Rachel Parker

Assistant Professor of Arts Admin / Director of Arts Admin

  • Cedar City UT UNITED STATES

Specializing in arts administration, grant writing, and leadership

Contact

Biography

Rachel Parker is the director of the Arts Administration program at Southern Utah University. She has been a member of the Utah Museums Association board, the Cedar City Arts Council board, and has served on committees for the national Association of Arts Administration Educators board.

Parker has worked in various types of arts organizations, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery in Cedar City, the Utah Symphony & Opera and Sundance Film Festival & Institute in Salt Lake City, Inter-Borough Repertory Theatre Ensemble in New York City, The Nevada Arts Council in Carson City, and the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf in Connecticut. When not teaching at SUU, Parker works as a consultant for non-profit arts organizations and is on various regional and national committees and boards.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Parker has a bachelor of arts degree in theatre and media arts with an emphasis in stage management, from Brigham Young University and a master of fine arts degree in arts administration from Southern Utah University.

Spotlight

2 min

Arts Administration Program Nationally Ranked

According to Grad School Hub, the Master of Arts track in Southern Utah University’s Art Administration Program is ranked number two in the country for most affordable Master’s in Entertainment Management online programs. The ranking is determined by regional accreditation, by-distance education designs, and cost of tuition. Grad School Hub’s mission is to provide expert information on high-quality accredited graduate degree programs offered by the nation’s best universities to help prospective students find the program that best fit their needs. Rachel Parker, the director of the Arts Administration program at Southern Utah University, has been a member of the Utah Museums Association board, the Cedar City Arts Council board, and has served on committees for the national Association of Arts Administration Educators board. “We strive to create graduates who are well-rounded professionals employable in any arts discipline. As our faculty focus on the quality of arts administrators exiting the program, it is nice to know that students entering the program have fewer financial barriers than most in this field of study. This national ranking confirms that fact.” The Master of Arts degree track includes specialized graduate coursework totaling 36 credit hours. Coursework in the MA Track is done entirely online and includes financial management, development, fundraising, marketing, legal issues, leadership, and board development. At the end of the program, students will complete a final project which focuses on the practical aspects of the academic material studied. “In arts administration specifically, I love seeing my students latch onto arts advocacy. That is what this program is all about, to create empowered advocates of the arts. When I see students turn into advocates, I know they will be successful in their career as arts administrators.” Parker has worked at numerous arts organizations, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, Utah Symphony & Opera, Sundance Film Festival & Institute, Nevada Arts Council, Inter-Borough Repertory Theatre Ensemble in New York City and the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf in Connecticut. Parker is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit her profile. Source:

Rachel Parker

Media

Industry Expertise

Music
Museums and Institutions

Areas of Expertise

Arts Administration
Leadership
Leadership in the Arts
Grant Writing
Marketing the Arts
Legal Issues in the Arts
Community Engagement
Experiential Learning
Theatre
Stage Management
Art Advocacy in Rural Communities
Arts Education Rural Communities

Education

Southern Utah University

M.F.A.

Arts Administration

Brigham Young University

B.A.

Theater and Media Arts

Emphasis in Stage Management

Accomplishments

Southern Utah Museum of Art Advisory Board

Ex Officio Member

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

Utah Respondent for Region 8

The Association of Arts Administration Educators

Conference Committee and Membership Committee

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Affiliations

  • Americans for the Arts
  • Association of Arts Administration Educators
  • Association of Fundraising Professionals
  • The Cedar City Arts Council
  • Utah Division of Arts and Museums Change Leader Program
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Languages

  • American Sign Language

Media Appearances

What is a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration?

SUU Blog  online

2020-08-14

Do you love art, but would rather be managing it instead of creating it? If so, a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration may be the perfect degree for you.

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Arts Administration Program Nationally Ranked

SUU News  online

2018-11-01

“We strive to create graduates who are well-rounded professionals employable in any arts discipline,” said Rachel Parker, director of Arts Administration. “As our faculty focus on the quality of arts administrators exiting the program, it is nice to know that students entering the program have fewer financial barriers than most in this field of study. This national ranking confirms that fact.”

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Event Appearances

The Politics of Play: Using Simulations and Role Playing to Build Cultural Competencies and Emotional Intelligence

The Association of Arts Administration Educators Annual Conference With Dr. Amanda Nelson, Virginia Tech, & Dr. Ursula Kuhar  Indiana University Baruch University - New York City, NY

2020-06-01

Leading Change: Executive Leadership Transitions through Cognitive Restructuring

The Seattle Arts Leadership Conference  Seattle University - Seattle, WA

2019-03-01

Leading Change: Executive Leadership Transitions through Cognitive Restructuring

The Association of Arts Administration Educators Annual Conference  The University of Wisconsin: Madison - Madison, WI

2019-05-01

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Articles

Leading Change: Two Executive Leadership Transitions through the Lens of Cognitive Restructuring.

The Routledge Companion to Arts Management

Textbook Chapter, pages 138-154.

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Gender Parity Progress in Arts Leadership: From the Inside Out.

Quarto, Spring/Summer, 2020

Journal Article, pages 8-11.

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Courses

AA 3010 Survey of Arts Administration

Students will gain a basic understanding of arts administration (including general arts management, organizational leadership, financial management, marketing, development, and strategic planning) and apply those theories into practice through the creation of a project arts organization. This course will also give students an overview of the importance of arts advocacy and cultural policy.

AA 3050 Cultural Policy in Context (Study Abroad)

Students will develop an understanding of international arts and cultural policy through complete immersion in the arts and culture of a selected country. Students will become empowered advocates for the arts as they engage with indigenous peoples and policy makers on a global level, in turn learning more about our own domestic cultural policy.

AA 4010 Legal Issues for Artists

This course introduces student to legal issues that affect artists in the arts and entertainment industries. Students also explore issues surrounding employment relationships in the arts, including the role of independent contractors, labor unions and contracts.

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