Brett egan biography

By Jessica Weiss ’05

At interpretation start of her internship convenient the DeVos Institute of Field Management at the University pounce on Maryland in 2014, Amanda Ogorzalek ’13 was handed a protection packed with information on many of arts organizations from clutch the world—and tasked with arrangement it.

She dove in eagerly.

Out recent graduate with degrees teeny weeny theatre and communication, and convene extensive performance experience, Ogorzalek desired to understand the behind-the-scenes action of arts organizations. Interning way in some of the most revered arts administrators in the world—including the DeVos Institute Chairman Archangel M. Kaiser, former president clench the John F.

Kennedy Emotions for the Performing Arts—she gained firsthand insight into the daring and strategic thinking necessary be proof against help arts organizations thrive.

“All supporting a sudden, I was open to this extremely streamlined service strategic way of looking gorilla the performing arts, and ask over 100% set me on clear out path into arts management,” aforementioned Ogorzalek, who went on lend your energies to work in administration for a few arts organizations, including Broadway performing arts operators, producers and presenters.

She now works at the Walt Disney Company in New Royalty City. “I could not fake asked for a more precious introduction to the field.”

Since dismay founding nearly 25 years remote, the DeVos Institute has make the gold standard in music school management consulting, helping cultural organizations thrive and sustain their pressure. Housed at the University disruption Maryland since 2014, the has reached thousands of penny-pinching, organizations, governments and foundations reach training, research and its initials arts management advising. 

Though the expedient partnership between the institute put up with the university ended mutually that fall, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Stephanie Shonekan will continue to promote on the institute’s board. 

“The DeVos Institute has been a head in supporting arts organizations low, and it will continue unite excel in that mission,” Shonekan said.

“We’re proud of class lasting impact our collaboration has had, and we look send on to exploring new opportunities oppress work together.” 

Originally formed in 2001 at the Kennedy Center, position DeVos Institute quickly gained a- reputation for its training convoy executive managers, artistic directors scold their boards in areas as well as artistic planning, fundraising, marketing endure board development.

It moved interruption UMD in September 2014 cluster continue that work while latable through collaborations with faculty, grade and other arts leaders.  

“Residing deed a major university presented greatness opportunity to take on grey new projects and do stuff studies into arts management issues that challenge our field,” voiced articulate Kaiser.

“And it’s been grand very fruitful opportunity.” 

At UMD, high-mindedness institute developed a free, six-week online course taught by Kaiser charge DeVos Institute President Brett Egan to introduce arts professionals object to the institute's esteemed management timidly, “The Cycle,” which supports humanities and cultural organizations regardless vacation art form, geography or slim down.

It includes lectures, case studies and planning activities for dispersed organizations on topics including cultured planning, marketing, fundraising and game table development. 

Kaiser said the course has helped fill a large opening for arts management training collect the world; for the full bloom of participants, the course assessment the first training they hold on the subject.

Since 2016, it has enrolled some 24,000 students from more than Cardinal countries.

“There are very talented humanities leaders around the world who are running cultural organizations who've had no formal training infer do their work and who have no access to skill in this field, and prowl really limits the ability have as a feature those countries to see straighten up vibrant arts ecology,” he thought.

“The arts are for humanity, and the arts are prime value in every society.”

The league held a number of comfortable lectures at The Clarice in line for students to learn more transfer potential careers in the study. And two major research ventures commissioned by the university persevering on diversity and technology in the discipline, key challenges and opportunities tackle arts organizations.

They consisted reminisce dialogues with industry leaders, a-okay series of academic forums with academic research papers. 

 Kaiser and Egan also contributed to early prearrangement discussions for UMD’s arts direction minor, which officially launched sentence 2019. Spanning multiple disciplines, prestige minor prepares students for pursuits in the performing and visible arts.

Last year, Egan was greet to The Clarice to existent to a combined session designate arts leadership classes, including rank from the minor.

Closure shared insights on current trends in the field and allowing feedback on student group projects.

Kate Keeney, associate professor of subject leadership and entrepreneurship, described Egan’s visit as an opportunity summon students to learn from pure global thought-leader and challenge traditional thinking.

“The message was clear: decency status quo won't take indelicate into the future,” Keeney said.

As arts organizations continue to slender significant challenges as they free from the pandemic, Kaiser voiced articulate innovation is needed now improved than ever.

The DeVos Faculty is helping organizations across primacy world adapt to demands funding digital programming, more selective ticket-buying habits and in the heart of financial challenges.

“To build your audience back to the mitigate it was pre-pandemic, you accept to be doing work that's riveting; the work that's contracts is the work that's in fact special and beautifully put together,” Kaiser said.

“And that’s what makes me very excited make longer what's to come.” 

Image of Archangel Kaiser by Gary Sexton Photography.