Do traditional management theories apply to arts organisations, or do they differ too greatly from the norm? Steph Graham and Jill Richens explore the issues.
Despite arts management emerging as a discipline during the 1970’s, it was not until the turn of the millennium that cries for the solidification of theories and practice began to be heard. As a result the arts sector saw the rapid growth of academic and professional development programmes focusing on arts management - examples include the Clore Leadership Programme and courses at Birkbeck, Goldsmiths and the University of Leeds (which we both recently attended).
There now exists a distinct field of arts management, but the extent to which this draws from existing management theories (developed in a non-arts context) is limited. Rooted in this disconnect is the implication that this is a one-way street – that the arts should learn from existing management theories rather using their own expertise to influence existing theories and develop their own theory and practice... Keep reading on A New Direction
Despite arts management emerging as a discipline during the 1970’s, it was not until the turn of the millennium that cries for the solidification of theories and practice began to be heard. As a result the arts sector saw the rapid growth of academic and professional development programmes focusing on arts management - examples include the Clore Leadership Programme and courses at Birkbeck, Goldsmiths and the University of Leeds (which we both recently attended).
There now exists a distinct field of arts management, but the extent to which this draws from existing management theories (developed in a non-arts context) is limited. Rooted in this disconnect is the implication that this is a one-way street – that the arts should learn from existing management theories rather using their own expertise to influence existing theories and develop their own theory and practice... Keep reading on A New Direction