New York University

Visual Arts Administration Program

School of Education - Dept. of Art & Art Professions
34 Stuyvesant Street
New York, NY 10003
United States
Main Phone: 212/998-5700
Main E-Mail: sandra.lang@nyu.edu

Degree/Credential: Graduate (MA in Visual Arts Administration)
Web Site: http://www.nyu.edu/education/art/visartsadmin

Program Director: SLang [link available to AAAE members only]

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Program Goals and Objectives

Begun in 1978, the Visual Arts Administration Program became the first in the nation to focus specifically on the wide range of opportunities available in the visual arts, both inside and outside the traditional museum context. Mindful of the steadily increasing cultural and economic impact of the visual arts on national and international fronts, the program strives to train administrators who can adapt to current challenges and the changing demands of the field.

Today's museums exhibit an expanded sense of educational and social responsibility that enables them to play a more prominent role in their communities. Corporate involvement in the visual arts embraces traditional collecting activities as well as a broad array of inventive art programs both inside and outside the corporate structure. Art galleries, auction houses and independent consultants exert increased influence in the visual arts. As institutions and corporations turn to the visual arts to focus the goals and aspirations of their communities, the visual arts administrator becomes a powerful educational force in society, helping to shape cultural values.

The program stresses the balance between a thorough understanding of the visual arts, the ideas and forces affecting them, and the development of keen management, marketing and financial skills. Study of traditional means of outreach is accompanied by consideration of new media and technology that will bring visual arts organizations into the 21st Century. Through this intensive interchange between the conceptual and practical, students are prepared for the increasingly specialized opportunities in this active and challenging field.

The Visual Arts Administration Program is primarily oriented toward the non-profit segment of the field (the Non-Profit Concentration). Faculty expertise, alumni experience and success, and a strong, competitive international applicant pool ensure that students are provided with the optimal resources of an advanced professional program set in the context of a major urban cultural center. For those interested in the for-profit marketplace, the program also provides the opportunity to receive a parallel level of advanced training by electing the For-Profit Concentration. This innovative course of study provides training for dealers in the fine and decorative arts, gallerists, consultants, and auction house personnel and fosters the skills necessary to compete in today's complex, competitive for-profit marketplace.

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Administration of the Program

The program is directed by Professor Sandra Lang, who has had extensive experience in both non-profit and for-profit organizations, including The Museum of Modern Art, Independent Curators International and the International Fine Print Dealers Association. She is the advisor of the program. Adjunct faculty are chosen from various areas of the visual arts and other professions according to the suitability of their professional accomplishments. Students take required classes at the Stern School of Business and may also take courses in the Wagner School of Public Service, Tisch School of the Arts, the International Center of Photography and the Institute of Fine Arts.

The program lies within The Department of Art and Art Professions. The Department offers graduate degrees in Studio Art, Art Education, Art Therapy, Visual Arts Administration, and Visual Culture with concentrations in Costume Studies and Folk Art Studies. Undergraduate programs are offered in Studio Art and Art Education. A major goal of the department is to provide a stimulating educational environment where individuals with diverse artistic concerns can meet. Such an environment mirrors the pluralistic, international nature of the contemporary New York art community and allows for the exchange of different perspectives at the center of the art world.

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Curriculum

54 points of course work are required for graduation. Courses are offered on a rotating basis so that part-time students can finish the program in three years. Students take entry level MBA Courses at the Stern School of Business and fulfill nine to twelve credits of internships with a range of sponsors including galleries, museums, and other arts organizations. The program sequence is determined by advisement and tailored to the needs of each individual student.

    I. Core Courses (required, each 3 points) 9 points
    Audience Development
    Information Systems for the Visual Arts
    Law and the Visual Arts
    II.A. Non-Profit Concentration (required, each 3 points)
    Urban Development & Visual Arts
    Strategic Planning and Governance Development for the Visual Arts
    Principles and Practices in Visual Arts Administration
    II.B. For-Profit Concentration (required, each 3 points) 12 points
    Art Collecting
    Exhibition Design
    Visual Arts Markets
    Appraisal and Valuation of Art
    III. Business Courses (required, each 3 points) 9 points
    Financial Accounting
    Managing Organizational Behavior
    Marketing Concepts & Strategies
    IV. Internships (required, each 3 points) 9-12 points
    Internship in Art
    V. Thesis (required)
    Thesis Seminar: Visual Arts Administration 2 points
    Final Project 1 point
    VI. Electives (each 3 points) 12-15 points
    The Fine Art Auction House
    Art Education and Museums
    Introduction to Galleries and Museums
    Corporate Art Programs
    Function & Structure of Museums
    Art in Alternative Spaces
    The Artist's Career
    Corporate Development
    People in Visual Arts Organizations
    Appraisal and Valuation of Art
    Documentation & the Visual Arts
    Art Since 1945
    Contemporary Art
    The History of Taste
    Decorative Arts of the 18th , 19th or 20th Century
    Art Theory and Criticism

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Admissions

Applications for admission to the program and financial aid information should be requested from:

    New York University
    School of Education, Office of Graduate Admissions
    Pless Hall, Room 22
    82 Washington Square East
    New York, NY 10003
    Telephone: (212) 998-5030 Facsimile: (212) 995-4328
    E-Mail Address: ed.gradadmissions@nyu.edu

Follow the instructions outlined by the School of Education Graduate Admissions Office for filing your application. Your application, transcripts and other necessary material should be sent directly to the above address, along with three letters of recommendation, preferably from both academic and professional sources, and a current resume.

In order to be considered for admission to the program, applicants must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 and a strong art history background as well as appropriate internship and/or work experience. Applicants must telephone the Department of Art and Art Professions to arrange for a personal interview, or if this is not possible, they must make an appointment for a telephone interview.

International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 600 in order to apply to the program. Upon arrival at New York University, accepted applicants will be tested by the American Language Institute and must qualify for level 84 of instruction. For additional information regarding the program please call or write directly to:

    Professor Sandra Lang, Director
    Visual Arts Administration Program
    Department of Art & Art Professions
    Barney Building, 34 Stuyvesant Street, 3rd Floor
    New York, NY 10003
    Telephone: (212) 998-5700 Facsimile: (212) 995-4320

For general information pertaining to admission see the current School of Education Bulletin.

The Visual Arts Administration Program seeks to enroll up to twenty-five students each academic year. Admission is for the Fall semester only.