Arts management, society and creative entrepreneurship, master

Why choose us?

As a student in our master’s programme, you will be part of the acclaimed Finnish education system, gaining new perspectives on the evolving fields of arts and culture. In your daily life as a student, you will feel the care and attention we provide all students in our community. You will study in exceptional facilities and have tools to connect digitally with partners across the globe. 

Our programme is international and taught in English. You will have the chance to meet and learn from world-class experts and academics from all over the world. Our students develop networks with colleagues and professionals in Finland and internationally. After graduation, you will have diverse work opportunities in leading positions in the public, private and third sectors. You will also be well prepared to work as an entrepreneur in the creative sector.

Content and objective of the programme

Studies in arts management, society and creative entrepreneurship include major courses in the following areas: arts and society, cultural policy, strategic management and leadership, creative and cultural entrepreneurship, as well as arts management research and methodologies. We also give our students tools for personal professional development. 

Optional courses provide students with diverse opportunities to learn more about the following topics: current issues in arts management, festival and event management, curating, production and co-creation, cultural heritage, popular culture, cultural project management and the music business. Students can also earn credits by participating in professional projects, internships and work placements. 

Our students also have the opportunity to take courses from other departments within the Sibelius Academy, other Uniarts Helsinki faculties, and different universities. 

An integral part of the study programme is a field trip that we organise to visit leading international arts organisations. It is usually a 7–10-day visit to a location chosen by the students. During the visit, students have the opportunity to meet, speak and share ideas with top-level arts managers and professionals. 

Our master’s programme provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the fields of arts and culture with critical perspectives and relevant theoretical concepts. Moreover, students will be equipped with the practical skills and knowledge needed for a career in arts management. 

After graduating, students can work in leading positions in the fields of arts and culture. Our alumni work, for example, as producers and managers in art and research organisations. They are involved in cultural planning and policy, and even audience development. Many graduates also work as entrepreneurs. 

New curriculum to be launched

Our curriculum is currently being updated. Teaching according to the new curriculum will start in autumn 2024. Please keep this in mind when browsing the current curriculum.

Lecturers

The department head is responsible for the programme and the teaching staff are responsible for the supervision of master’s theses and dissertations. Top-level lecturers from Finland and abroad that are experts in their respective fields regularly visit the programme. These guest lecturers serve as vital links to working life and help students to broaden their professional networks during their studies. Below is a list of just some of the experts who have taught with us: 

• Franco Bianchini (Professor, University of Hull, UK)
• Lidia Varbanova (Expert from Canada)
• Arjo Klamer (Professor, Rotterdam University, Holland)
• Chris Keulemans (Art Director, Amsterdam, Holland)
• Timo Cantell (Head of Research Department, City of Helsinki, Finland)
• Sakarias Sokka (Cupore, Finland)
• Corina Suteu (Former Minister of Culture, Romania)
• Rachel Roberts (Eastman School of Music, USA)
• Aleksandr Brkic (Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK)
• Daniel Knapp (Stagecraft Entertainment, Germany)
• Francois Colbert (HÈC Montréal, Canada)
• Maria Hirvi-Ijäs (Cupore, Finland)
• Dennis Rich (Columbia College, Chicago, USA)
• Eero Tolppanen (Elements Music, Finland)
• Rodney Trapp (Harlem Dance Theatre, USA)
• Hannu Ojala (Aalto University, Finland)
• Kevin Kleinmann (Sorbonne University, France)
• Llúis Bonet (University of Barcelona, Spain)

Arts management 25th anniversary week in 2022

In 2022, our department celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Applying

The programme admits approximately 15 new students every two years.

Bachelor’s degree holders who have some work experience in arts management can apply. The programme demands an adequate knowledge of the English language, which must be demonstrated by the successful completion of one of the common language tests.

The application process includes two stages. In the first phase, applicants are asked to submit their CV and a covering letter explaining why they wish to join the programme. A limited number of applicants are invited to the second phase, which consists of an entrance exam and a personal interview.

Apply through the Open University

You can also apply to the master’s programme in arts management, society and creative entrepreneurship by first completing a minimum of 20 credits of arts management studies at the Uniarts Helsinki Open University.

Bachelor’s programme in cultural music research

We have launched a new bachelor’s programme in cultural music studies at the Seinäjoki unit of Uniarts Helsinki. At the core of the programme is an effort to understand the multidimensionality of the music and culture industry and its social and ecological interactions. This programme is in Finnish.

Doctoral studies

A master’s degree in arts management, society and creative entrepreneurship qualifies students for doctoral studies. These studies focus on thorough empirical and interdisciplinary research in current arts management and leadership topics.

Programme background

The international and interdisciplinary arts management master’s programme was established in 1997 at the Sibelius Academy.

Already in 1991, Osmo Palonen, the founder of the master’s programme, started offering shorter courses on different topics for Finnish arts professionals. The visionary thinking of Palonen, alongside the brave decisions of the academy’s management, have brought us to where we are today. In 2022 we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Department of Arts Management.

During this time, many people have put a lot of effort and energy into keeping the programme relevant, and we are very grateful to the former and current heads of department: Osmo Palonen, Tuomas Auvinen, Samu Forsblom, Timo Cantell, Patrick Furu, Tanja Johansson and Violeta Simjanovska. 

Since the beginning, the ideology behind the arts management master’s programme has been to produce arts management professionals who would bring artists, audience and society together in a meaningful way that enriches people’s lives.  

During these 25 years, the world has changed tremendously. Our master’s programme has always tried to address these changes and adapt to the current needs of arts professionals. 

Today, we have a programme that reflects and engages with current issues in the arts management field, but also contributes to relevant academic knowledge and research. The renewed programme that started in 2021 focuses, in particular, on the relationship between the arts and society with an emphasis on the importance of creative entrepreneurship. The programme addresses, in particular, the relationships between art, ecology, social justice and sustainability as well as digitalisation.