When we talk to students and professionals about the Certificate in Arts Management available to them through the Arts Extension Service here at UMass Amherst, we tell them it is a “value add” to their degree or their career. Joining our program from arts backgrounds such as Theatre, Dance, and Music; humanities disciplines like English, Art History, and Film Studies; or adjacent programs such as Public Policy and BDIC (Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration) – we encourage our students to consider how a Certificate in Arts Management can support their future endeavors and enhance the toolkit they are carrying out from their college experience.

The Arts Extension Service held the first Women in Arts Leadership Symposium (WALS) on October 27th, 2018. Nearly one hundred arts professionals, five college students, and nationally recognized speakers gathered to crack open the conversation about what women recognize as the barriers to their leadership in the arts, and how these barriers can be mitigated and broken down. The tone of the day was one of building community and mutual effort to uplift each other, while at the same time acknowledging that women’s experiences vary and the systemic oppression of women and non-binary people of color must be tackled in concert with gender equity.

Are you an artist curious about creating public art or art for social change projects with your community? Join the UMass Arts Extension Service (AES) for a free, evening-long Community Engagement for Artists Workshop this fall (pre-registration required). Learn about the innovative community-engaged art projects happening nationwide, best practices, and the skills required to create an art project that engages your community.

When asked what motivated me to pursue a degree in Arts Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an internship at Smithsonian Exhibits, my thoughts turn to my grandfather, Benedict J. Fernandez. A dyslexic Italian-Puerto Rican man from Harlem with no degree or a stable family to lean on while growing up, my grandfather became an icon of the arts and an inspiration to individuals around the globe, all because of his persistence.

“The case studies are the best part of the Arts Extension Service courses! Having hands-on experience with an actual organization is incredibly helpful.” – AES Student

I was a little kid when the first Earth Day launched and feeling responsible for protecting the planet was forever ingrained. As a result, there has always been a split between my personal desire to live lightly and preparing students to be arts managers in a field that is a significant consumer of power for buildings, travel, art creation, and programming. As the effects of climate change have descended upon us, and because we have dragged our national and international feet, we now face an astonishing challenge: every individual at every job, campus, and organization worldwide has to reduce its carbon footprint by 80% in order to provide a chance for a livable future for future generations. No, that is not a typo. 80%. Impossible you say? Not if we get moving now! Fortunately, making substantive change is not that complicated, and sustainable practices include no-cost solutions as well as high tech investments.