Ximena Varela Director, Arts Management Program Department of Performing Arts
- Additional Positions at AU
- Associate Professor & Program Director of Arts Management
- President, Association of Arts Administration Educators
- Faculty Lead, President's Council on Diversity and Inclusion
- Degrees
- ABD in Comparative Politics, Temple University MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University Licenciate in Business (Marketing and Finance) from the Universidad Catolica del Uruguay (UCUDAL) TESOL Certification, Dickens Institute, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Languages Spoken
- English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
- Favorite Spot on Campus
- Woods-Brown Amphitheatre
- Bio
- Ximena Varela is a researcher, educator, and consultant with more than 25 years of experience in arts management curricular design (both on campus and online), museum management, international cultural policy, management practice, marketing strategy, arts management research, and culturally sustainable development. A skilled negotiator and facilitator, she has worked with and advised international organizations, national and regional governments, city agencies, as well as private and nonprofit organizations in arts funding and arts policy. She has published, lectured and taught extensively in the United States, Latin America, Europe and China. Currently, she serves as Vice President of the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Sociomuseology. She has been a board member of the Latin American Institute of Museums since 2000. Formerly, Prof. Varela served on the boards of the Bach Sinfonia, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Arts Management. A champion of inclusive practice and diverse leadership in arts organization, Prof. Varela is the Faculty Chair for the President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion, and the 2018 winner of the College of Arts and Science’s Dean’s Award for "Outstanding Contributions to an Inclusive Community," and serves as Co-Chair of American University President’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion. Prof. Varela holds an MA in Arts Management for Drexel University, has course PhD studies in Comparative Politics from Temple University, two undergraduate degrees in Business and Finance from the Catholic University of Uruguay, and is a certified Teacher of English to Students of Other Languages. Ximena teaches courses in Museum Management, Marketing the Arts, International Cultural Management, Art and the City, Research Methods, and is Chair for the Arts Management theses.
- See Also
- Yayoi Kusama exhibit is an economic puzzle for museum
- How Diverse Are The Artists At Local Art Museums?
- Arts management programs train future arts administrators
- Arena Stage And American University Announce Artistic Director Intensive
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Teaching
Spring 2021
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AMGT-680 Cultural Policy and the Arts
Fall 2021
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AMGT-633 Int'l Cultural Management