Arts and Heritage Management from Coursera

Today cultural institutions are facing important dilemmas in many aspects of their management. Over the past decades, a new figure has emerged that of the art manager.

Imagine you went to work every day to connect artists with audiences, vision with reality, and money with a mission. That is what managers in the arts do, they play an essential role in transforming the minds, lives, and communities through creative expression.

This course has been conceptualized to address the need of skills and techniques to help professionals and managers in running art and cultural institutions.

Learning Objectives

There are three objectives to this course. First, we will approach the biggest issue cultural institutions face, the coexistence of managers and curators and giving evidence as to when, how, and why they can get along. Second, we will focus on some contemporary facets on what is means to manage a cultural institution and what cultural managers should expect and be able to face. And lastly, we will provide models and tools to design and implement appropriate courses of action to satisfy customers (visitors and audiences) and build an advantage over the competition.

Course Structure

The course is divided into six sections. Five sections are dedicated to specific aspects and themes of managing cultural institutions, while the sixth section is dedicated to individual interviews of prominent cultural institution managers on specific topics. The involvement of professionals and managers gives an incredible value to the learning experience of this course.

Each module is paired with a quiz and discussion forums to reflect on the variety of the heritage management, its complexity, and the power of the network that we will build together during the course.

Successful completion of the quizzes is required for a course certificate as explained in the Grading Policy page.

If you love art and want to make an impact in this unique and fantastic sector, this course will support you in understanding the peculiarities of this sector and how to leverage on its tools to make a bigger impact.

Look forward to meeting you online!

Acknowledgements:

Vatican Museums: www.museivaticani.va

Cenacolo Vinciano:

www.beniculturali.it/mibac/export/MiBAC/sito-MiBAC/Contenuti/MibacUnif/Eventi/visualizza_asset.html_1283837989.html (ITA)

FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano): eng.fondoambiente.it

MUVE (Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia): www.visitmuve.it

The National Trust: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

The Archeological Site of Paestum: www.museopaestum.beniculturali.it whc.unesco.org/en/list/842

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Florence): www.museumflorence.com

Museo del Violino: www.museodelviolino.org

_________________________________

Disclaimer - Since some of the videos are conducted with those whose native language is not English, we have decided to sometimes preserve their more emphatic speech to keep a tighter match between the audio and subtitles.

What's inside

Syllabus

CURATORSHIP Vs. MANAGEMENT

Curators & Managers: What do art and heritage need? How do products generate value for the customer and how so those customers value these products and their quality.

HERITAGE AND THE MARKETPLACE: A DELICATE EQUILIBRIUM

"Art for art's sake." Does it still work? How important is the role of visitors to a museum or an audience in a theatre for defining an institution's cultural offering?

EMOTIONS Vs. RATIOS: HEDONIC CONSUMPTION AND THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE

How do consumers and visitors make their choice? How does the environment have an effect on consumers' behavior? How can consumers and visitors be leveraged to co-create experiences? Learning how emotions and reasons interact in the process on art consumption is fundamental to manage a cultural institution more effectively and ensure its long-term sustainability.

BRANDING HERITAGE TO BUILD LOYALTY

Consumers and visitors' loyalty is one of the most pressing issues for today's art institutions. Thanks to technology and globalization, visitors have access to more information and choices, thus they are less inclined to stick with just one brand. What are the best ways to enforce brand loyalty and retain visitors while attracting new ones?

THE NUMBERS HERITAGE NEEDS TO GROW

Art institutions must implement a sustainable plan. In order to do such, they need to leverage on data, numbers, and information. What are the most important aspects to focus on in order to run a sustainable and competitive art institution?

MEET THE MANAGERS

Hear what managers have to share about how they deal with the main topics of this field: A collection of best practices told directly from the people responsible for these success cases.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

This course explores the role of art managers in transforming the minds, lives, and communities through creative expression

Taught by Andrea Rurale, an expert in the field of art management

Provides models and tools to design and implement appropriate courses of action to satisfy customers and build an advantage over the competition

Examines the coexistence of managers and curators and giving evidence as to when, how, and why they can get along

Addresses the need of skills and techniques to help professionals and managers in running art and cultural institutions

Disclaimer: Some videos are conducted with those whose native language is not English, so emphatic speech has been preserved for a tighter match between the audio and subtitles

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Arts and Heritage Management with these activities:

Volunteer at a cultural institution

Show steps

Gain practical experience and contribute to the community.

Show steps

Find a volunteer opportunity
Apply for the position
Volunteer at the cultural institution

Watch a video tutorial on fundraising for cultural institutions

Show steps

Develop your fundraising skills and learn about writing successful grant proposals.

Browse courses on Fundraising

Show steps

Watch the video tutorial

Review museum terminology

Show steps

Start building a strong foundation of museum vocabulary to prepare for and excel in this course

Show steps

Create a list of essential museum-related terms
Review and memorize the definitions of each term
Practice using the terms in written sentences

Nine other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all 12 activities

Read 'The Culture Map: Breaking Through Cultural Barriers to Build Global Success'

Show steps

Gain insights into the cultural differences that managers need to understand to succeed in the global art market.

View HBR's 10 Must Reads on Building a Great Culture... on Amazon

Show steps

Read Chapter 1
Summarize the key insights
Discuss the implications for managing cultural institutions

Practice managing a team of cultural professionals

Show steps

Develop your management skills and practice managing a team of cultural professionals.

Browse courses on Cultural Management

Show steps

Facilitate a team meeting
Manage a project timeline

Attend a workshop on cultural heritage preservation

Show steps

Develop your skills in cultural heritage preservation and learn about new techniques.

Browse courses on Cultural Heritage

Show steps

Learn about new techniques
Attend the workshop
Practice preserving cultural heritage

Participate in online heritage management tutorials

Show steps

Follow tutorials to learn about heritage management topics and current best practices

Show steps

Explore websites and online platforms that offer heritage management tutorials
Identify tutorials that cover relevant topics
Engage deeply with the tutorials by watching videos, completing exercises, and participating in discussions

Write an essay on the role of art and culture in society

Show steps

Develop your critical thinking skills and write an essay on the role of art and culture in society.

Browse courses on Cultural Anthropology

Show steps

Brainstorm
Research
Write the essay

Develop a marketing plan for a cultural institution

Show steps

Create a comprehensive marketing plan that will attract visitors and build brand loyalty.

Browse courses on Marketing

Show steps

Conduct a SWOT analysis
Identify target audiences
Develop a creative brief
Execute the marketing plan

Design a new exhibition for a cultural institution

Show steps

Develop your design skills and create a new exhibition for a cultural institution.

Browse courses on Exhibition Design

Show steps

Develop a concept
Research and select artifacts
Design the exhibition layout
Install the exhibition

Attend a conference on cultural management

Show steps

Network with other professionals in the field and learn about new trends.

Show steps

Attend the conference
Meet new people
Learn about new trends

Develop a blog or social media account on a heritage management topic

Show steps

Develop your skills in critical thinking, writing, communication, and digital media through the creation and dissemination of your own heritage management content

Show steps

Identify a specific heritage management topic that interests you or aligns with the course curriculum
Research the topic thoroughly and gather relevant information from credible sources
Create engaging written content, such as blog posts, articles, or social media posts that present your insights, analysis, and recommendations on the chosen topic
Use relevant hashtags and keywords to increase the visibility of your content online
Share your content with others and actively engage in discussions and interactions with your audience

Career center

Learners who complete Arts and Heritage Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Curator

Curators are responsible for the care and interpretation of museum collections. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as curatorship, exhibition design, and collection management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Curator

Arts Administrator

Arts Administrators manage the day-to-day operations of cultural institutions. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as budgeting, human resources, and marketing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Arts Administrator

Museum Studies Professor

Museum Studies Professors teach and conduct research on the history, theory, and practice of museums. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as museum studies, museum education, and curatorship.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Studies Professor

Heritage Tourism Manager

Heritage Tourism Managers develop and manage tourism programs that promote cultural heritage sites and artifacts. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as tourism marketing, visitor management, and interpretation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Heritage Tourism Manager

Museum Educator

Museum Educators develop and deliver educational programs for museum visitors. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as educational programming, curriculum development, and audience engagement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Educator

Cultural Heritage Manager

Cultural Heritage Managers are responsible for the preservation and management of cultural heritage sites and artifacts. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as conservation, preservation, and interpretation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cultural Heritage Manager

Cultural Event Planner

Cultural Event Planners plan and manage cultural events, such as festivals, exhibitions, and concerts. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as event planning, marketing, and logistics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cultural Event Planner

Museum Registrar

Museum Registrars are responsible for the care and documentation of museum collections. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as collection management, exhibition design, and conservation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Registrar

Cultural Policy Analyst

Cultural Policy Analysts develop and analyze policies that affect cultural institutions. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as cultural policy, arts advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cultural Policy Analyst

Art Museum Director

Art Museum Directors lead and manage all aspects of an art museum, including its collection, exhibitions, and educational programs. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as curatorship, marketing, and fundraising.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Museum Director

Archivist

Archivists are responsible for the care and preservation of historical documents and artifacts. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as collection management, preservation, and access.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

Grant Writer

Grant Writers write grant proposals to secure funding for cultural institutions. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as fundraising, proposal writing, and budgeting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Historical Preservationist

Historical Preservationists are responsible for the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and sites. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse.

See salaries and explore the career path for Historical Preservationist

Art Consultant

Art Consultants advise clients on the purchase, sale, and management of art collections. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as market analysis, valuation, and collection management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Consultant

Art dealer

Art Dealers buy and sell art on behalf of collectors and institutions. This course may be useful for those seeking to enter this field, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the management of cultural institutions, including topics such as market analysis, valuation, and negotiation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art dealer