Management of Performing Arts and Industries
Educational Degree: Master of Arts
Established: 2005
Duration: 1 year (2 semesters)
Form of education: Full-time
Program Director:
Academic Team: Prof. Dr. Lidia Varbanova, Prof. Dr. Ivan Kabakov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mariana Lazarova, Prof. Dr. Momchil Georgiev, Dr. Dessislava Stoycheva, Prof. Dr. Radka Vassileva, Dr. Diana Andreeva–Popyordanova, Dr. Mila Stoeva, Dr. Mirena Staneva, Dr. Ina Bojidarova, Assos. Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Kuncheva, Dr. Iva Nikiforova, Yavor Koinakov, Мitko Todorov, Dessislava Dimitrova.
Students’ Profiles Class 2020-2021
Students’ profiles Class 2019-2020
1. ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries, Class 2020-2021
The dynamic current trends in the management of cultural and creative organizations and projects require qualified professionals who are adaptable and resourceful in the constantly changing environment in which performing arts operate in the 21st century.
The emphasis on cultural and creative industries and the interdisciplinarity in art management education are an important trend in the development of the European and national cultural policies in many countries around the world.
This programme aims to prepare managers and leaders of organizations, projects and teams, as well as independent entrepreneurs and producers in the performing arts in Bulgaria, who would be able to implement modern management methods and financial mechanisms and to use online technologies and digitization of creative products. They will also learn how to establish a successful professional career in various types of cultural and creative organizations, as well as how to export the Bulgarian performing arts at the European and international market.
Photos from classes: MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries, Class 2019-2020
2. EDUCATION
The programme focuses on key branches of the cultural and creative industries, such as: performing arts (dramatic, musical, pantomime, choreographic, etc.), music industry, festivals and cultural events industry. The programme does not cover: cultural heritage, fine arts, film industry, publishing industry, software industry and architecture.
The priorities in the educational process are on the fundamental disciplines and their specifics in the performing arts organisations and projects: cultural economics, financing, strategic management, cultural diplomacy and international cooperation, European cultural policies, entrepreneurship and innovations, marketing, advertising, public relations, management of creative teams, contracts and copyright, and others. The main disciplines are supplemented by elective courses in various fields, such as: management in the music industries, entrepreneurship in interior design and applied arts, management of fashion industry, social aspects of theatre management and others.
Education is only full-time , lasting 1 year (2 semesters). Some classes could be held online, at the discretion of the respective professor and the team of the programme. Besides NATFA graduates, the programme is also open to students who have graduated other higher educational institutions in Bulgaria and abroad. In this case, they have to follow up an enriched curriculum, consisting of additional electives and activities that provide specialized knowledge in the field. The educational process ends up with a public defense of a master thesis in accordance with the requirements of the program and the Academy.
Photos from classes: MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries, Class 2019-2020
3. QUALIFICATION
Graduates acquire educational qualification degree “Master of Arts”, with professional qualification “Manager of Performing Arts and Industries”. They have options to work in the following areas:
- In all state or private institutions, which mainly or partially aim at creation and distribution of stage and creative works;
- As experts at institutions in the performing arts field and in some cultural and creative industries branches;
- Specialists in the field of distribution of performing arts, festival events, cultural events;
- specialists in the management and legal regulation of state, collective and private institutions in the field of the performing arts;
- As independent entrepreneurs and producers of stage and creative projects, as well as managers of business organizations in the creative industries.
Photos from classes: MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries, Class 2019-2020 and 2020-2021
4. ADMISSION
The application package consists of: an author’s project in the field of management of the performing arts and/or industries /up to 5 pages /, a short motivation letter /up to one page/ and a CV /up to 2 pages/. Knowledge of one of the official languages of the countries of the European Union is an advantage in the application process.
Stage I: Based on the submitted documents.
Candidates who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in Stage II.
Stage II: Discussion with the Selection Committee on the candidate’s project and issues related to the the management of the performing arts and/or creative industries, as well as in the field of theory and practice of the arts, management, economics and humanities. Candidates who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in the final ranking.
Objective: To inquire the abilities of the candidates for a systematic, situational, managerial and marketing approach to organizations and projects in the field of performing arts and creative industries.
5. TESTIMONIALS OF GRADUATED STUDENTS
“My education in this Master programme gave me strategic knowledge and skills for effective management of cultural organizations. What I learned complemented my long-standing practical experience as a manager in the field of circus art. The programme includes extremely useful disciplines, such as strategic management, digitalization and new technologies, entrepreneurship, economics and finance, which are mandatory for arts managers and leaders in the 21st century. The programme taught me to dream boldly, to build business strategies, to be a successful leader and to constantly improve myself at work. During the education I met with exceptional teachers and colleagues, I expanded the professional network of my agency. The programme offers high quality education, based on the global trends in the modern cultural management and in the professional development of experts and leaders in arts and culture.”
Veneta Stefanova
Alumni 2020-2021, Art Manager of “Stephanie Art Stars Agency”
“If anyone is hesitant to enroll into a master programme, I do recommend the programme “Management of Performing Arts and Industry”: believe me, it makes sense! My goal to apply for this programme was to acquire knowledge in the field of performing arts management and to be able to successfully implement them in practice. In fact, I got much more than that: I improved my communication and presentation skills, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with effective international practices in the arts. In my opinion, some of the very important and useful disciplines in the programme were: art management, strategic management, theater production, financing and marketing in the arts. Because of my Master degree, I was able to hold the position “Team Manager” at NATFA Theatre. I have established new contacts and friendships with famous experts and managers in the field of performing and screen arts in Bulgaria and around the world. This master degree programme perfectly combines the theory with Bulgarian and international practice and expanded my competencies as a theater manager and professional.
Ekaterina Tsvetkova
“The Master programme “Management of the Performing Arts and Industries” developed and enriched further my experience in the field of cultural management, especially in areas such as: innovation in the creative industries, strategic management, European cultural policies and marketing in the performing arts. During my studies in the programme, there were a lot of events where I had the opportunity to implement my knowledge. Some of them were: participation in the innovative, large-scale and high-tech project CONGLOMERATE as a project manager; presentation at the meeting of Consuls of the Ministries of Culture from Southeast Europe on “Increasing the role of culture for sustainable development”; participation in two international theater festivals – in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Nitra (Slovakia); member of the jury of the Bulgarian selection for the ninth edition of the ACT Free Theater Festival. The most important for me were the meetings with my wonderful teachers – professionals in various fields, with whom I hope to be able to work together one day. I should also mention my colleagues from the screen faculty of NATFA, who enriched my knowledge and viewpoints in the field of teamwork and professional ethics in the creative organizations. “
Svetlomira Stoyanova
MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries, Class 2020-2021
