Arts and Heritage Management Course Reviews

The course is aimed at individuals who wish to develop their skills in arts and heritage management, and it is suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals.

The course begins by introducing the fundamentals of arts and heritage management, including the history of cultural heritage, the various types of cultural institutions, and the challenges facing cultural managers. It then covers topics such as strategic planning, marketing, and fundraising for arts and heritage organizations.

Throughout the course, students will learn about the importance of stakeholder engagement, the role of technology in arts and heritage management, and the legal and ethical issues related to cultural heritage management. They will also explore case studies of successful cultural institutions and learn from the experiences of professionals in the field.

By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the key principles and practices of arts and heritage management, as well as the skills and knowledge necessary to manage cultural organizations effectively.

Course Content:

Today cultural institutions are facing important dilemmas in many aspects of their management. Over the past decades, a new figure has emerged that of the art manager.

Imagine you went to work every day to connect artists with audiences, vision with reality, and money with a mission. That is what managers in the arts do, they play an essential role in transforming the minds, lives, and communities through creative expression.

This course has been conceptualized to address the need of skills and techniques to help professionals and managers in running art and cultural institutions.

Learning Objectives

There are three objectives to this course. First, we will approach the biggest issue cultural institutions face, the coexistence of managers and curators and giving evidence as to when, how, and why they can get along. Second, we will focus on some contemporary facets on what is means to manage a cultural institution and what cultural managers should expect and be able to face. And lastly, we will provide models and tools to design and implement appropriate courses of action to satisfy customers (visitors and audiences) and build an advantage over the competition.

Course Structure

The course is divided into six sections. Five sections are dedicated to specific aspects and themes of managing cultural institutions, while the sixth section is dedicated to individual interviews of prominent cultural institution managers on specific topics. The involvement of professionals and managers gives an incredible value to the learning experience of this course.

Each module is paired with a quiz and discussion forums to reflect on the variety of the heritage management, its complexity, and the power of the network that we will build together during the course.

Successful completion of the quizzes is required for a course certificate as explained in the Grading Policy page.

If you love art and want to make an impact in this unique and fantastic sector, this course will support you in understanding the peculiarities of this sector and how to leverage on its tools to make a bigger impact.

Look forward to meeting you online!

Acknowledgements:

Vatican Museums: www.museivaticani.va Cenacolo Vinciano:  www.beniculturali.it/mibac/export/MiBAC/sito-MiBAC/Contenuti/MibacUnif/Eventi/visualizza_asset.html_1283837989.html (ITA) FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano): eng.fondoambiente.it MUVE (Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia): www.visitmuve.it

The National Trust: www.nationaltrust.org.uk The Archeological Site of Paestum: www.museopaestum.beniculturali.it whc.unesco.org/en/list/842 Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Florence): www.museumflorence.com Museo del Violino: www.museodelviolino.org

Disclaimer - Since some of the videos are conducted with those whose native language is not English, we have decided to sometimes preserve their more emphatic speech to keep a tighter match between the audio and subtitles.

The Arts and Heritage Management course consists of 6 modules, each containing a number of lectures. The details are as follows:

Module 1: CURATORSHIP Vs. MANAGEMENT (10 videos + 6 readings)

Curators & Managers: What do art and heritage need? How do products generate value for the customer and how so those customers value these products and their quality.

Module 2: HERITAGE AND THE MARKETPLACE: A DELICATE EQUILIBRIUM (7 videos + 1 reading)

"Art for art's sake." Does it still work? How important is the role of visitors to a museum or an audience in a theatre for defining an institution's cultural offering?

Module 3: EMOTIONS Vs. RATIOS: HEDONIC CONSUMPTION AND THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE (6 videos + 2 readings)

How do consumers and visitors make their choice? How does the environment have an effect on consumers' behavior? How can consumers and visitors be leveraged to co-create experiences? Learning how emotions and reasons interact in the process on art consumption is fundamental to manage a cultural institution more effectively and ensure its long-term sustainability.

Module 4: BRANDING HERITAGE TO BUILD LOYALTY (5 videos + 2 readings)

Consumers and visitors' loyalty is one of the most pressing issues for today's art institutions. Thanks to technology and globalization, visitors have access to more information and choices, thus they are less inclined to stick with just one brand. What are the best ways to enforce brand loyalty and retain visitors while attracting new ones?

Module 5: THE NUMBERS HERITAGE NEEDS TO GROW  (8 videos + 1 reading)

Art institutions must implement a sustainable plan. In order to do such, they need to leverage on data, numbers, and information. What are the most important aspects to focus on in order to run a sustainable and competitive art institution?

Module 6: MEET THE MANAGERS (15 videos)

Hear what managers have to share about how they deal with the main topics of this field: A collection of best practices told directly from the people responsible for these success cases.

• 6.1 Meet the managers•0 minutes•Preview module
• 6.2 Reliving the Past in the Present | Archeological Site of Paestum - Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director•14 minutes
• 6.3 An Example of Virtuosity | Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia - Mattia Agnetti, General Secretary•7 minutes
• 6.4A FAI Contemporary Art and Collection | Villa Litta Panza - Anna Bernardini, Director•3 minutes
• 6.4B FAI Fundraising and International Networks | Villa Necchi Campiglio - Alessandra Varisco, International Fundraising Manager•11 minutes
• 6.4C FAI Fundraising and CRM - Patrice Simonnet, Head of Individual Fundraising•7 minutes
• 6.5 Research and Promotion as Key Vector for Success | Cenacolo Vinciano - Chiara Rostagno, Director•13 minutes
• 6.6 - Vatican Museums - Barbara Jatta, Director•12 minutes
• 6.6A Vatican Museums - Antonio Paolucci, Former Director•8 minutes
• 6.6B Vatican Museums - Rosangela Mancusi, Head of Multimedia and Web Office•10 minutes
• 6.6C Vatican Museums - Anastasia Biller, Head of the Office of Public Relations and Services•13 minutes
• 6.6D Vatican Museums - Luca della Giovampaola, Head of Technology Support•9 minutes
• 6.6E Vatican Museums - Diego Ortuso, Head of Museum Security Staff•7 minutes
• 6.7 Museo dell' Opera del Duomo (Florence) - Fr. Timothy Verdon, Director•4 minutes
• 6.8 National Trust - Simon Murray, Senior Director•3 minutes

Reviews:

As a former learner of the Arts and Heritage Management course by Andrea Rurale on Coursera, I found the course to be a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the world of cultural management.

The course content was structured in a logical and easy-to-follow manner, covering a wide range of topics such as strategic planning, marketing, fundraising, and cultural policy. The materials presented were well researched and included up-to-date examples and case studies, which helped to contextualize the theoretical concepts.

One of the key strengths of the course was the diversity of perspectives presented. The course included interviews with industry experts from around the world, representing a wide range of cultural institutions and organizations. This gave me a more holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector and helped me to develop a more nuanced perspective on cultural management.

The course assignments were challenging and practical, requiring me to apply the concepts and theories learned in the course to real-world scenarios. The peer review process was also helpful, providing me with constructive feedback and allowing me to engage in discussions with other learners from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

The course facilitator, Andrea Rurale, was knowledgeable and engaging, and his passion for the subject matter was evident throughout the course. He was also responsive to learner feedback, regularly engaging with us through the discussion forums and responding to our queries in a timely manner.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Arts and Heritage Management course to anyone interested in the cultural sector and the management of cultural institutions and heritage sites. The course provided me with a solid foundation in the principles and practices of cultural management, and I feel better equipped to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape of the cultural sector.

At the time, the course has an avarage rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars based on over 1,247 ratings.

What you'll learn:

After completing the Arts and Heritage Management course on Coursera, students can expect to have gained several key skills in cultural management, including:

1. Strategic planning: Students will have learned how to develop a vision, mission, and values for a cultural institution, conduct a SWOT analysis, and formulate, implement, and evaluate a strategic plan.

2. Marketing and audience development: Students will have gained an understanding of marketing principles and techniques, branding, and audience development strategies, including how to use digital marketing to attract and engage audiences.

3. Fundraising: Students will have learned about different fundraising strategies and techniques, including grant writing, individual giving, and corporate sponsorship.

4. Legal and ethical issues: Students will have an understanding of the legal and ethical frameworks that govern cultural heritage management, including cultural property law, repatriation and restitution, and intellectual property rights.

5. Human resource management: Students will have learned about organizational structure and human resource management, including how to recruit, train, and manage staff in a cultural institution.

Overall, students who complete the Arts and Heritage Management course on Coursera will have gained a comprehensive understanding of the key principles and practices of cultural management, and will be well-equipped to pursue a career in the cultural sector.

Author:

Andrea Rurale is an expert in the field of arts and heritage management. He is currently the Director of the Master in Arts, Culture and Media Management at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy, and has over 20 years of experience in teaching, research, and consulting in the cultural sector.

Rurale has a strong academic background in management, with a PhD in Business Administration from Bocconi University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He has also conducted post-doctoral research at the Harvard Business School and the University of California, Berkeley.

Rurale's research focuses on the management of cultural institutions, with a particular emphasis on the strategic management of cultural heritage. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on topics such as cultural entrepreneurship, cultural policy, and the management of cultural institutions.

In addition to his academic work, Rurale has extensive practical experience in the cultural sector. He has worked as a consultant for a range of cultural institutions, including museums, galleries, and performing arts organizations, and has been involved in the development and implementation of cultural policies at the regional and national levels.

Overall, Rurale is a highly respected expert in the field of arts and heritage management, with a strong academic background and extensive practical experience. His expertise and insights are invaluable for anyone interested in the management of cultural institutions and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Requirements:

The Arts and Heritage Management course by Andrea Rurale on Coursera has the following detailed requirements:

1. Basic knowledge of business and management principles: Learners should have a basic understanding of accounting, finance, marketing, and management principles as they relate to the cultural sector.

2. Interest in cultural sector and management of cultural institutions: Learners should have a strong interest in the cultural sector and the management of cultural institutions and heritage sites.

3. Proficiency in English: All course materials and lectures are conducted in English, so learners should have a good command of the language.

4. Access to a computer with reliable internet connection: Learners need access to a computer or mobile device with a reliable internet connection in order to access the course materials and complete the assignments.

5. Willingness to engage in group discussions and collaborate with others: The course encourages learners to engage in group discussions and collaborate with others in the course, so learners should be willing to actively participate in these activities.

6. Commitment to completing the course: The course requires a significant amount of time and effort to complete, so learners should be committed to completing all the assignments and activities in order to get the most out of the course.