Dr. Christi Camper Moore and Roberto Di Donato recently presented at the Association of Arts Administration Educators conference at Baruch College in New York, NY.
The Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) represents the world's leading arts administration programs, supports and equips students in arts leadership, management, entrepreneurship and cultural policy, while also serving as a convener, resource, and advocate for formal arts administration education.
Dr. Camper Moore is an Assistant Professor and the Head of Arts Administration at Ohio University. Roberto Di Donato is an alumnus of the Master of Arts Administration program at Ohio University (2022) and currently works as the Production Manager for Tantrum Theater.
They co-presented the session, “Processes that support student research and artistic practice in arts administration: An Examination of “Chicharrón…” The session framed the educational context and definition of the “artist-administrator” and how the graduate program at Ohio University is working to reimagine processes that merge and encourage students to innovate, practice, and research their art, alongside–and not separate from- their studies in arts administration. The session specifically discussed what this looks like in practice through discussion of Roberto’s final capstone project, “Chicharrón: a communion with the triple A’s: A reflection on the impact of my intersectionality on my identity as Artist-Administrator.” This exemplar graduate paper/project, was an examination of who the student is as an artist-administrator and what it is, was, and will be like to conceive, produce, and tour a solo-autobiographical production centered on his Queer, Latino identity. The session reinforced how education, research, and artistic practice do – and should - coexist to inform the next generation of arts administrators.
Dr. Camper Moore also presented the session, “Rethinking feedback: An innovative approach to empower students’ learning and sense of place as arts administrators.” In academia, feedback and critique from teachers remain key elements of students’ learning processes and education. As technology continues to expand, it can provide opportunities to rethink the delivery of this feedback, as well as the design and intention. This session explored an innovative approach that provides highly detailed, individual video feedback to every student on their course assignments. The videos are designed to engage and advance student learning, maintain a personal connection, and de-center the overt authority of teacher critique and grading. This session offered specific examples and evidenced this feedback process by offering insights into steps and timeline, how various critical thinking strategies are utilized, and ways this process facilitates and offers different perspectives and approaches to working collaboratively with students to build connections and empower them as arts administrators.
For more information on the MAA program at Ohio University, contact Dr. Christi Camper Moore campermo@ohio.edu or visit https://www.ohio.edu/fine-arts/master-arts-administration .