College of Fine Arts

Arts Administration

120

Semester Hours

6

Credit Hours

of Internship Experience to prepare you for the workplace.

30+

Years

of Supporting The Arts

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Headshot of Rachel Shane

Rachel Shane

Chair of the Department of Arts Administration

College of Fine Arts

College of Fine Arts

Department of Arts Administration

205 Fine Arts Building

Lexington, KY 40506

Program website

859-257-9616

  • BA

Arts Administration teaches students how to connect audiences to the arts within the context of a non-profit arts organization. Students learn fundraising, communications, marketing, financial management and programming skills while also pursuing a minor in the fine arts area of their choice. 

Careers

 

Hands-on experiences are a critical element of an education in Arts Administration. Students majoring in Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky are required to complete an internship. In addition to helping students gain experience, internships encourage the practice of serving the community, a primary goal of arts organizations.

Arts Administration students must complete at least six credit hours of internship to graduate. Students in the Arts Administration Program have worked with local arts organizations, state companies and even nationally-known organizations.

Career opportunities in Arts Administration:

  • Program Management
  • Event planning
  • Marketing and Public Relations
  • Audience Development
  • Community Engagement and Education
  • Fundraising
  • Financial Management
"I love the fact that it combines something I'm good at, business and marketing, with something I truly love, music and the arts. It's made me more involved on campus by getting me to go to Gallery Hops and working other events, and it opens the door to a world of opportunities after graduation."

Jessica Kral

Arts Administration

Classes & Requirements

 

What You'll Study

Arts Administrators transform the arts. They apply dance, music, visual art and theatre in a way that is real, tangible and accessible. They are armed with an arsenal of savvy business knowledge, financial footwork, contemporary technologies and stellar communication skills. In its 25th year, UK’s Arts Administration program offers one of the most comprehensive curriculums in the country that will prepare students for the opportunities and challenges they will meet as an arts administrator. Our alumni can be found working in arts institutions throughout the country and abroad.

In addition to the Arts Administration curriculum, students are required to complete a minor in an area of the arts housed within the College of Fine Arts. Students will also complete 30 hours of UK Core. The College of Fine Arts additionally requires that all majors complete six hours of coursework outside their departments but within the College of Fine Arts and at least 39 hours of courses at or above the 300-level.

College of Fine Arts Minors:

  • Art History
  • Art Studio
  • Dance
  • Digital Media and Design
  • Music History
  • Music Performance
  • Photography
  • Theatre
  • Visual Studies

Premajor Status

All new students are admitted into the Arts Administration Program as Pre-Arts Administration. When the premajor requirements have been completed, students may apply for admission into full major status.

Major Admission

To be admitted into the Arts Administration Program as a major, an applicant must first:

  1. Be enrolled in the University of Kentucky.
  2. Complete 30 semester hours of premajor course work. 

  3. Have a minimum overall 2.8 cumulative grade-point average. 

  4. Complete premajor core requirements with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 in premajor courses. 


Students meeting these requirements will be accepted as majors in the program. Applications for admission must be submitted before the end of the semester prior to a student taking an upper division Arts Administration course. 


Enhancing Your Time at UK

While there are endless ways to create an unforgettable journey as a Wildcat, we can only think of one that gives you the chance to step outside the classroom and into exploring new parts of the world around you: participating in an Education Abroad opportunity! Whether it’s in a study, research, service, or internship program, taking your UK experience international with EA is the most hands-on way for you to expand your global perspective while making yourself a more well-rounded, marketable candidate to future employers no matter your field. As you take these first steps towards investing in your future, EA encourages you to take advantage of all the opportunities UK has to offer. Take a look at some of the many suggested opportunities UK Education Abroad & Exchanges has to complement your major! #ukyabroad

 

View Major Advising Page

Contact

Headshot of Rachel Shane

Rachel Shane

Chair of the Department of Arts Administration

College of Fine Arts

College of Fine Arts

Department of Arts Administration

205 Fine Arts Building

Lexington, KY 40506

859-257-9616