Minor in Arts Entrepreneurship and Curatorial Studies
The minor in Arts Entrepreneurship and Curatorial Studies, which is open to all majors, offers hands-on, practical field experience to propel you toward careers as a professional artist, curator, designer, illustrator, researcher, leader of non-profit and community arts organization, or creative entrepreneur.
This minor explores the current hybrid nature of arts-related careers (e.g. careers as curators, artists, entrepreneurs, administrators, etc.) and supports the values and realities behind the impulse to address the professional synthesis of arts administration, exhibition making, scholarship, production and marketing.
Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship gives you a competitive edge in the art world because it offers hands-on, real-world work experience and project-based learning. Through apprenticeships, you will utilize the information learned in such courses as Seminar: Make an Exhibition, Exploring Art in Philadelphia, Exploring Entrepreneurship in the Arts, Contemporary Curatorial Practices, Art History, and The Artist and the Exhibition: Gallery Practicum.
Featured Courses
Arts Leadership and Management
Required Course
Explore topics related to arts and culture leadership and management. Course content focuses on practical skills necessary for careers as professional artists, curators, administrators, and leaders of arts and culture organizations. Study administrative principles, program development, practical applications, and trends in the current arts and cultural environment. Explore other topics, including principles of nonprofit management and structures, concise business writing, grant writing, demographics research, fundraising, arts education, ethical practice in community-based arts programs, marketing, communications, and leadership styles. The course will include established and emerging arts leaders as key guest speakers. US284 - Credits 4.00
Entrepreneurship/Gallery Apprenticeship
Required Course
As a student apprentice, you will gain practical working experience in the major studio area or related gallery field. Work with an apprenticeship mentor, combine your apprentice work with your academic studies to gain hands-on experience to advance their individual educational and career objectives. Possibilities include placements with artists or with individuals involved in galleries, museums, art institutions, art collectives, design firms. It is your responsibility to arrange for the apprenticeship and faculty support. Requires 100 hours for 2 credits, 200 hours for 4 credits. A maximum of 8 credit hours permitted. Prerequisites: permission of the major adviser and applicable apprenticeship coordinator, and course work for the particular field of study must be completed prior to signing up for apprenticeships. FA378 - Credits 2.00
Art History/Curatorial Apprenticeship
Required Course
Gain practical working experience in the major art historical area or related curatorial field. Work with an apprenticeship mentor. Combine your apprentice work with your academic studies to gain hands-on experience to advance your individual educational and career objectives. Possibilities include placements with art historians, curators, or with individuals involved in galleries, museums, art institutions, art collectives, and art publications. It is your responsibility to arrange for the apprenticeship and faculty support. Requires 100 hours for 2 credits, 200 hours for 4 credits. A maximum of 8 credit hours permitted. Prerequisites: permission of the major adviser and applicable apprenticeship coordinator, and course work for the particular field of study must be completed prior to signing up for apprenticeships. AH378 - Credits 2.00
Entrepreneurship in the Arts
Required Course
In this course, you will explore the relationship between art making and entrepreneurship with an active focus on self-discovery. The course is organized into three units. Each of these units works toward experiential, integrative learning through case studies and presentations, which manifest course concepts and examined innovations. “I: Models” includes a historical and visual survey of entrepreneurship in the arts, including visual, theoretical, and quantitative analyses of artist/entrepreneur case studies, real world guests, online resources, and videos. In “II: Creative Notions: Philosophies/ Ethics/ Commerce,” you will address the questions and concepts raised in the process of blending art with commodity. In “III: Practice: Business Planning for a Creative Enterprise,” you will carry out a practical application of course concepts, using both visual and quantitative reasoning in your arts-entrepreneurial business plan development. US280
Seminar: Make an Exhibition
Required Course
Experience the focused, in-depth study of a seminar with the applied learning of a practicum. Over the semester, you will work with other students to create an exhibition in one of the campus galleries. In the first half of the course, you will learn about the art you are tasked with exhibiting through assigned readings, independent research, field trips, and guest speakers. Explore best practices in the curation, collections management, educational programming, marketing, and installation of visual art exhibitions. Use the knowledge and skills you have acquired to collaboratively create an art exhibition on campus. Prerequisites: 100-level Art History course or instructor’s permission. 200-level Art History course or work experience with the Arcadia University Gallery program (especially, Contemporary Curatorial Practice and/or The Artist and the Exhibition: Gallery Practicum) recommended. AH327 - Credits 4.00
Requirements
Credits
Students who want to minor in Arts Entrepreneurship and Curatorial Studies should consult with the Department Chair. BFA and BA. Art and Design majors can only double count two courses when completing this minor. The remainder of the requirements for the minor must be completed in addition to the requirements for the BA or BFA degrees in Studio Art, Art History, Scientific Illustration and Art Therapy. (23 credits)
One of the following Art History courses (4 credits)
- AH 111 Western Art: Renaissance to Modern
- AH 112 Western Art: Prehistory to Medieval
One of the following Studio Art courses (3 credits)
- FA 102 Studio Art Foundations I (3 credits)
- FA 103 Studio Art Foundations II (3 credits)
- FA 104 Drawing I (3 credits)
Three of the following courses (12 credits)
- AH 323 Contemporary Curatorial Practices
- AH 327 Seminar: Make an Exhibition
- FA 229 The Artist and the Exhibition: Gallery Practicum
- US 250 Exploring Art in Philadelphia
- US 280 Exploring Entrepreneurship in the Arts
- US 284 Arts Leadership and Management
Apprenticeship (4 Credits)
Through careful faculty advising of students, apprenticeships are always tailored to individual interests. You can do one 4 credit or two 2 credit apprenticeships: FA 378: Entrepreneurship/Gallery Apprenticeship and/or AH 378: Art History/Curatorial Apprenticeship. It is the student’s responsibility to seek out advice from the AECS advisor and to help arrange for apprenticeships and faculty support. Note: Only the 4 credit versions of AH 378 and FA 378 have a VL designation.
You can apprentice with artists, art historians, curators, galleries, museums, non-profits, art collectives, community organizations, art publications, and more.
Prerequisites
Permission of the major adviser and applicable apprenticeship coordinator are required, and course work for the particular field of study must be completed prior to signing up for apprenticeships.. Example 1: a student signing up for an apprenticeship with a curator should first complete AH 323 Contemporary Curatorial Practices. Example 2: a student signing up for an apprenticeship with a studio artist should first complete US 280 Exploring Entrepreneurship in the Arts. Prerequisites for each type of apprenticeship are listed below in parentheses.
- FA 378 Entrepreneurship/Gallery Apprenticeship (2 or 4 credits) Prerequisites
- Apprenticeship with a studio artist, designer, illustrator, or similar: US 280 Exploring Entrepreneurship in the Arts or US 284 Arts and Culture Leadership and Management
- Apprenticeship with a gallery, museum, or similar: FA 229 The Artist and the Exhibition: Gallery Practicum or AH 327 Seminar: Make an Exhibition
- AH 378 Art History/Curatorial Apprenticeship (2 or 4 credits) Prerequisites
- Apprenticeship with a curator, conservator, or similar: AH 323 Contemporary Curatorial Practices
- Apprenticeship with an art historian or similar: AH 111 Western Art: Renaissance to Modern Art or AH 112 Western Art: Prehistory to Medieval
