Four Reasons to Study Arts Management in Italy

Arts management is the organization and administration of arts entities such as theaters, museums, and galleries. Like most management roles, arts management involves dealing with staff, marketing, fundraising and budgeting, PR, program development, and elements of business management. But creative arts is a special sector where a manager must deal with unique issues and challenges. And you can enjoy a more creative work atmosphere and social environment than in a lot of other industries. Let’s take a closer look at why Italy is the perfect place to study and work in the industry.

Italy is the ultimate country of the arts

If arts management appeals to you, you may well have thought about the potential of studying, living, or working in Italy.

The ‘cradle of the Renaissance’ is also one of the birthplaces of human civilization. Italy has the most Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world and is a world leader in painting, theatre, music, architecture, and of course cuisine.

Its cities are a living catalogue of techniques still used nowadays in the field

If the Renaissance was born in Italy, Florence is its heartbeat. Genre-defining artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Raphael were from Florence, and their art is well-preserved there still.

Michelangelo’s David remains on view at the Galleria dell’Accademia. It is among the many culture-defining artworks inseparable from Florence -- but which have an influence still felt the world over.

Italy welcomes a huge number of art events and festivals

But not all of Italy’s art stands still. Medieval-style pageants and tournaments bring history to life, while contemporary arts such as cinema and music -- of all varieties -- are celebrated at festivals and events.

Italy is the home of the Venice Biennale and Film Festival – one of the three most prestigious film festivals on the planet. Meanwhile, the Sicilian Summer Fest in Capaci is an extravaganza of dance, visual art, and comedy. And Tuscany hosts the Puccini Festival, an annual month-long celebration of the composer of Madame Butterfly and La Bohème.

One school is ready to welcome you: IED

All in all, Italy is more than a background to studying arts management: it’s the heart of the action.

And IED’s (Istituto Europeo di Design) Master in Arts Management makes full use of this setting, offering a unique itinerant formula that takes students on a study-tour involving the main Italian artistic cities: Florence, Venice, and Rome.

The course welcomes graduates from all over the world with a degree in humanities, art, or economics. Students benefit from IED’s collaborative partnerships with leading cultural institutions such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice) and Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi (Florence) as they develop skills and experience in the worlds of cultural management, event planning, and art direction. Unlike some other sectors, arts management offers a lot interdisciplinarity, which IED strongly promotes.

And every student will create an event with which to test their developing arts management skills, meaning you’ll return home with a bona fide Italian art event on your résumé!

Studying arts management can mean so much more than gaining a qualification. At IED, you’ll become part of the fabric of the arts and culture that you love!