Arts Leadership and Arts Management

Program Overview

Queen’s University Dan School of Drama and Music in partnership with the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts have developed the Arts Management Graduate Diploma and the Master of Arts in Arts Leadership for students and working professionals who have the passion and acumen for the arts and are seeking opportunities in arts management and leadership. The focus is on developing 21st century leadership and management capabilities.

The Arts Management Graduate Diploma and the M.A. in Arts Leadership are designed to provide students with a multifaceted understanding of the arts and their environment, and the dexterity of management and leadership skills required. Both the Graduate Diploma and the Master’s program course curricula provide students with opportunities for concrete experience, reflective observation, research skills, group work, and field work with live sites, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Students will be exposed to industry leaders and contemporary best practices in the arts and cultural industries.

Graduate Diploma students will gain a foundation of knowledge in strategic planning, arts marketing, philanthropy, governance and financial and management accounting. They will have the opportunity of meeting with top practitioners in the field, and applying their theoretical knowledge through assignments, field studies and in-class simulations.

Master’s students will gain a foundation of knowledge of strategic thinking and planning, cultural policy, arts marketing, arts philanthropy, finance, contract negotiations and labour law, and leadership. Master’s students will have a transformational applied learning opportunity through assignments, in-class simulations, a one term practicum and a capstone project. Through their practicum and final capstone project, the Master’s students will gain practical experience and apply their theoretical knowledge, understand the role of leadership and stakeholders in a multi-faceted industry, observe and analyze problems and solutions in a professional arts setting, interact with arts colleagues in a professional environment and in a wide range of activities, and gain insight into their future role and career interests in the arts.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for the Arts Management Graduate Diploma and the M.A. in Arts Leadership are:

An honours baccalaureate degree from a recognized university, preferably in the creative arts (e.g. music, drama, film, art) or a related field. The minimum acceptable average for admissions to these programs is B+.
Students applying from outside of North America whose native language is not English are required to submit TOEFL scores.
Consideration will be given to highly motivated individuals with documented relevant professional experience who do not meet the B+ requirement.

Applications will be welcome from qualified under-represented groups.

Program Structures and Requirements

Students may apply for direct entry to either the Arts Management Graduate Diploma or the M.A. in Arts Leadership. Students may also apply to enter the M.A. in Arts Leadership in any successive year for up to five years after successful completion of the Arts Management Graduate Diploma. The Arts Management Graduate Diploma may also serve as an exit point for those who are enrolled in the Master’s program and have completed the five courses that are required for the Diploma but decide not to complete the full Master’s course work including electives and the final capstone project.

The Arts Management Graduate Diploma is a 3-month program that will commence in May. The program consist of 12 units (5 courses) with four of the courses scheduled to be delivered during an on-campus residential session in May through mid-June, and one on-line course on finance and accounting which must also be completed during this same time-frame.

Graduate Diploma students have the option of applying to complete the Master’s program in any successive year for up to five years after successful completion of the Diploma program, and Master’s program students may receive the Graduate Diploma if they withdraw after successful completion of the summer term courses (i.e. The GDip requirements).

The Master of Arts in Arts Leadership is 12-month full-time program that will commence in May and conclude the following April. The program will consist of 24 units with the majority of the courses scheduled to be delivered during on-campus residential sessions in May through mid-June. During the Fall term, Masters students will have the option to study on or off-campus by accessing electives that are delivered on-line or on-campus. During the Winter term (subject to course availability). Masters students will be required to complete a practicum and capstone project on an Arts industry organization. Placements would be facilitated through Genovese Vanderhoof and Associates who are experienced in arts intern placements throughout North America.

Graduate Diploma

One Term
Core 12 Units:

3.0 units ARTL 801 Arts Marketing
3.0 units ARTL 802 Arts Philanthropy
3.0 units Finance and Accounting for HR/LR (MIR 875/ARTL 875)
1.5 units ARTL 804 Artistic Producing
1.5 units ARTL 808 Contract Negotiations

Skills Seminars (noncredit) with industry leaders will be held throughout the program.

Master's Program

Five core courses are taken in the first term. In the second term, in addition to one core course, students have the opportunity to focus on leadership in a specific art form (e.g. theatre administration or entrepreneurship) or a specific area (e.g. labour relations). In the final term, students’ practicum placements take into consideration their desire to work in a specific art form or area.

First Term – laddered from the Graduate Diploma
Core 12 Units:

3.0 units ARTL 801 Arts Marketing
3.0 units ARTL802 Arts Philanthropy
3.0 units Finance and Accounting for HR/LR (MIR 875/ARTL 875)
1.5 units ARTL 804 Artistic Producing
1.5 units ARTL 808 Contract Negotiations

Second Term
Core 3 Units:

3.0 units – ARTL 806 Leadership, Governance, and Cultural Policy

1 of these Electives:

3.0 units ARTL 814 Creative Entrepreneurship
3.0 units ARTL 890 Directed Study

Final term
Core 6 Units:

6.0 units ARTL 810 Arts Leadership Capstone Project

Seminars (noncredit) with industry leaders will be held throughout the program.

ARTL 801 Arts Marketing
Students will apply the principles of audience development, audience diversity, arts marketing and multiple income-generating streams; generate marketing plans; market research; implement all aspects of arts marketing handled in an arts marketing department. This course includes a capstone project which will be a group investigative field study of an arts organization and best arts marketing practices (national and international) that culminates in a final written and oral presentation which will include recommendations to the arts organization being examined. Students will apply the theories and principles of arts marketing and audience development; apply theories and best practices in arts marketing with product, communication, distribution channel and pricing strategies; understand the continuum of audience development and engagement; generate marketing budgets and forecasts using analytics and metrics; and create and implement a strategic marketing plan. Skills workshops on social and digital media, arts education and community engagement will be offered to compliment the course curriculum. (3.0 credit units)

ARTL 802 Arts Philanthropy
Students will apply the principles of philanthropy; create campaign structures and implement techniques; plan corporate, foundation, and individual fundraising campaigns using direct response, prospect research; sponsorship and philanthropic selling; patron fundraising, membership programs and major gift donor cultivation programs; grant writing; foundation fundraising, fundraising data base management; annual operating, capital, and endowment campaigns; museum programs and techniques; communication strategies for fundraising; staffing and department structures. Students will understand the continuum of giving, and be able to create a prospect pipeline to move prospects through a process of cultivation resulting in donations; be knowledgeable of current giving and demographic trends and practices in fundraising in a dynamic national and international environment; and develop realistic fundraising goals and plans with a solid understanding of individual, major gift, planned giving, capital gifts, sponsorship, and foundation fundraising. (3.0 credit units)

ARTL 804 Artistic Producing
Students will be introduced to the role of Artistic Producer, which combines the positions of Artistic Director and General Manager. Concepts and skills covered will include strategic planning and execution, mapping and realizing artistic vision, management of day-to-day operations, and planning and critical paths for various organizational sizes. (1.5 credit units)

ARTL 805 The Arts General Manager
This course will provide a broad, integrative framework useful for all subsequent courses. Various aspects of the general manager's role will be explored: strategic planning and execution, management of day-to-day operations, change leadership, human resource management, stewardship, and governance. (1.5 credit units). Not offered in 2022-23 / 2023-24.

ARTL 806 Leadership, Governance, and Cultural Policy
This course introduces concepts and models of leadership and governance, including legal and fiduciary responsibilities, funding strategies, and organizational evaluation. Students will learn about developing mission and vision statements, recruiting a Board of Directors, and navigating cultural policies. Projects will include work on innovation, strategic planning, and grant writing. (3.0 credit units)
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875

ARTL 807 Cultural Policy
This course provides an overview of Canadian cultural policy and its impact on arts organizations. This includes a study of the historical development, formulation and execution of cultural policy in municipal, provincial and federal jurisdictions. Students will focus on the status of the artist through the exploration of institutional and governmental acts, policies, reports, objectives, strategic initiatives and programs. This course includes a research paper comparing Canadian and indigenous cultural policy to other international practices to provide strategic recommendations for future cultural policy development. Students will gain an intellectual grounding in theoretical conceptual frameworks and socio-political approaches to cultural policy; appreciate its public and artistic impact; gain an understanding of its historical evolution; be familiar with granting bodies and processes; government relations; and be able to evaluate the impact of cultural policy on cultural organizational planning and programming. Experiential learning includes the completion of a government grant. (1.5 credit units). Not offered in 2022-23 / 2023-24.

ARTL 808 Arts Management: Human Resources
Students will examine key human resources management frameworks and explore the roles and responsibilities as well as the legal and regulatory requirements of arts organizations across Canada. Students will apply their knowledge to a variety of real-life contexts and case studies. (1.5 credit units)

ARTL 810 Arts Leadership Capstone Project
Students will gain practical experience, apply theoretical knowledge and interact with arts colleagues in a professional practicum placement leading to a research report that includes a strategic review and recommendations for the future success of the organization. The practicum / research report represents the culmination of the student's learning to apply and integrate knowledge from the program. This course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. (6.0 credit units).
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875, ARTL 806, and one elective of either ARTL 814, ARTL 815, ARTL 820, or ARTL 890.

ARTL 814 Leadership in the Arts
This course examines principles and models of leadership about and through various artistic practices. Students will develop a deep understanding of how leadership can manifest and identify the tools and approaches they can use as leaders of various-sized arts organizations. The course investigates the unique outcomes that make artistic projects and organizations successful, and learners are encouraged to reflect on their personal strengths and vulnerabilities as leaders who provide value that extends value beyond the balance sheet. (3.0 credit units)
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875

ARTL 815 Public Relations and Communications for the Arts
This course covers the basic principles, processes and applications of public relations and strategic communications in the arts and entertainment sectors and across the creative industries. History of the profession, theoretical context and practical and creative aspects of planning will be approached through case studies and situational analysis. (3.0 credit units). Not offered in 2022-23 / 2023-24 .
EXCLUSION: ENIN 204

ARTL 820 Theatre Administration
This course examines a range of administrative and collaborative skills necessary for producing theatre works. Among the areas that will be defined and discussed are marketing, budgeting, fundraising, staffing, and production management. A variety of theatre-producing organizations (commercial, non-profit, university, and community) will be dissected to examine the assumptions which drive production decisions. The nature and importance of a “mission statement” for producing bodies will be stressed, and organizational structures will be analyzed. There will be a particular focus on the relationship between financial and physical resources and artistic vision. The nature of theatrical production as a larger social force and the outreach potential of theatre pieces will also be explored. Graduate students must complete an additional assignment demonstrating higher level analytical and interpretive skills, applying concepts learned in other Arts Leadership graduate courses. Offered jointly with DRAM 448. Graduate students taking this course will be required to do an additional assignment or assignments. ( 3.0 credit units)
EXCLUSION: DRAM 448
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875

ARTL 890 Directed Study
Individual directed study under the guidance of a faculty member in an area of the instructor's expertise. (3.0 credit
units)
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875

ARTL 898 Major Research Project
An investigation of a component of professional arts practice under the guidance of a Project Supervisor culminating in a written report or essay and presentation. The project is evaluated by the Project Supervisor. (3.0 credit units)
PREREQUISITES: ARTL 801, ARTL 802, ARTL 804, ARTL 808, MIR 875
CO-REQUISITES: ARTL 814 and ARTL 806
EXCLUSION: ARTL 810

Academic Calendar 2025-2026