As neighborhoods and towns are adapting to socially distanced community gatherings, arts administrators are being called on to serve as rapid responders in creatively rethinking public use of...

Dee Boyle-Clapp, Director of Arts Extension Service welcomes you to Fall 2020 semester.

As internships opportunities adapt to remote experiences, more options are now available for students and providers. Kristen Flanagan, AES student, talks with Rachael, AES marketing intern, and student, about the variety of arts organizations she has connected with while at UMass.

The arts have the power to promote change, strengthen our communities, and help us reclaim our voices. When we participate in arts-related programs, such as visiting museums and watching performances, we are not just witnessing the ideas presented by artists, but also encountering the work of arts managers who have shaped and supported these cultural experiences. Learn about the ten top reasons why taking Arts Extension Service’s courses will not only add to your professional capabilities but deepen and strengthen the love you have for art.

An internship is the perfect introduction to the career students want to pursue. They provide opportunities for students to build their resumes and to learn in an experiential setting while testing their interests in the field. The AES Arts Entrepreneurship Initiative and HFA Advising and Career Center, encourage students to complete at least three internships before graduation to gain experience before heading out to the job market. In these past few months, many arts and humanities organizations have been adjusting to the current climate and shifting how they provide internships. Like so many other industries, some immediately pivoted their internships online this past March when the COVID-19 emergency surfaced, while others are now planning for their next steps to relaunch their opportunities in the fall.

The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others, along with the demands for racial justice across the country have underscored just how deep inequity, unchecked police brutality, and systemic racism have permeated our culture. Inequity is clearly very much alive in America, as is the desire to use this moment to create an equitable future. Now is the time to understand how inequities have been perpetuated in and addressed by the arts. The mural of George Floyd and the images shown in this summer's protests underscore the power of the arts and reveal how critical it is for prospective arts managers, artists, and those interested in joining the field, to come to grips with these issues and learn how to address them to create lasting change.