Arts and Activism: Examining the relationship between activism, the institution, and the arts administrator

Abstract

This thesis examines the relationship between art institutions and activism through the eyes of artists creating work that is socially minded with a particular emphasis on determining what that means for those administrators working within art institutions. My research focused on working artists in a range of disciplines including visual art, theater, music and education. Using interviews, I try to determine any common themes or insights when it comes to terminology, experiences and advice these artists can lend to administrators. My findings emphasized the importance of leadership, staff and mission when it came to whether or not an administrator or an institution is capable of taking on activism in an artistic context. The research also found no consensus on whether or not it was possible in the first place to create socially engaged work within any institution: some interviewees thought it possible, others impossible. The research conducted also found that many interviewees agree that facilitators and administrators need to recognize their own privilege and know when to back off.M.S., Arts Administration -- Drexel University, 201