Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Managing the Finances of Art Organizations (Face-to-Face)

AA 6050-01

Course: AA 6050-01
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: TA
CRN: 20003

Course Description

Students will develop an understanding of the principles of microeconomics to arts and culture organizations with a special focus on supply and demand, cost, and pricing. Students will analyze financial statements and financial management function in arts and culture, as well as develop skills creating budgets and managing cash flow. (Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Arts Administration students only

Required Texts

Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy, Jody Blazek, Wiley Press, USA, 2001. (Available on Amazon)
3. Strategic Pricing for the Arts, Michael Rushton, Routledge Press, USA, 2015 (Available on Amazon)
4. Marginal Revolution University YouTube Channel on Microeconomics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9uUIUqhrSQ&list=PL-uRhZ_p-BM4XnKSe3BJa23-XKJs_k4KY
Additional Required Readings in each weekly module.

Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Understand and apply basic principles, concepts, and laws in micro and macroeconomics to the field of arts and nonprofit management.
    • Your active participation in the class discussions and your responses to the discussion questions will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the concepts.
  2. Understand and apply concepts from cultural economics to the creative industries and to the management of arts and culture and nonprofit organizations.
    • Your active participation in the class discussions and your responses to the discussion questions will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the concepts. The final case study provides opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge through your analysis.
  3. Use spreadsheets to develop financial profiles and to assess an arts organizations’ pricing strategies for ticketing, admissions, and for program services.
    • Midterm and final assignments will form the assessment foundation for this outcome.
  4. Know where to find information and do research on finance and economics as it applies to the creative industries.
    • The extensive use of web resources through the class website are designed to promote an expanded inventory of resources for you during your time in the program, in your future internship, and in your life after SUU.
  5. Develop your critical thinking skills** as you analyze and interpret or find the “story” embedded in organizational budgets, financial statements, 990 tax forms, and annual reports produced by arts organizations (or any organization for that matter).
    • Your responses and analysis of an assessment organization’s budgets and financial statements (including the IRS 990) provides the opportunity for you to demonstrate you understand the concepts we are studying and how they are implemented in the operation of a real arts and culture organization.

    • ** If you’d like more info to go to       www.criticalthinking.org
       (Links to an external site.) .

  6. Further develop your presentation abilities using your public speaking skills supported by Excel and presentation software.
    • The final assignment is designed to immerse you in Excel, and will also be used to assess your ability to convert your research into a concise presentation.

Course Requirements

Why is this course content important to know as a future arts manager and leader?


There are several reasons you need to be conversant on the subject of economics and cultural economics:

First, you need to understand how the economy works in general, and how it works in the arts and culture sector. Think of this course as a way to strengthen your financial literacy and expand your economic vocabulary.
Second, with this knowledge about economics you can help guide the decision making in arts organizations to ensure long term viability
Third, understanding the principles and laws of the economic, and being familiar with how arts consumers behave, gives you an edge when it comes to how you market, advertise, and fundraise for your organization’s programs and services.
Finally, being knowledgeable about the economy helps to give you information power as an arts manager. Knowing the fundamentals of economics and cultural economics, how markets behave, and having a deeper understanding of consumer behavior helps you be more effective when you work with board members, donors, and other business people in the community.


There are two major assignments in this class in addition to the weekly discussions. The midterm is a test on economic principles covered in the first half of the course. The final case study assignment involves creating a multi-tab spreadsheet and short Power Point presentation containing the data related to the one of the five different case study organizations. 

Class Participation (33% of your grade)
Midterm Test (23% of your grade)
The purpose of this quiz is to assess your general understanding of the basic concepts and terms used in the study of economics and arts organizations.


Case Study and Presentation (44% of your grade)
Each of the five mini case studies mirrors how arts organizations typically function. The assignment is also designed to improve your spreadsheet, graph-making, and presentation skills. See syllabus for details pertaining to each case study.

Course Outline

Weekly Discussions: Weeks 1-14
Topics include, Microeconomics, Supply and Demand, Price Discrimination, Budgeting, and Cost Analysis.

Midterm Due Week 8

Final Case Study:
Draft 1 Due week 4
Draft 2 Due Week 7
Draft 3 Due Week 9
Final Case Study and Presentation Due Week 14

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


Late Work: All assignments and readings are expected to be completed by the due date/time listed on Canvas (again, please note that all times are Mountain Standard). Students earn credit by completing the assignments in the same time frame given every other student in the class.

  • Discussions: This class is intended to test higher-level cognitive abilities. You are expected to be active in your learning and think, question, problem-solve, and debate information presented in class. The instructor will do their best to create an environment in which expressions of uncertainty, conjecture, and alternative or competing views can be freely shared. The same is expected of students. Remember, there is a big difference between debating and attacking. The latter will not be tolerated and the instructor reserves the right to excuse from discussions any student who compromises this preferred class climate. As we navigate unscripted challenges, please be flexible and extend grace and kindness to the instructor, to classmates, and to yourself. We are in this together and we are all doing our best.
  • Assignments: For written assignments turned in to the instructor, ten percent (10%) will be deducted for each 24-hour period past the deadline. This means that no assignment will be eligible for points if it is more than ten (10) days beyond the due date.

In the event of circumstances preventing a student from completing an assignment on time, the student should let the Instructor know and request a deadline extension. Such extensions are up to the discretion of the instructor. 

Attendance Policy

  • Attendance policy: You are expected to show up for class. As a courtesy, e-mail or text me in advance if you will be missing class for some reason.
  • Lateness: Be on time. We start class at 9am.
  • Preparation and participation: You are expected to complete the reading and research assignments and be ready to talk about what you read as well as comment on the discussion questions.
  • Assignments: Dues dates and times for various assignments are listed in the syllabus and course calendar. Any late assignments, unless otherwise arranged in advance may be dropped by one letter grade. I STRONGLY urge you to send me drafts or your work in progress before the assignments are due. I am happy to give you feedback up front to help you create better work.
  • Please silence your cell phone and don’t text during class.
  • Technology: Bring your laptop or tablet to class so you can engage in active research and exploration of our topics of the day or to access your class notes.
  • Assignments & Grading: See Specific Assignments for detailed information on grading.

Course Fees

There are no course fees for this course.

Program AI Policy

  Use of AI (artificial intelligence) writing programs is allowed in this class within the guidelines outlined below.

  • Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are not to be used in the Canvas discussion forums of Arts Administration courses.
  • AI cannot do all your writing for you. It can, however, be a tool for you to use. Assignments in this course will ask for your personal analysis, opinion, and experience and may also ask you to incorporate in-class discussion elements. AI cannot do either of those things. As a result, choosing to use AI ultimately may not always be the most efficient use of your time. depending on the non-discussion based assignment, you need to decide whether or not you want to use AI writing tools.
  • Grading: The same minimum standards will be in place regardless of whether or not you are using AI in your writing process. Essays that fail to meet the minimum standards specified will be graded as such.
    Assignments that allow the use of AI will be partially based on your ability to harness and proficiently utilize this technology ethically and responsibly. For example, using AI to help organize your thoughts, create outlines, or to help proofread your papers is a perfectly acceptable use of these tools.
  • AI and Factual Accuracy: AI is prone to writing factually incorrect statements, inventing fake quotes from real sources, and inventing entirely fake sources. It is your responsibility to double-check that any AI-assisted work you submit is free from these errors. Work containing factual errors or fictitious quotes or sources will be graded accordingly. It is your responsibility to verify this information before submitting your work.
  • Disclosure of AI-Assisted Writing: If you use AI in your writing, it must be cited. As there is no penalty for using AI appropriately, there is no benefit to lying about or trying to conceal your use of AI in this class. Concealing or lying about your use of AI will result in your assignment receiving a zero. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.