Select one of the options below:
Learn to help the creative economy thrive with specialized training in arts management and administration, including:
Apply the practical skill set and leadership methods you learn to your position in the arts. Customize the program to fit your interests based on the elective courses you choose.
Discover how visual and performing arts help community building, civic development, and entrepreneurial art careers. Become an advocate for the arts and transform them for the benefit of all.
Earn your graduate certificate from a respected, regionally accredited public research university in Colorado without traveling to a campus. Balance your academic studies with your personal obligations as you build career-applicable knowledge. Fit your advanced education into your life.
Transfer coursework into the Master of Arts Leadership and Cultural Management program after formal admission per University transfer policies. Note: Successful completion of the courses or certificate does not guarantee admission to the degree program.
Demand continues to grow for leadership opportunities in creative industries.
Advance your career in areas such as:
Job titles may include:
Learn from academic practitioners who are highly published scholars and researchers. Faculty work for, lead, and consult with many arts agencies. Blending academic and industry knowledge allows students to see how theory can be applied to real-world issues faced by professionals in the industry today.
Faculty strive to help students meet their educational goals through community, creativity, and collaborative strategies that are complemented by a strong mentoring pedagogy.
Dr. Michael Seman is an assistant professor of arts management at Colorado State University where he is also the director of the Arts Management program. Michael’s work examines issues in the creative economy, most recently the economic, cultural, and social impacts of music venues. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, CNN, and regional media outlets often seek Michael’s perspective and insights. His work is published in various academic journals, edited volumes, CityLab, and most recently by the Brookings Institution; he has also co-authored music and film strategies and creative economy reports for the City of Denver and the State of Colorado. Michael also created the Music Venue Economic Impact Calculator for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). He previously managed daytime programming for two music festivals in Denton, Texas and spent several years as an internal marketing executive at Creative Artists Agency in Beverly Hills, California. He is represented by the Creative Class Group for speaking engagements.
Emelie Borello is an instructor at Colorado State University for the LEAP Institute for the Arts, as well as a recent graduate from LEAP Master’s program. She has a strong background in management, human resources, and project planning as well as a decade of experience as a director and designer in the local Fort Collins community theatre. In addition to teaching, Emelie is working to create collaborative arts projects within the community, and looking toward pursing a doctoral program in sociology of arts and celebration in the near future.
Zhanna Gurvich is an award-winning designer and painter who has designed for theatre, dance, opera, and film at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Joyce Theatre, Chautauqua Opera, and the Juilliard Theatre. Ms. Gurvich’s favorite designs include Radiance for Axial Theatre Co., Hello and Goodbye for Rattlestick Theatre, Ladies in Retirement and Chaos Theory for Pulse Ensemble Theatre, The Most Dangerous Room in the House for The Susan Marshall Dance Company, Tears for Violetta and Tierra del Nadie for Ballet Hispanico, The Seagull, Man and Superman, and Three Sisters for Juilliard, In the Air and La Llorona for Stageplays Theatre, Hansel and Gretel for Chautauqua Opera, Ping Pong Diplomacy, Havana Bourgeoisie, and Billboard for Reverie Productions, and Luck for Epic Rep. Ms. Gurvich received an HOLA Award for Outstanding Set Design for her work on La Llorona. She has painted for Scenic Art Studios, Goodspeed Opera House, Virginia Opera, Dallas Theatre Center, Mannes Opera, and The Mint Theatre Company, including critically acclaimed portraits for Mary Broome and a mural for Black Snow. Ms Gurvich is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 and holds a B.F.A. in Studio Art from Clark University, as well as an M.F.A. in Stage Design from Southern Methodist University, with a concentration in scenery and lighting design.
David's 35-year career in the arts and business has been fueled by his education in music, painting, and chemistry. He's managed consumer brands in the artist's products category, serving as Director of Marketing for Winsor+Newton and then Brand Director for Liquitex. In 2000, his book, What Every Artist Needs to Know About Paints and Colors, was published by Krause. Over the last 15 years, he’s served as Publisher for the largest media brands in the fine art-making and crafting categories, most recently as Senior Vice President/Group Publisher with F+W Media managingThe Artist’s Magazine, American Artist, Watercolor Artist, Interweave Knits, Love of Quilting and, online, ArtistsNework.com, ArtistsNetwork.TV, QuiltingDaily.com and Interweave.com and more.
Through it all he's continued to paint and he just finished a project with the Central City Opera as "Painter in Residence" for their 2021 season. In 2020, he left the corporate media world and launched a number of art-making initiatives, a new marketing services group called Pyle Creative Studio, and a series of educational resources for the art and science community.
Jack has worked in the performing arts for over 24 years. During that time he has been an artist, and advocate, a tour manager, a festival producer, a venue director, and worn countless other hats. Jack received his BFA in Acting with a minor in dance and a concentration in music from Long Island University at CW Post. Jack has received multiple awards for his performance work both professionally and academically. He received his MPA in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University. As an advocate, Jack served as Vice President of Programming for the Georgia Arts Network, the state’s official arts advocacy organization. Jack has served as a juror on programming committees for the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies, Georgia Presenters, and the Southern Arts Federation’s Performing Arts Exchange. Jack’s interests include multi-disciplinary collaboration, event management-safety and security, advocacy, and performing arts programming. Jack is a member of Actor’s Equity of America, Americans for the Arts, the International Association of Venue Managers, and the Western Arts Alliance. Jack currently provides administrative, artistic, and operational leadership to The Lincoln Center, a multi-venue events facility and Northern Colorado’s largest performing arts presenter.
Jill has 25 years of experience in the public arts and culture sector. From 2003 to 2016, Jill was the Director of Cultural Services for the City of Fort Collins. In this role, she spearheaded Fort Collins’ first Cultural Plan and nominated the City for the 2011 Governor’s Arts Award, which the community received. She was proud to direct the Department’s two largest capital projects: the $8.4 million renovation of the Lincoln Center and the $27 million public/private partnership that is the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.
Jill has facilitated large vision-oriented projects, like master plans and community cultural plans, but also enjoys the personal aspects of team building and board development. Jill shares her experience with others as an adjunct faculty member at the LEAP Institute for the Arts at Colorado State University and at Front Range Community College. She teaches courses in arts management and museum studies and learns as much from her students as they do from her. Jill also engages with her local community through activities like presenting at Start-Up Week.
Jill has a bachelor’s degree in fine art from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in art history and museum studies from the University of Denver. She is certified through the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) in planning effective public participation processes.
Note: You must be admitted into this program for the graduate certificate to appear on your official University transcript.
Select 6 credits from the following:
Total Credits: 12
| Fall: | July 15 |
| Spring: | December 15 |
Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.
Apply NowTo be considered for admission, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in any major from an accredited 4-year college or university, with a 3.0 GPA or higher, and must complete a graduate certificate application. International applicants must meet minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores. Applicants must submit the following:
Note: Meeting the minimum requirements does not ensure admission to the certificate program.
Prepare the materials below and upload when you apply online.
Complete the online graduate application and pay the nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online). As soon as you have completed the required information, please submit your application. Your application will not be reviewed until it is complete and all required materials have been received.
Request one official transcript from the institution where you earned your bachelor’s degree. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Official transcripts can either be mailed in or sent as e-transcripts.
Send e-transcripts to:gradadmissions@colostate.edu
Send paper copies to:
Graduate Admissions
Colorado State University – Office of Admissions
1062 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1062
View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.
Once your complete application, including supporting materials, is received, the department admission committee will review your application and notify you of their decision.
Proof of English language proficiency is required for applicants from countries or United States territories where there are official languages other than (or in addition to) English. This includes the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.
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