It’s been about a year since I began my “formal” education in arts and non-profit management and I’ve learned a lot.  A lot of my classes have been fun and enlightening and my teachers the sort of people I want to work with or for.  But the things I’ve learned have by and large not been what I thought I would learn, and not from the places I expected.

UNCG does not offer an arts administration degree or even a focus.  As some of my readers know, I’m currently finishing my doctorate in music at UNCG, but it struck me one day that I needed to go into arts administration.  In part because I was seeing so many people do it wrong, and in part because I know that I’ll be good at it.  I believe I’ll be more than good, in fact.  But back to the problem of UNCG not having an arts administration degree: I got creative and talked to people around campus and discovered resources no one in the music school knew about.  There is coursework and a certificate in non-profit management through the political science department, entrepreneurship classes, the MBA program, plenty of stuff to work with in crafting a minor that addressed my interest.

A year after drawing up my plans (and revising them when new information comes to light) I have some observations about arts administration that seem obvious now, but did not occur to me when I saw the world only as a performer:

Observation Number 1) There is no right way to do it.  There is no text book.  There are no instructions.  You are given a mission statement, a problem, some resources, and you have to figure it out.

Observation Number 2) Coursework and academia are not a substitute for experience.  The coursework I’ve taken helps me understand the problem, but it doesn’t give me tools to tackle all of them.  And keep in mind, I constructed my coursework after thoughtful consideration of what I will need (based on asking people who DO the job) and from multiple departments and sources.  I am suspicious of Arts Administration degree programs because if they are anything like degree programs I’ve been in, there’s a lot of fat in the degree, and not a lot of thoughtful planning.

I had an instructor in one of my classes (actually she was in charge of the non-profit program) who had lots of degrees, lots of ego, and little experience or practicality.  I discovered that I could fake my way through assignments, not do what was asked, and still get high marks.  As a teacher myself, I caught myself sliding into bad behavior and self-corrected.  However, in the real world you’re either competent or incompetent.    When I discussed some concerns with her, it became apparent that she was of the latter kind, and I dropped the class.  It was the first class I’ve ever dropped, and she’s in charge of the program.  Titles and degrees don’t make for experience.

Observation Number 3) There are two categories of people who end up in Arts Administration; those who go into it from other careers because they feel a passion to do the job, and those who sort of “end up” in it because it was what was available.  I tend to be passionate about whatever it is I’m doing, but I am also an opportunist so I can identify with both groups.  However, I have worked with people (personnel managers, marketing directors, etc) in the arts who clearly fell into the job and just like the title and income.  Having worked with aspiring performers all summer, many of them were naively surprised to discover that I am a musician, and have no concept of making a living other than playing.  Many of them will be disappointed to learn that playing jobs are few and far between and will end up in administration somewhere, if in music at all.  I sincerely hope they learn passion for the job or get out.  It’s not a high salary field, so if you don’t like what you do you’re in for a lean and unhappy career.  If you discover passion for the job, you can have a full and happy career with the same paycheck.

Observation Number 4) Most of my learning has come from deciding to learn.  Now that I’m paying attention to arts administration, I find I can take lessons from anyone or anywhere.  Lessons aren’t limited to books or coursework.  I feel so much wiser about the world just from seeing in from a new viewpoint.  It’s the same world, and I have the same “job” as before, just new eyes.

I mentioned that I am suspicious of degrees in arts administration, but I don’t want that to mean I don’t think they are a good idea.  Just know that learning is a process.  Completing a degree is not the same as completing an education.  Never stop learning.