Work Environment
This occupation is typically found in the following Career Sector(s):
Videos on the Web
- Arts Administrator- from: Youtube Search
Most commonly reported Work Activities
- Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Working Life
The management of a cultural organisations such as a theatres, orchestras or arts festivals can be broadly classed as arts administration.
Most organisations need income from public and private sources to supplement box office receipts. Therefore, senior arts administrators are often involved in discussing and negotiating funding with a variety of people. For instance, they have meetings with relevant Arts Council staff, local Authority Arts Officers, and private sponsors.
Arts administrators carry overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of their organisation. In venues such as theatres, they make sure that laws relating to licensing of bars and restaurants, performing rights and aspects of public safety are followed. The cleaning, maintenance and security of buildings are also their responsibility.
Many organisations also have performers on tour, and it is usually the role of the arts administrator to fix dates, find venues, and organise travel and accommodation.
Arts administrators also carry out personnel work. They help to select staff, negotiate contracts of employment, deal with problems relating to staff training and working conditions, and ensure equal opportunities practice.
In some cultural organisations, the work of the arts administrator includes public relations work and the marketing of a range of services on offer to the public. For instance, they may write leaflets and programmes, discuss artwork with poster designers and make sure that material is delivered from the printers on time. The arts administrator will work closely with newspapers, radio and television to promote media coverage and interviews with performers and directors. In general, the smaller the organisation, the greater the variety of tasks each staff member undertakes.
Most commonly reported Work Tasks
- Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and sise of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
- Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
- Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
- Present final layouts to clients for approval.
- Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
- Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
- Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.
- Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
- Review illustrative material to determine if it conforms to standards and specifications.
- Negotiate with printers and estimators to determine what services will be performed.
Further Information
- Arts Administrator- from: N.C.S. [UK]
- Arts administrator- from: GradIreland
Qualities - Arts Administrator
To be employed at a senior level, you will need a good knowledge and understanding of the particular Arts field in which you are employed. At a more junior level an interest in the arts is a bonus and IT skills usually essential. You should be well organised and good at managing your own time.
Some smaller organisations may want someone who is flexible and skilled enough to cope with a wide variety of tasks, such as accounting, personnel and secretarial work. Additional skills such as driving or mathematical ability may be useful.
Interests - Arts Administrator
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Administrative
Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.
They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
Linguistic
The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.
Entry / Progression - Arts Administrator
Most entrants to this field have an arts degree supplemented by relevant experience, a specialized knowledge of their chosen area and sometimes post-graduate training.
Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research.
Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.
Example search terms include: business administration, customer service, management.
Search for FET Courses
PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.
Example search terms include: business administration, sales, art, marketing.
Search for PLC Courses
Apprenticeships:
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.
Examples: Accounting, Finance, Sales, Animation Apprenticeships.
Search for Apprenticeships
Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate)
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.
Example search terms include: business administration, sales, marketing, arts.
Search for CAO Courses
Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).
Example search terms include: sales, business, accounts, management, cultural policy, arts administration.
Search for Postgraduate Courses
Pay & Salary - Arts Administrator
Salary Range (thousands per year)* €26k - €45k
Salaries vary depending on employer, location, experience, and duties.
Data Source(s):
Indeed / Sigmar / Morgan McKInley/ Prosperity
Last Updated: March, 2024
Labour Market Updates - Arts Administrator
Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Artists; Authors; writers; translators; Actors; entertainers; presenters; Dancers; choreographers; Musicians Arts officers; producers; directors; Photographers; audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators; Graphic designers Product; clothing and related designers.
This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).
Employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 7,300 persons employed. As illustrated in the CSO Census data below, employment is spread across a number of roles; since 2016, the strongest growth, in absolute terms, was for graphic designers and authors, writers and translators.
New employment permits issued for this occupation in 2022 were primarily for film/TV and animation/visual effects (VFX) roles but also for linguistics experts in the ICT sector. There was also a high volume of recent job hires in line with the recent employment increase. The data does not point to overall issues with recruitment for these roles.
Useful Contacts - Arts Administrator
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The Arts Council of Ireland
