Rachel Parker
Associate Professor of Arts Administration | Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT, UNITED STATES
Specializing in arts administration, grant writing, and leadership
Biography
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre & Media Arts (with an emphasis in Stage Management) from Brigham Young University, and both a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Arts Administration and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Southern Utah University.
Rachel was the Director of Arts Administration at Southern Utah University for a decade, where she steered the program into unprecedented growth and success. She now spends her time where her heart is: in the classroom, helping students become advocates for the arts.
Rachel has worked in numerous arts administrative roles at various types of arts organizations, including the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City, UT), the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf (Hartford, CT), Inter-Borough Repertory Theatre Ensemble (New York City, NY), Utah Symphony & Utah Opera (Salt Lake City, UT), The Sundance Film Institute (Salt Lake City, UT), Handcart Theatre (New York City, NY), the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery (Cedar City, UT), and the Nevada Arts Council (Carson City, NV).
When not teaching at SUU, Rachel works as a consultant for non-profit arts organizations, and serves on various committees and councils at the department, college, and university level. She has served on the Board of the Southern Utah Museum of Art locally, and nationally as both the Arts Leadership Chair and the Vice Chair of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region VIII, and on various committees of the Board of the Association of Arts Administration Educators.
Spotlight
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Industry Expertise (2)
Music
Museums and Institutions
Areas of Expertise (12)
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 (3)
Southern Utah University: M.F.A., Arts Administration
Southern Utah University: M.B.A.
Brigham Young University: B.A., Theater and Media Arts
Emphasis in Stage Management
Accomplishments (7)
The Association of Arts Administration Educators
Conference Committee and Membership Committee
Southern Utah Museum of Art Advisory Board
Ex Officio Member
The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Utah Respondent for Region 8
The Utah Division of Arts and Museums
Granting Panel Member
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Past Vice Chair and Past Arts Leadership Chair
The Utah Museums Association Board
Past Member
The Cedar City Arts Council
Past Executive Committee Board Member
Affiliations (7)
- Americans for the Arts
- Association of Arts Administration Educators
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- STATERAarts
- Utah Division of Arts and Museums Change Leader Program
- Utah Museums Association
- The Cedar City Arts Council
Links (3)
Languages (1)
- American Sign Language
Media Appearances (2)
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.
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.”
Event Appearances (12)
Navigating Resistance to Change in Arts Administration: Integrating the Grief Process for Resilient Leadership
Festival of Excellence Southern Utah University - Cedar City, UT
2024-03-01
Navigating Resistance to Change in Arts Administration: Integrating the Grief Process for Resilient Leadership
Women's Perspectives in Arts Administration Annual Inaugural Symposium The University of Kentucky - Lexington, KY
2023-09-01
Mastering the Master Shell: Revolutionizing Course Prep Through Streamlined Canvas Management
The Center for Teaching and Innovation's Fall Learning & Development Conference Southern Utah University - Cedar City, UT
2023-08-01
Beyond the Acronym: Accessibility through Values-Based Instruction
The Association of Arts Administration Educators Conference Baruch College - New York City, NY
2023-06-01
A Compliment to the Core: Using Co-Curricular Experiences to Fill Educational Gaps
The Association of Arts Administration Educators Conference Online
2021-05-01
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
Locally Sourced: Grant Writing Out of the Box
The Utah Museums Association Annual Conference Ogden, UT
2016-10-01
Academic Impact: Experiential Learning in the Southern Utah Museum of Art
The Association of Arts Administration Educators Annual Conference The University of Oregon - Satellite Campus - Portland, OR
2015-04-01
The Cumulative Apologia: Curriculum Integration and Program Evaluation
The Association of Arts Administration Educators Annual Conference Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal - Montréal, Québec, Canada
2014-05-01
The SUMA Education Program: Building the Future from the Ground Up
The Utah Museums Association Annual Conference Cedar City, UT
2014-10-01
Articles (2)
Gender Parity Progress in Arts Leadership: From the Inside Out
Quarto, Spring/Summer, 2020Journal Article, pages 8-11.
Leading Change: Two Executive Leadership Transitions through the Lens of Cognitive Restructuring
The Routledge Companion to Arts Management, 2019Textbook Chapter, pages 138-154.
Courses (14)
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.
AA 6010 Principles of Art Administration
This course is an overview of nonprofit arts administration, including basic principles of nonprofit organizations; organizations hierarchy; basic human resources management; overview of the budgeting process; and basic strategic planning.
AA 6040 Arts Advocacy and Cultural Policy
Students will develop an understanding of arts advocacy and cultural policy at multiple levels, developing strategies to engage with civic, business, state, and federal agencies on behalf of the arts. Students will become empowered advocates for the arts through readings, case studies, discussions, professional practice, and critical analysis of both national and international cultural policy.
AA 6070 Leadership Development in the Arts
Students will develop and apply leadership, management and organizational theory to help organizations better fulfill their mission and vision through the work of staff, board and volunteers.
AA 6080 Visual & Performing Arts Studies
Students will develop an understanding of administrative work in both visual and performing arts organizations. Through theory and practice, students will identify the difference and similarities between the two fields, becoming well-rounded generalists with the skills necessary to promote, maintain, enhance and fund any type of arts organization.
AA 6210 Grant Writing
Students will become familiar with the process of grant research, writing, and compliance. Theory will be applied into practice as students identify real-world organizations in deed of funding, locate potential funding sources, writing grant proposal, and submit those proposals to the funding organization.
AA 6810 Marketing in the Arts
Students will be able to identify and develop arts audiences and to increase earned income through the creation and implementation of a comprehensive marketing plan that includes both traditional and digital marketing efforts.
AA 6850 Professional Development & Projects
This course provides Arts Administration graduate students opportunities for professional development through special workshops and training, as well as engagement with professionals in the field.
AA 6890 Professional Arts Internship
Students will play an administrative role in one of our professional affiliate organizations, putting theory directly into practice as they participate in arts administration in action, preparatory to the Capstone Internship and Degree Defense.
AA 6900 Capstone Internship
Students will link theory with practice as participants in a 12-week residency internship at a professional arts organization. The internship is individually arranged by the student in collaboration with AA faculty and an on-site supervisor.
AA 6940 Master of Arts Final Project
Students in the Arts Administration Master of Arts degree program will demonstrate knowledge of the field through a Final Project, bringing evidence of increasing skills and applying scholarly theory directly into practice.
AA 6980 Degree Defense
At the end of their sixth and final semester, students will present and defend their Apologia (a cumulative portfolio of their time in the AA program) to the AA Graduation Committee.
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