Arts Management students in Detroit.

UB Arts Management students in Detroit.

Each semester, the department invites industry professionals to present and engage our students in local, national, and international  practices within various fields of the Arts Management discipline. 

The UB Arts Management Program is maintaing a robust slate of speakers and events during the Fall 2020 semester despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  However, given Program protocols related to COVID, we are restricting access to Program events.  If you are an alum or interested student who wishes to attend an event or hear a speaker, please contact the Program and we will make arrangements.  

Fall 2020 events

August 28: Orientation 2020

Three Program alumni helped the us kick off the start of our 2020-2021 school year:

  • May Lyn Cruz  (Assistant Professor, University of the Philippines and Managing Consultant, Metropolitan Museum of Manilla)
  • Justina Doyle (Member Relations Manager, Chicago History Museum)
  • Tara Kosloski (Associate Director, Special Events, Storm King Arts Center)

The alums talked about their career paths, what it is that they do now, and helped us start to ponder the fundamental question: why manage the arts?  

October 2: Alumni event

The event will kick off at 7:00pm EST on Zoom with a short State of the Program address by our Director, Professor Cristanne Miller.  From there, we will host "Revisiting the Aesthetic Contract: Experience from the Field,” featuring alums Robyn Busch (’11), Joshua Myers (’12), and Candace Morrison (’14) and moderated by Associate Professor Katja Praznik.  The event will finish with conversation amongst alums.  RSVP to the Program.

TBD: Development Panel

Students will be given a chance to discuss Arts Fundraising and Development practice with alums through a semester ending panel.  Alum participants include:

  • Beth Ireland, Young Audiences of Western New York
  • Lauren Piekarski, freelance Development Officer
  • Jesselyn Zailac, Associate, Lewis & Lewis, PC 
  • Megan Smith, Catholic Health 

Fall 2020 Speakers

  • Carrie Tirado Bramen, Professor of English, University at Buffalo; Director, UB Gender Institute; author of American Niceness: A Cultural History (Harvard University Press, 2017)
  • Guy Tomassi, Major and Planned Gifts Officer, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
  • William Patti, General Manager, Shea's Performing Arts Center
  • Lindsey Humes, Corporate Vice President, CCS Fundraising
  • Cindy Abbott Letro, Community Leader
  • Stephen Swift, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, HealthNow 
  • Nancy Brock, Vice President Program Director, M & T Bank Charitable Foundation
  • Karen Merkel, General Manger of Corporate Communications, National Fuel
  • Caitlin Zulewski, Director of Corporate Relations, BlueCross BlueShield
  • John Horn, Partner in Charge, Harter Secrest and Emery
  • Holly Johnson, Grant Coordinator, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra/Freelance Grantwriter for Squeaky Wheel
  • Court Burns, Music Specialist, National Endowment for the Arts
  • Mariely Ortiz, Senior Planner, Erie County
  • Joel Feroleto, Common Councilmember, City of Buffalo Delaware District
  • Jennifer Barbee, Associate Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Catie Stephenson, Development Officer, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
  • Sarah Larkin, Public Relations and Event Coordinator, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
  • Anna Kaplan, Executive Director, Graycliff
  • Darren Penoyer, Senior Program Officer, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo