

"When I found UB had a degree that encompasses the arts, business and law, I wanted to jump right in.  Throughout my undergraduate studies I worked to find similar classes as those offered through the Arts Management program and was unsuccessful.  The education goes beyond classes and case studies.  We are introduced to people and opportunities that propel us into the arts field.  To learn the content and cases is one thing; to be able to apply what we have learned in local arts organizations is another.  Through this program we get that unique opportunity to learn it one week and apply it the next."

Hauda Kayrouz-Tawk was granted an Arts Advocacy Award 08, and has completed her fieldwork at the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

Hauda is an international student from Lebanon.  She believes that acquiring executive skills is necessary to build a strong setting for conducting the arts. While completing a BA in Interior Design, Hauda participated in Ski competitions at the international level prompting her to comparing and contrasting cultural variations and realizing the importance of cultural exchange. Her attraction to the field of management encouraged her to join the arts management program at UB and to receive numerous scholarships and awards including a 2008 Arts Advocacy Award. Recently, she completed fieldwork at the Burchfield Penney Art Center (BPAC), where she researched sustainable development and environmental factors in relation to the Museum. She explored how to negotiate a change in museum identity, community outreach, access, and exhibition planning, while focusing on sustainability, stewardship of collections, and the environmental impact of the new BPAC, that is expected to be certified to the “silver” LEED level by the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first green art museum in New York State. The educational department at the Burchfield Penney Art Center has asked Hauda to contribute to their summer camp with a presentation discussing the topic of her Master's Project. 

"Guided by an outstanding directorship, the arts management program at UB offers tremendous opportunities for students and offers early exposure to experts at both national and international levels. While attending the Arts Advocacy Day in Washington D.C, I realized the impact of the  field of Arts Management and the role of managers in educating leaders and state legislators on current cultural policy issues. The program leads a series of courses conducted with international scholars in their native work milieu. In the future, I hope to proceed in the field by linking the gap between the public and the artist at the global level. I am particularly attracted to cross-cultural developments and in developing a continuous "bridge between cultures".

Ahrum Oh is working as a producer with Seoul Arts Management where she will manage the Burn the Floor tour while in Seoul

Ahrum joined the Arts Management program as she has a background both in voice music and business administration.  She believes the arts should be managed with a respect to it in order to exist and communicate appropriately with their public.   She applied to the program as she had been challenged by many economic and political issues when she was a professional singer.  Her current interest is a "win-win" relationship between an artist and management.  Ahrum recently took a job as a producer with Seoul Arts Management where she will manage the Burn the Floor tour while it appears in Seoul .

“This program has truly encouraged me to study various theories and thoughts regarding culture, arts and society with diverse perspectives. I have not only learnt about U.S. culture and arts, but also have acquired tremendous knowledge at the international level. As an international student, this aspect is very helpful as it enabled me to comprehend differences and similarities of worlds ranging from the U.S. to my native South Korea. Furthermore, it is the greatest feeling that you can have a conversation with exceptional scholars you would hardly have had the opportunity to meet in your life!  My personality and academic ability as an arts manager has been grown here and I am sure skills, knowledge and experience this program provides will be a cornerstone of my future career path.”

Nick Schwartz is working as a marketing intern at the Buffalo Choral Arts Society.  He received A Rosalind Jarrett Scholarship for Marketing and Publicity.

Nick has a BA in Music and Film from Fredonia and decided that UB’s Arts Management Program would be the ideal course for Graduate Study.  The program allows for Nick to remain passionate about the art while exploring the intricacies of the business administration and law that allows these art forms to exist.  After completing his first year of study including a practicum study in marketing at the Buffalo Philharmonic, Nick is Rosalind Jarrett Scholar and is now spending the summer working full time, working as a marketing intern at the Buffalo Choral Arts Society, editing and co-producing this summer’s study abroad film and looking forward to the upcoming academic year.  In the coming years, Nick is looking to find work in the fields of music and film.

"I was unsure if I even wanted to continue on with my education because I wasn’t sure if there was a program that existed that would target the highly involved matters I wanted to pursue. Then I found the Arts Management Program at UB. This Program has taught me to understand how the arts function practically and within society. With the practical experience and academic insight, I am confident that I have chosen the best possible program for myself and will result in even more professional success."

Amy Torres Watts is currently a volunteer at Frank Lloyd Writght's Darwin D. Martin House

Amy Torres-Watts joined the Arts Management Program after obtaining a degree in Business Management.  Originally starting out as a Visual Arts Major in Photography her life-long love of the arts led her to the program. She hopes to work in a not-for-profit art museum or gallery when she graduates either in grant development or education programming. Her main interests are becoming an advocate for Latin American and women artists and advocating for youth arts education in underserved populations. She has more then 10 years of administrative experience in the business sector and has recently worked with the Darwin D. Martin House in grant development and continues to volunteer her time there over the summer.

“I feel that the program has not only given me a good academic grounding in the issues an arts manager faces today but also a very practical foundation.  Not only have we learned how the arts function in society but also how this knowledge can be used to benefit an arts organization”.

Kate Boisvert holds the position of Development Liaison for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD).

Kate joined the Arts Management Program looking for a way to further her interests and experience in art, law and business. She was closely involved in the Strategic Plan and Board Recruitment processes for the Carnegie Art Center. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the 2008 Arts Advocacy Award and the 2008 Rosalind Jarrett Scholarship. Kate was appointed student coordinator for the program’s summer school in Stockholm and Finland. She presented a paper on creative management in mid-size law firms for the Art of Management IV conference in September 2008. Currently, Kate holds the position of Development Liaison for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, (MOCAD).

"The Arts Management Program successfully draws on key aspects of management and marketing, law, cultural policy and the humanities that directly and indirectly affect art industries and communities worldwide. We are taught to observe and critique the essential roles that the arts play within society and it is through this that we are effectively trained to embark upon our own role. This rigorous insight and approach creates a well-balanced and challenging program that I know will arm me for the future of the field and my place within it."

Jen currently works at the Lancaster Opera House doing box office and house management. 

Jen has a Bachelor's Degree in broadcasting with a minor in music from Buffalo State College.  She has worked in the local music scene by being exposed to local music awareness and experiencing band management, promotions and marketing.  She became interested in Arts Management because she believed it would help make her experience more well-rounded to adapt to the fast-paced music industry.  Music management is integral to a variety of music industry careers and is also the core of success in that industry.  Jen has interned at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and the Amherst Chamber Ensembles, Inc., while also volunteering for the Righteous Babe Records street team and Buffalo's annual Music is Art Festival.  She also has had experience at Citadel Broadcasting (promotions), UB's Slee Hall (box office, house management, marketing), and event and music management on several individual projects.

"The Arts Management Program has allowed me to experience situations and cultures that were outside of my local domain.  I have learned it is crucial to step 'outside of the box' to fully understand my local music scene.  This program solidified my view that business and art can be combined together to work as one functional unit, there no longer is a divide between the two - they go hand-in-hand, they need each other."

Class of 2008

Click here to read about the Class of 2008

Lauren White is Director of Development, Kirkland Arts Center, Seattle Washington.

Lauren joined the program with interest in both contemporary art and marketing.  Having worked in both nonprofit and commercial art galleries, she was looking to deepen her understanding of how the arts operate in society.  After researching graduate programs in arts administration across the country, she chose the Arts Management program at UB because she felt it offered an interdisciplinary education in cultural policy, museum studies, and nonprofit and traditional business strategies.   Since joining the program, Lauren has written grants for the Buffalo Arts Studio and she co-wrote and produced the documentary From Preservation to Production: A Study of Art Firm Models in the South of France.  She currently holds two internships in marketing and public relations at the Playhouse of American Classics and at the integrated marketing firm, Travers Collins & Co.  She is currently working on her thesis on the branding of contemporary art museums.

“In my experience, the most impressive aspect of this program has been the way in which it focuses on arts management locally, nationally and internationally.  We’ve had the opportunity to study in the South of France, and we’ve had several influential scholars from across the globe give lectures here in Buffalo.  At the same time, we’ve met with (and worked with) leaders of arts organizations in Western New York.  It has been really incredible to feel like you are not only becoming a part of the arts in the local community, but that you are a part of a larger, global network of arts professionals and scholars.   As a student, the program has provided a tremendous learning experience, but it has also been a source of personal growth.”  

Erica Pastore graduated in May 08. She is currently a Program Analyst in the Office of Policy, Planning, Research and Communication at the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Erica chose Arts Management because of her background in Art History and her desire to work in the museum professional community. While enrolled in the program, she gained valuable experience in museum education, archival research and digital archival technologies, working with Buffalo museums and private artist foundations in Europe. Erica is also Guest Editor, A Master's of Business Art?, the 3rd volume of the Arts Management Program Occasional Paper Series. In her current position at the Institute of Museum and Library Services, she has contributed to numerous agency publications and research initiatives.

"My experience as a student in the program has been an opportunity to hone my academic skills and develop a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of the museum and cultural fields. I know that the work I have done over the past two years will guide and enhance my professional practice for years to come."

Carrie Beth Wicks is Director of Development at the Irish Classical Theatre Company, Buffalo, NY .  

Carrie Beth Wicks sought out the Arts Management program after eight years experience working in professional theatre, including regional theatre and two North American National Tours, and is currently the department Graduate Assistant.  This program has afforded her the opportunity to travel abroad for the first time, to Gattières, France, in July 2007, which led to her co-writing, co-producing, and editing the documentary, From Preservation to Production: A Study of Art Firm Models in the South of France. This spring, as well as concentrating on her thesis on unionization in the performing arts, she will be attending the League of American Theatres and Producers’ spring conference, as taking up her new position as Director of Development at the Irish Classical Theatre Company.    

"When I came to this program, I knew that I wanted to work in theatre management, but I had no idea the vast knowledge and possibilities that this program would provide me. My studies in business management, law, cultural policy, theatre management, and study abroad have helped to develop my understanding of the arts, their role within society, and will continue to foster my growth as a future leader in the theatre. I recommend a degree in Arts Management to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in the arts."

Jayne Hughes is the Education Coordinator with the Buffalo Arts Studio.

Jayne joined the Arts Management Program as she believed that this would be the best way to forward her career aspirations in the arts non-profit sector.  While in the program she has worked with the Buffalo Arts Council and National Arts Program putting together an art exhibit displayed at Buffalo’s City Hall.   Jayne received the 2008 Arts Advocacy Award and travelled to Washington D.C. to attend Arts Advocacy Day 31 March - 1 April 2008.  In her current work as Education Coordinator with the Buffalo Arts Studio, Jayne works individually and holds workshops for visual artist on cataloging their artwork and developing professional art practices.

“I have a whole new understanding about how the arts function in society.  We have had the opportunity to interact with top arts managers in our community, throughout the United States and on an international level.  This program has been able to open my eyes in ways I never imagined, and I look forward to putting this knowledge to use throughout my career.”

Moriah Hegmann is House Manager at the Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo.

Moriah has spent the last decade working in event planning and as a house manager at the Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo.  She joined the Arts Management Masters Program hoping to extend her experience into further knowledge about the field of arts management.  She is currently working on her final research project which examines correlations between artistic disciplines and clinical outcomes in Arts in Healthcare.

"When I decided to pursue a masters five years after receiving my undergraduate degree, I questioned my own sanity; I had a full-time job, a part-time job and a family.  It did not take me long to realize that I had made the right decision.  I felt intellectually stimulated and educationally motivated in a way I had never experienced before, in a field that I love.  This was largely because of the sense of academic community I felt within the small arts management department, from which we are the first graduating class.  Whether it was studying not-for-profit organizational law, cultural policy, or traveling abroad to learn under internationally reknowned academics in our growing field, I have gained an extended family I could never duplicate."

Jessica Yacovoni graduated in May 08.  She is working at Shea's Performing Arts Center and her graduating project examines the financial sustainability of dance companies.

I graduated from UB in 2005 with a BS in Business Administration and a minor in Dance. Like all seniors in college, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life until someone told me that I could have a career working for the Business side of Dance. I then heard about the Arts Management Program and knew instantly that it was the next step for me. I interned at Shea's Performing Arts Center for one year, then began working as a Ticket Service Representative in the Box Office, then started my position as Assistant to Development while still working in the Box Office during shows. I have also been working as a Student Assistant for the Center for 21st Century Music on UB's North Campus since its opening in the Fall of 2006. My final project will examine dance company survival, as I ask the question, how do dance companies' sources of income affect their financial sustainability?

"From the first time that I heard this program would be coming to UB it became my goal to follow its inception, and pursue a degree. And from the time I entered the program my eyes have been opened to a world I never knew existed before. I feel that I have grown as a person through what this program has offered, and I'm thankful for what I have learned and experienced. Now, more than ever, I'm excited to pursue a career in Arts Management where my passion for business and my passion for dance come together as one."

Armand Petri is teaching Film Studies at SUNY Fredonia

Armand Petri has spent much of his professional career in the music business as a record producer and artist manager and is currently teaching Film Studies.

"While teaching Music Business as an adjunct at SUNY Fredonia, I decided to pursue a career change.  After 25 years as a record producer and artist manager, I chose to pursue a vocation in academia. Needing a Master’s Degree to obtain a full time position at a university, I began a search of programs that would complement my experience in the music industry.  After a frustrating hunt that brought no fruition, I was introduced to Dr. Ruth Bereson.  She described a Master’s program that she was starting at the University at Buffalo which satisfied all that I had envisioned in an MA program. The Arts Management curriculum provides a great balance of law, business management and arts’ studies. I found the program of study to be so exceptional that I recommended my music business students at SUNY Fredonia, who were interested in continuing education, to apply."

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