The Bolz Center is committed to training leaders who are curious, life-long learners. Through focused curriculum, discussion, research, and analysis of arts and cultural nonprofit management, the Bolz Center refines our collective understanding of what it means to manage and lead in this challenging, rewarding, and ever-changing field. The Center also serves as a model for exploration through consulting projects, national initiatives, and experiences that engage our alumni and colleagues around the world.

The Bolz Center’s Master of Arts-Business: Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership degree gives you the skills to become an innovative arts administrator, nonprofit executive, or social entrepreneur. The program supports two types of students: creative professionals looking to fuse their arts background with business and social enterprise training, and business professionals who seek arts-based coursework.

The MA is an accelerated program that requires 30 credits of coursework over the course of two semesters. Students enter in the fall, and graduate in the spring, with no required coursework during the corresponding winter recess. Required classes include 18 credits of Arts Administration Seminar, Impact Consulting, Board Leadership, Business Strategy, and Professional Development. Students also enroll in 12 credits of elective classwork that can include coursework in such areas as but not limited to: Management, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Civil Society and Community Nonprofit Studies, Philanthropy, Urban and Regional Planning, and Education.

Hands-on experience is integral to the Bolz Center program with students engaging in applied learning placements with local and campus arts and cultural organizations. These are project-level management positions that provide invaluable practical perspective within our professional curriculum.

To help offset the cost of tuition, all students receive a $5,000 scholarship from the Bolz Center. Students who wish to pursue an applied learning placement will receive additional scholarship support to offset tuition.
Detailed information about the Master of Arts-Business: Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership can be found our program website .

Prospective candidates apply directly through the Wisconsin School of Business Specialized Master’s Program Office and indicate Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership as their specialization of choice. Applications require demonstrated prerequisite work, resume, transcripts, essay responses, letter of recommendation, and application fee. Detailed admissions requirements can be found on our website .