Master of Arts in Arts Administration & Policy (MAAAP) at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Accepting Applications for 2026
Reduced Application Fee Deadline: December 1, 2025.
Final Application Deadline: January 10, 2026.
Reimagine and lead arts and cultural organizations and advocate for the centrality of arts and culture in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)’s Master of Arts in Arts Administration & Policy (MAAAP) program. This 42-credit master’s program specializes in arts administration as a creative practice.
Developing 21st-Century Leaders
The program prepares students to reimagine and lead arts and cultural organizations, and master essential skills while building a critical perspective on the issues of contemporary arts administration. Working closely with artists and cultural organizations, students promote ethical practice, advocate for the centrality of the arts and culture in everyday life, and develop new approaches to thinking experientially, critically, and politically.
Professional Preparation
The program places equal emphasis on theory and practice. Through an innovative curriculum that places students in a professional setting, students collaborate with cultural organizations and platforms in short- and long-term engagements allowing for real-world exploration and experimentation. Students graduate having developed multiple relational networks and are equipped to share and sustain their artistic and professional practices.
Diverse Community
SAIC’s internationally diverse student body includes emerging administrators and mid-career professionals from a wide range of backgrounds—including visual arts, dance, music, theater, cultural studies, art history, social sciences, law, philosophy, political science, education, social services, hospitality, and social entrepreneurship—creating a rich tapestry of perspectives.
A Collaborative Culture
SAIC is a thriving, progressive arts community in which artistic, design, and scholarly practices interact, driving students to explore a range of disciplines. Shared experiences and encounters create an ever-changing space for dialogue that helps expand the definition and possibilities of arts administration.
Incomparable Resources
SAIC students have special access to incomparable resources throughout their student career, including the Art Institute of Chicago and its Modern Wing, SAIC’s Flaxman libraries, numerous on- and off-campus collections, and public programs. Students also have at their disposal a diverse array of arts, cultural, and community organizations in Chicago, and have the opportunity to work in partnership with them on a variety of projects sponsored and led by the department’s Management Studio and through our renowned internship program.
Dual Degree Option
SAIC also offers a graduate dual degree option in Modern and Contemporary Art History and Arts Administration and Policy. This option provides students with a means to earn two synergistic degrees as efficiently as possible while maintaining the integrity and high standards of each degree. Learn more about this option at saic.edu/dual.
For more information about the program, please visit saic.edu/maaap.
