Arts Management (General) and Art Form Specific Studies

This section is divided into books that cover a wide range of arts management and then ones that cover a specific art form (either its management, the art form practice, or both).  We have included out of print titles because nothing has been written since these that quite replaces them – and you might find them second-hand or in libraries/learning resource centres or on an arts organisation’s bookshelf.

(See also Creativity section below for other books that cover art form practices)

• Art Management (General)
• Dance/Drama/Theatre/Performing Arts
• Participatory/Community Arts
• Public Arts
• Rural Arts
• Street Arts/Festivals
• Visual Arts/Crafts/Design

Art Management (General)

Art Management: Entrepreneurial Style
By Giep Hagoort
Eburon 2001 ISBN 905166 802 3

Giep Hagoort runs the Master Programme of Art and Media Management at Utrecht School of the Arts.  The book is truly international in its examples and suggests that arts managers need to develop a 'glocal' attitude.  To let the start of Chapter 1 speak for itself:  'This book is about art management, entrepreneurial style.  It is intended to give practical, theoretical and conceptual insight into the management of profit and non-profit cultural organizations.  The combination of art, culture and management and of theory and practice will, we believe, provide a real aid to those who want to acquire knowledge about running cultural businesses. The readers we have in mind are people who are involved with educational programmes: students, participants, teachers and programme directors.  The reader will find a lot of practical cases, case studies and learning questions, which will aid the understanding of the complexity of art and cultural management.  We also aim to reach artists, leaders and team members of cultural projects, managers of cultural organizations and other professionals who are interested in linking general management issues to the art and cultural sector. Review

Management and the Arts
By William J. Byrnes
Pub Focal Press 3rd Edition 2003 ISBN 0240805372

A4 sized, with 350 pages and an impressive index this book means business!  It covers a broad range of issues of interest to both experienced managers and students of arts management.  It is American, covers arts and entertainment, and is performing arts based.  The author has enormous experience, and blends practical know how with a belief that arts managers can apply skills from disciplines such as business, finance, economics and psychology alongside sensitivity and common sense.  There’s a historical perspective of arts organisations, arts management and business management, then it covers planning and decision-making, organisational design, staffing, leadership, organisational controls and budgets, financial management, marketing, fundraising, management styles and theories and career options.  There are case studies and questions.  Lots of useful material here.

Diverse Voices: Personal Journeys
Pub All Ways Learning 2005 ISBN 09549785-0-1 £12
The first publication in the Collected Wisdom series Diverse Voices: Personal Journeys is a series of interviews collected by Anouk Perinpanayagam and edited by Janet Summerton and Madeline Hutchins.
Eleven fascinating individuals describe the planned and fortuitous paths of their arts management careers.  These are people who have made it their business to confront risk; seize and make opportunities; and gather important lessons along the way. Diversity is present here in a multiplicity of management experiences, artform backgrounds and personal approaches to the entrepreneurial edge.
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Creative Europe: On Governance and Management of Artistic Creativity in Europe
By Danielle Cliché, Ritva Mitchell, Andreas Wiesand
Pub: ERICarts 2002 ISBN 3930395 59 2 £17.50
An impressive piece of research and thinking that covers 13 case studies, 20 country profiles and 6 sectoral analyses. It explores the practical challenges faced by artists (across art forms) in Europe and calls for innovative partnerships and networks to improve support.
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Review

Art Matters - Reflecting on Culture
by John Tusa
Pub Methuen 2000 ISBN 9780413750600

A series of reasoned reflections on the current state of the arts in Britain as seen by John Tusa - broadcaster and now General Manager of the Barbican Centre, London. There are three sections - Beliefs, Politics and Actions, and the titles of the essays reveal something of their contents - "I'm worried about Tony", "The Cart and the Horse, which came first the market or the arts?", and "When I hear the word culture, I reach for my identity." They are personal, passionate and sometimes provoking. The A-Z of Running an Arts Centre is an interesting account of the key issues for arts management today. Review

Arts Management
By Derrick Chong
Pub Routledge 2002 ISBN 0415236827  £19.99

Arts Administration
by John Pick and Malcolm Anderton
Pub: E & FN Spon Second edition 1996 ISBN 041918970X £29.99

A more academic text, which proposes that the arts administrator must be a unique mix of manager, animator, teacher, critic, and entrepreneur. It provides an overview of the historical and current context in Britain, with some international comparisons. Interesting case studies at the back.

Managing Britannia: Culture and Management in Modern Britain
By Robert Protherough and John Pick
Pub by Imprint Academic 2003 ISBN 0907845533 £12.95

The core premise of this book is that the new orthodoxy labelled by the authors as “modern managerialism” far from solving problems is actually the cause of them. They refute the notion that ‘management’ exists, or that there are universal management skills, and believe that modern management practices have all but destroyed politics, education, culture and religion. Robert Protherough’s background is in education, and as a lay preacher and John Pick’s is in cultural policy-making and arts management. Chapters include The Cultures of Management, How Manager’s Behave, Management as an Academic Subject, Managing the Arts, Managing the Schools, Managing the Deity, Rebranding Britain, The Real World: Management in Literature and Bursting the Management Bubble.

From Maestro To Manager - Critical Issues in Arts and Culture Management
eds Marian Fitzgibbon and Anne Kelly
Pub: Oak Tree Press 1997 out of print ISBN 1 86076 041 4
The first book to look at arts management across Europe, with contributions from academics and practitioners in Ireland, the UK, Spain, Denmark and elsewhere. Sections cover strategic planning, marketing, participation and consumption patterns, innovative aspects of contemporary arts practice, and human resource issues in cultural management. Interesting reading for those studying and practising arts management.

Creative Equality: making equal opportunities work in the arts
by Christine Thornton and Gill Taylor
Pub: Eastern Arts Board 1996 out of print ISBN 0952 3278 13
This is a straight-forward, easy to follow guide on how to imbed equal opportunities practice across an arts organisation. It covers a wide range of issues and provides useful checklists and exercises, as well as case studies, within a manageable sized book. Sections include recruitment and selection, contract of employment, programming the arts, and promoting access through developing effective customer relationships. Recommended.

New Old: Thirty Thousand Years of Experience
A report of the findings of the Creativity of Older People Project
initiated by South East Arts and written by David Sulkin and Katrina Duncan
Pub: South East Arts 1999 Free ISBN 0 905593 12 X
This publication from the former South East Arts is a celebration of the creativity of older people. Devised from a mapping exercise, which brought in over a thousand responses, (hence the title!) the report is a reminder of the need to consider older members of society for developing policies on accessibility and audience development, presenting historical evidence and developing community networks. The appendices highlight the broad range of artists and art-forms in the South East of England. Take note though, many of these art forms are fast becoming extinct! Review
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Dance/Drama/Theatre/Performing Arts

Pages From Stages
By Anthony Field
Pub Entertainment Technology Press Ltd ISBN 1904031269 £17.95 Sold at SAMs
In this introduction, Anthony Field outlines the birth of training for arts administrators in 1971, and comments on how few books there are on arts management.  This book brings together lectures, articles (from The Stage, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph and others)  and other papers that give an insight into the business of theatre, performing arts schools, theatre catering, theatre promotion, musicals and the Arts Council. Review

Irish Theatre Handbook: A comprehensive guide to professional drama, dance and opera in Ireland, North and South
Ed Paula Shields
Pub The Theatre Shop 2004 3rd Edition ISBN 0953421325 £15 buy from SAMs
A comprehensive guide to professional drama, dance and opera in Ireland, North and South.  Since first published in 1998, this has become the ‘bible’ of the professional theatre industry in Ireland and has developed a growing international readership.  The 3rd edition contains a wealth of information on theatre practitioners and organisations – more than 150 theatre companies, 90 venues and 35 festivals are listed, complete with artistic policies, personnel and contact information.  There are also suppliers and services, a directory of funding and training opportunities, youth theatre groups, Irish and UK press list, plus a selection of international arts festivals and networks.  It links to an on-line resource at www.irishtheatreonline.com.

Creative Producing: A User’s Guide
By Anthony Dean and John Daniel (eds)
Pub: Central School of Speech and Drama, London, 2000 £5 ISBN Out of Stock Review

Look Before You Leap - An Advice and Rights Guide for Choreographers
by Ann Whitley
Pub: Dance UK 1995 £10 ISBN 0 9515631 2 2

This is a must for both choreographers and those involved with choreographers in the production of dance. It is very comprehensive, and very practical - covering contracts, money, copyright, rehearsals, working abroad, use of music, videoing, insurance and health and safety. If you are in dance it will become your constant companion! Highly recommended.

A Practical Guide for Writers and Companies
by Stewart Harcourt
Pub: ITC 1993 £5 ISBN 1 871180 04 x
This is extremely useful and very well written (by a writer!). Chapters include: Unsolicited Scripts or The Loneliness of the Long Distance Play and Developing the Writer's Craft or Trying to Make a Mountain out of a Molehill. It also covers rehearsed readings, all stages of commission and production, writers in residence, competitions and play festivals. Loads of common sense - and useful action points. Recommended.
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Dramaturgy: A User’s Guide
Pub Central School of Speech & Drama ISBN 095377290X £5 Out of Stock

Puppetry Into Performance: A User’s Guide
Pub Central School of Speech & Drama ISBN 0953772942 £5 Out of Stock

Twenty First Century Dance: Present position, future vision
by Jeanette Siddall
Pub: Arts Council of England 2001 £7
This book briefly documents the recent history of dance into the new millennium, provides a situational analysis, looks forward to urge those who work in, enjoy or support dance to anticipate the future and concludes with a vision for investing in the future-readiness of dance. It is the result of a lengthy and considered research and consultation process. Review
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The Dancers’ Survival Guide - Essential Information for Students, Dancers, Teachers and Choreographers
by Scilla Dyke
Pub: Dance UK 1999 now out of print but visit www.workindance.com for similar info ISBN 0-9515631-5-7
"This is an excellent guide for dancers in classical, contemporary and musical theatre. It is something they should all use." Arlene Phillips, Choreographer.

Your Body Your Risk
Ed Scilla Dyke
Pub: Dance UK 2001 £4.50 ISBN 0951563165 Buy from SAMs

Managing Dance: Current Issues and Future Strategies
eds Linda Jasper and Jeanette Siddall
Pub: Northcote House 1999 out of print ISBN 0 7463 0920 1
A welcome first - a book that describes, analyses and comments upon dance management. Each chapter is written by a leading practitioner in that field. The scope is broad, from managing dance artists and dance products, to dance participation and dance policies. The book presents a number of challenges, including the unique nature of the artist's vision, and the manager's role in nurturing and facilitating the artistic product. Review

The Arts Promoter's Pack - A guide to putting on an arts event for small scale venues and promoters
by Jo Hilton
Pub: East Midlands Arts 2nd edition 1997 out of print ISBN 0 9507027 6 5
Written for promoters / programmers of arts events and very valuable for both venues and festivals, this is a comprehensive guide that takes you right through the business of promotion. Sections include, programming, legal and admin, marketing, funding, finance, policies and people. Highly recommended.

The Same, But Different Rural Arts Touring in Scotland: The Case of Theatre
By Christine Hamilton & Adrienne Scullion
Pub Comedia 2004 ISBN 1873667876  £10
This investigation into the structures and systems of contemporary rural arts touring uses the 1973 tour by 7:84 of the Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil as a reference point to gauge evolution and change in terms of the work of the companies, audience expectations, the nature of the venues, the funding context, and the policy framework.  It draws conclusions from the review, and makes recommendations for policy development at government, agency and local level.
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Participatory/Community Arts

Art & People: A practical guide to setting up and running arts projects in the community
Christine Wilkinson et al
Pub Slough Borough Council 2003 2nd edition ISBN 0904164071 £12
A nicely produced guide to the basics for those new to the field. Based on the experience of developing Community Arts Training in Slough (CATS), this has all been tried and tested in practice. Beautiful photographs of recent projects remind us of what is possible, and at the practical end of the scale, there are forms and templates including a sample budget and media consent forms. Review
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Eyes on Stalks
By John Fox
Pub Methuen 2002 ISBN 0413761908 £14.99

This delightful book tells the stories of two families – the author’s family and the Welfare State International family.  (See also Engineers of the Imagination).  John Fox provides a vivid account of the company’s working practices over the last thirty years.  There’s humour, there’s politics and local planning issues, there’s funding challenges, fire structures, the building of their Lantern-house home and on a more serious note, naming ceremonies and funerals.  Illustrated with photos and the author’s own drawings.

Engineers of the Imagination: The Welfare State Handbook
Ed by Tony Coult & Baz Kershaw
Pub Methuen Revised & Updated Edition 1990 ISBN 0413528006 £12.99

A wonderful book that is both inspirational and very practical.  The book records the work of the enduringly successful company Welfare State International and is fascinating as a historical account of street and participatory arts.  It is also crammed full of practical information.  In the core techniques section, it covers lanterns, puppets, bonfires, big towers, scaffolding, flags, puppets on cars, costumes and ceremonial food.

Finding Voices, Making Choices: creativity for social change
By Mark Webster and Glen Buglass
Pub Educational Heretics Press  New revised edition 2005 ISBN 1900219220

An important addition to the tiny number of books written by community arts workers about their practice. As it says of itself, the book "should serve as a general introduction to the uninitiated, or as a provocative read for people already involved in its practice." It defines Community Arts, discusses process, and then tackles major themes, including participation, empowerment, and assessing the impact. Each theme has an introduction by the editor and then a piece by a contributor, taking a particular slant on the issue, and relating this to their own current practice.

Regular Marvels - A handbook for animateurs, practitioners and development workers in dance, mime, music and literature
by François Matarasso
Pub: CDMF 1994 out of print - try a specialist library ISBN 1 898409 01 3
An incredibly valuable practitioner's guide to community-based arts work, suited to individual practitioners and small organisations across all art forms. A comprehensive 'how to' guide that also explores context and basic principles. Highly recommended

Public Arts

Re Views: Artists and Public Spaces
Pub Black Dog Publishing 2005 ISBN 190477220X £19.95

Re Views Artists and Public Spaces provides an extensive overview of projects where artists have engaged new thinking and practices for the build environment and public space.  Addressing the subject of public art from the artist’s perspective, and emphasising process as well as product, Re Views explores artistic practice beyond the studio, addressing the importance of research time for artists, the relationship between artist and audience, collaboration between artists and other design professionals, and the contribution artists can make to the future of our towns and cities.  Edited by Artpoint, a visual arts commissioning agency, and using selected Artpoint projects as case studies, this book brings together work by an exciting range of artists, curators, writers and critics.

Art in Public Spaces: Public Art in Slough
Pub: Slough Borough Council ISBN 0904164098 £5.50 Buy from SAMs
A beautifully produced slim booklet that records in words and pictures the impressive start Slough has made on its programme of public art.  With a brief description of what public art is, why it is important and how it is commissioned and then information on and illustrations of a dozen individual art pieces.

Making Places: working with art in the public realm
By Nicola Stephenson
Pub: Public Arts 2001 out of print ISBN 0 95407848 0 7
Both a celebration of and commentary on current practice in public art and a valuable toolkit for those involved in it as artists, planners or policy makers.

Rural Arts

Only Connect: Arts touring and rural communities
By Francois Matarasso
Pub Comedia 2004 ISBN 1873667825  £10
This is the first large scale study of rural touring work, and was commissioned by the National Rural Touring Form.  It comprises 9 case studies and the results of a literature review, and analysis of a wide range of schemes’ work.  It covers the logistics of rural touring schemes, the economic aspects, artistic aspects, community cohesion and development, and identifies some challenges for the future. Review
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The Touring Scheme Toolkit: A Step by Step Guide to Creating and Developing Rural Touring Schemes
By Richard King
Pub National Rural Touring Forum 2003 ISBN 09544155914 £5
A nicely produced guide with case studies as illustrations of the good practice it promotes.  Designed for those setting up or expanding a Rural Touring Scheme, it has both plenty of useful factual information and much wisdom gleaned from those with experience in this field.  There are sample contracts, feedback forms, and sources of further information.
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The Same, But Different Rural Arts Touring in Scotland: The Case of Theatre
By Christine Hamilton & Adrienne Scullion
Pub Comedia 2004 ISBN 1873667876  £10.
This investigation into the structures and systems of contemporary rural arts touring uses the 1973 tour by 7:84 of the Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil as a reference point to gauge evolution and change in terms of the work of the companies, audience expectations, the nature of the venues, the funding context, and the policy framework.  It draws conclusions from the review, and makes recommendations for policy development at government, agency and local level.
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Promoters’ Don’t Panic! Pack
By Duncan MacInnes
Pub National Rural Touring Forum 2000 £5
This is a set of sheets punched ready to go in a file, and providing very useful basic guidance on how to promote a one night, small-scale touring production in a village hall. It assumes that the Promoter is working with their local Touring scheme. Its advice is also useful to others in similar settings – and here ‘promotion’ covers all aspects of getting the show – technical, health and safety as well as ticket prices and marketing A very useful resource.
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Street Arts/Festivals

Setting The Streets Alive: A guide to producing street arts events
By Bill Gee, Edward Taylor & Anne Tucker
Pub Independent Street Arts Network 2004 ISBN 0954489225  £10
Based on material from the popular ISAN training day, this guide will cover the basics of producing successful street arts events with consideration of programming, production, artist liaison and promotion including inspirational case studies to show what can be possible.
This book, alongside the Safety Guidance for Street Arts, Carnival, Processions and Large-Scale Performances, gives a thorough grounding in the essential elements of event production. Click here to buy from the publisher

Safety Guidance for Street Arts, Carnival, Processions and Large-Scale Performances
by David Bilton et. Al. 2004 ISBN 0954489217 £10
Compiled by experts in the field, and including real-life case studies, this guide provides the specific safety guidance for the street arts and carnival sectors. Incorporating advice on planning, risk assessment, assembling an event team, consultation and liaison with the relevant authorities, stewarding, special effects and much more, this is an essential point of reference for event planners and producers.
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Street Arts: A User’s Guide
by Anthony Dean (Series ed), Dorothy Max Prior (Associate ed.) 2003 ISBN 0954489209 £8
An essential guide to the last three decades of street arts in the UK. A unique look at the changing nature of a cultural practice, mixing analysis, critique, context and anecdote, including contributions from Bim Mason, Baz Kershaw, Lyn Gardner and many leading street arts performers.
In 2002, ISAN in association with the Total Theatre Network, The Central School of Speech and Drama and the Theatre Museum held Restoration and Revolution – a symposium on street arts. Artists, promoters and academics came together to review and debate the history and current practice of UK street arts. The publication draws and extends those discussions.
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UK Street Arts: The next step forward
Following the ISAN 2003 conference, this book will look at the development of UK produced larger scale street arts. A range of contributors examine subject from the motivation for doing this work and its impact, to practical areas, where commissioning models and infrastructure development are discussed in detail. A thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the aspirations of the sector and the strategies needed to realise these.

Playing With Fire: Arts on the Streets of Manchester
Photographs by Paul Herrmann,
Published by Manchester International Arts ISBN 0953798100

Stunning photographs of the wonderful, wacky and weird goings-on from the Streets Ahead Festival in Manchester 1995-2000.  It is a record of the exuberance, energy and endeavour that was the Festival.  There are four short written pieces, by an audience member, a performer, the organisers, and the photographer.  In total only 8 pages of text, the rest of its 100 pages are the wonderful images. Review

Street Arts and Circus: A Snapshot: Size activities & relationship with the funding system
By Helen Jermyn
Pub ACE 2001 ISBN 0728708698 £8
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Festivals Mean Business: The Shape of Arts Festivals in the UK
By Keith Allen and Phyllida Shaw
Pub British Arts Festival Association 2000 £30

Festivals Mean Business II: The Shape of Arts Festivals in the UK Update
By Keith Allen and Phyllida Shaw
Pub British Arts Festival Association 2002 £15

Visual Arts/Crafts/Design

Creating a Framework For Your Practice: a workbook for artists
Pub: ETA Empowering the Artist 2003 ISBN 0953423441 £4 [£6.88 inc p&p] Buy from SAMs
A practical process to work through on your own or with a colleague answering the questions, completing the sections and developing your professional practice through its set of steps. 
Sections include Know Yourself, Know Your Work, Know Your Audience, and Developing a Critical Dialogue around your work.  There are some really good questions, for instance, under Identifying Your Professional Development Needs – What are you most proud of in relation to yourself and your work?  What matters to you and how do you want to work?  There’s also useful stuff on portfolios, cv’s and letters.

The Internet for Artists: A guide to exhibiting and selling your work on the web
By Karen Taylor
Pub: Eyelevel books 2002 £9.99 ISBN 1902528158

A well-written and nicely produced little guide to showing artwork on the internet. It weighs up the pros and cons of the web and explains internet galleries. There’s information on contracts and copyright, checklists to help you get the most from the Net and interviews with experts. There’s a useful glossary of all those “technoterms and weblish.”

Designing Galleries: The complete guide to developing and designing spaces and services for temporary exhibitions
by Mike Sixsmith
Pub ACE, 1999, £19.99, ISBN 0 728707802
Click here to buy from the publisher

Open Studios: a gem worth polishing
Arts Council of England 2003 ISBN 0728709155 £8
An interesting read, this small publication looks at the value of open studios, and at findings from recent research. It offers a range of successful case studies and provides a listing of events from around England.
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Private Views: Artists Working Today
Ed by Judith Palmer
Pub Serpent's Tail 2004 ISBN 185242821X £14.99 Sold here at SAMs
Interviews with and essays by, a wide range of contemporary artists - across all art forms.  "And they said you’d never make it… celebrating Britain’s top artists".  There are moving personal stories and humorous observations that confound many of the received myths about the life of the artist, and show shared patterns of experience and outlook across disciplines and generations. To be reviewed.

Running a Workshop : basic business for craftspeople
by Barclay Price Pub: The Crafts Council 1997 out of print
As near as you can get to a complete guide to setting up and running your crafts business. This book has helped endless people with the challenges of costing and pricing, accounts, legal points, selling, exporting, exhibiting and publicity. Highly recommended.

See also General Management, Cultural Policy, and Value of the Arts sections.

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