Arts Management

The Arts Management master’s programme educates students for the growing and evolving culture industry. The programme, which is conducted in English, covers culture from dance to music and theatre to museums. After graduation, you will have work opportunities in leading  and production positions in the public, private and third sector.

After graduating from the programme, you can work in orchestral management and marketing, as a museum curator or a producer for an arts institution, and in research facilities, as well as engage in corporate collaboration, municipal and governmental research duties, event production, audience engagement, and in leadership duties for arts-related unions. Many graduates also work as entrepreneurs in self-founded record, production or publishing companies.

A master's degree also qualifies you for doctoral study in arts management that focuses on interdisciplinary and thorough empirical research of current arts management and leadership topics.

The language of the programme is English. The programme aims to prepare you to understand the structure of the art field, those who operate in it and the changing circumstances that it involves, while fostering strong skills in leadership, economy, communications, research and analytical thinking in various types of management and leadership assignments.

The studies include arts marketing, leadership, audience engagement and participation, legislation, funding and culture politics. The optional courses can include, for instance, arts entrepreneurship, intercultural communications, music business, festival management or social arts projects. You can also earn ECTS credits by participating in professional projects and in work placements. Arts management students usually have a previous degree in the arts, economics, or technology. The programme is intended to complement and incorporate previous knowledge, leadership development and networking acumen.

The student acquires skills in leadership, economy, communication and academic research, which enable him or her to act in the different fields of arts, culture and cultural industry in demanding expert and leader positions or as an entrepreneur.

The Arts Management master’s programme admits approximately 15 new students every two years. Bachelor’s degree holders who have work experience in arts management can apply. The programme also demands adequate command of the English language, which will be demonstrated by successful completion of one of the common language tests. The application process usually includes two stages.

Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki selects new students only once a year in the spring. The next application period for studies starting in the autumn of 2019 is open between 9 and 23 January 2019 (the application period ends at 3 p.m. Finnish time on the last day). 

A tuition fee is applicable to students who are not citizens of countries of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. The amount of the annual tuition fee will be 5,000 euros. The amount of the fee will stay the same for the duration of a particular student’s studies.

Exemption from tuition fees

You are exempted from paying tuition fees if you have one of the following documents:

• Passport or identity card to indicate the citizenship of EU/EEA/Switzerland
• EU Blue Card in Finland
• Continuous residence permit card in Finland, Type A permit
• EU Family Member's Residence Card in Finland
• Permanent residence permit card in Finland, Type P permit
• EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence permit card in Finland (Type P-EU)

The University of the Arts Helsinki will introduce a scholarship programme in the form of tuition fee waivers, which aims to promote student recruitment and provide financial support for students who need it. Applicants should note that the University does not offer any scholarships for living expenses. Applicants who are liable for payment must also state on the application form if they want to apply for a scholarship from the University of the Arts Helsinki to cover the annual tuition fee if they get accepted. The scholarships are granted for one academic year at a time to some of the students based on their applications. The amount of the scholarship is 2,500 or 5,000 euros.