New Xavier Arts Administration Program receives $100,000 contribution
Oct 26, 2022
The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation has contributed $100,000 to Xavier University’s new Arts Administration Program (XAAP), the area’s only undergraduate program of its kind.XAAP, a new 15-credit-hour undergraduate professional minor designed to teach students how to carry out administrative responsibilities in diverse arts organizations, is currently the only undergraduate arts administration program offered by a higher education institution in Greater Cincinnati. The program aims to develop the next generation of arts administrators by introducing students to arts and cultural organizations, by training students in best practices for arts administration, and by providing local arts and cultural organizations with a sustained and local talent pipeline.
Xavier began offering XAAP courses in August following the university’s official approval of the program as a new minor earlier this year.
The Haile Foundation’s generous contribution – approved last week by its board – will support the XAAP program endowment, a $588,000 fundraising initiative that will cover projected annual costs for: student experiential learning activities, conference travel for students, stipends for student workers, student certification in the Tessitura ticketing and customer relationship management system, an annual master class taught by nationally recognized arts managers, and free tickets to arts and cultural events throughout Greater Cincinnati for XAAP students.
“Through this program, Xavier will lead the way in training undergraduate students who will shape the Greater Cincinnati arts and cultural sector for years to come,” said Jason C. White, PhD, assistant professor of arts administration in the Department of Art at Xavier University. “XAAP will help meet the demands of a growing industry while ensuring that all students have the opportunity to excel as arts administrators by making diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility a core tenet of the program. We are so grateful for the Haile Foundation’s support of the program and integral role in furthering these efforts.”
The advent of XAAP comes amid a time of increased calls for both change and expansion in arts administration education. Arts administration has historically been an occupational field responsible for the leadership, management and sustainability of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, such as art galleries and museums, community arts and cultural centers, theater, orchestra and opera companies.
Over the last century, career and job opportunities in arts administration have expanded beyond the nonprofit sector, as these skills are now desired in creative industries such as commercial art, theater, music and film. Additionally, economic instability, demographic changes, technological change, a global pandemic, and increased calls for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility have led to emerging educational needs in the field.
To address these needs, White created XAAP in fall 2021. An accomplished researcher and educator, White is the author of the recently published book, "Innovation in the Arts," one of the co-creators of the Undergraduate Standards for Arts Administration Education (AAAE), and a founding member of the Society for Arts Entrepreneurship Education (SAEE). Prior to joining Xavier, White taught for five years in the arts management program at College of Charleston.
The establishment of XAAP will help support the economic development and sustainability of arts and cultural organizations in Greater Cincinnati and prepare students for contemporary careers in arts administration.
Learn more about the Xavier Arts Administration Program.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-longest-running Catholic university in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks Xavier as one of the best universities in the country, while The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 388 Colleges in America." Follow Xavier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.