Join George Mason’s Master of Arts in Arts Management program for an exciting course in BERLIN, Germany’s cultural and political capital!!

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to:

• Meet with leaders of the top arts organizations in Berlin to learn how the non-profit arts are managed in Germany.
• Talk with key policymakers and funders about how the arts are funded.
• Learn about Berlin’s developing creative economy and tour housing projects designed especially for artists.
• See dance, theater, opera and orchestra performances in one of the biggest arts capitals in Europe.
• Tour both new and historic museums and monuments in this ever-changing city!

The course, taught by MAM Arts Policy professor Beth Bienvenu with assistance from Mathilde Speier, begins with an overview of U.S. and German arts policy, and meetings with arts organizations in the DC Metro area.  Students will then fly to Berlin for two weeks to meet with the leaders of Germany’s top arts organizations. 

Students will compare American and German arts management and policy through interviews with arts leaders in both countries, focusing on the impact of funding and the government's role in promoting, defining, & censoring art.  Site visits and interviews will be complemented by tours & performances in Berlin, where participants will have unparalleled access to Germany’s top museums, orchestras, opera companies, dance companies, theaters, funding agencies, and other organizations dedicated to supporting artists and building Berlin’s creative economy.

The U.S. portion of the program takes place starting June 7 (class meetings will take place June 7, 14 and 18), and we will be in Berlin June 22 – July 5, 2008. The final project will be due July 17.

This course can be taken for either 3 or 6 credits for the same price.  Students who enroll in the 6-credit course will participate in all of the activities and assignments of the 3-credit course, but will also conduct additional intensive research and investigation into a topic related to German/American arts and cultural policy.  This project will include both scholarly research and interviews with key arts organizations in Germany and/or the U.S (due July 31). 

Please join us for what will be a very exciting time in Berlin!

Course syllabus - Please click here to download the syllabus as PDF.

Program Fee: $3400— ($3,450 non-Mason) This fee includes: tuition (3 or 6 credits), hotel accommodation, some excursions, an International Student Identity Card, a travel guidebook, Emergency evacuation insurance, a pre-departure orientation (mandatory session on Saturday, May 3), and administrative & organizational services in the US and overseas.  International airfare not included. Minimum of 8 participants.

CGE reserves the right to make changes and raise the program fee in light of currency fluctuations or  any other unforseen circumstances. This flyer was published on 1/31/08.

July 24 -31, 2005 -  Paris, France

A past opportunity for Arts Management students was a semester abroad in Paris, France. Below are comments from two of the students who participated in this program.

The trip to Paris was a tremendous opportunity to observe and investigate French art institutions and their management. We toured Versailles, the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, the Rodin Museum, Centre Pompidou, the Picasso Museum, Musee de la Musique and the Opera Garnier. In addition to these tours, we immersed ourselves in exploring the artistic ambiance that permeates the city's bridges, streets, churches, parks, monuments and public spaces. The comparison between French and American cultural sensibilities and art presentation added a depth to my Arts Management studies that will certainly enhance my view of arts management in the future.  The trip to Paris was truly an opportunity of a lifetime, not only to have the privilege of visiting a city of such cultural significance, but also to share the adventure with fellow Arts Management students whose enthusiasm, energy and curiosity made the trip that much more meaningful.

~Kathy Beyer

...The trip to Paris by some of the Arts Management students was really a wonderful experience: 10 days in the City of Lights. Nine of us, including Dr. Brindle, saw Versaille, the Louvre, The Musee D'Orsay, the top of the Eiffel Tower, the Picasso Museum, the Rodin Museum, the Pompidou Arts Centre, the Paris Opera House, and so much more! It was wonderful to see how Parisian arts organizations work, and the city itself was breathtaking.