Anna Burklin

Anna, from Tennessee, studied vocal performance at the University of the South, where she graduated with a B.A. in Music in 2018. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Arts Management at George Mason University, where she is also the Graduate Professional Assistant and a Teaching Assistant for the Mason Arts Management Program. Anna also serves as a Hospitality Assistant at the Center for the Arts in Fairfax, VA.   

 The arts have so much to offer, to anyone in any situation. The arts can truly engage us as human beings, making us think and really react to what we encounter. In a time when the world (at least the western world) seems to be focusing on technological advancements and seeing what we can do with computers and artificial technologies, the arts really have a way of bringing us back into ourselves and our experiences in the human condition.  

I chose Arts Management at Mason because I really appreciate the fact that it’s management-based rather than administration or policy. I learned about the program from a few co-workers at the summer music festival where I worked previously, explored the program online, and found that I felt it would be a good fit. It also really helped that they offered some financial aid as well as an amazing opportunity to be the Graduate Assistant for the Program. It really was an opportunity that I could not pass up!  

I am interested in the performing arts, so I would ideally work with theatre or opera because that’s what my background is. Right now I am exploring marketing, but am also interested in advocacy and research. I am completing an internship in marketing at the Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center, and I am really exploring an advocacy mission in the Arts Advocacy, Agencies, and Associations class. Advocacy interests me because I think it’s a great way to stay very close to your passion and to be a part of deepening and expanding engagement with that.  

I know D.C. proper has so much to offer, but I really love that we have the Center for the Arts available as a resource for us, as Mason students. We students have the opportunity to receive free tickets to many performances that come to the Center for the Arts, and they bring in some really world-class performers with interesting and engaging programming.   

As of writing this, I am currently in Arts Advocacy, Agencies, and Associations, taught by Dr. Jonathan Katz. Dr. Katz has a lot of connections to arts organizations in the area, so we’ve had a lot of amazing guest speakers. I also leave the class feeling inspired to move an advocacy mission forward. Katz is a wonderful source of connections and information, so I leave class every week with tons of new information and resources, and feeling motivated.