FOUNDATIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS
Presented in partnership with
The Rozsa Foundation has partnered with the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business Executive Education in providing this professional development program for arts managers & leaders to help ensure Alberta’s vibrant arts and culture sector continues to enrich us all.
The Foundations of Leadership in the Arts program is a cohort-based certificate program that provides practical customized content taught by Haskayne business faculty and Alberta arts and non-profit professionals.
Foundations began as the Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP), which has been offered through Executive Education - Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary since 2012.
2025-2026 PROGRAM
The 2025-2026 program will be offered with some sessions presented virtually and others presented in person in the City of Calgary. There will be optional gatherings in addition to the content delivered online to allow for networking in person.
Sessions this year will include the following: Indigenous Worldviews, Community Engagement, Marketing & Communications, Fund Development, Strategy Development, Personal Leadership, Team Dynamics, Finance & Budgeting, and Arts Advocacy.
WHO WILL BENEFIT
Mid to senior level arts professionals (3+ years of experience) from all arts disciplines and roles including (but not limited to): program administrators, project coordinators, general managers, artistic directors/producers, arts business owners, community builders, arts volunteers, and board members.
Foundations of Leadership in the Arts at a Glance
Who should apply?
Mid to senior-level arts professionals
When is Foundations?
The next session of Foundations of Leadership in the Arts takes place from
October 8, 2025, to April 8, 2026.
What is the tuition for Foundations?
Tuition for 2025-2026 is between $200-$1500, depending on the budget size of the applicant's affiliated organization.
When can I apply?
Applications for Foundations 2025-2026 are now open, and the deadline to apply is August 15, 2025. Eligible Applications received after this date will be placed on a waiting list.
The Rozsa Foundation acknowledges that systemic barriers to equity exist when it comes to the Training application process. If this is the case for you, we invite you to contact Samantha MacDonald to discuss your application, so that we may seek ways to provide additional support or alternative application methods.
DESCRIPTION
Foundations of Leadership in the Arts ( previously known as Rozsa Arts Management Program ) offers developing arts leaders an exploration of leadership capacities, team development, organizational relationships, and community connections – all moving from the context of the individual to the collective. The program investigates theories of leadership and strategic frameworks while developing practical skills like building organizational brand, financial literacy, advocacy, governance, and more.
Foundations is a unique program designed to address the specific needs of arts managers and leaders through content that is both relevant and practical and while providing an important opportunity for peers to network and learn together.
Graduates of the program receive a certificate of completion that signifies a commitment to organizational excellence and professional development. On a macro scale, this program aims to increase sector standards by supporting consistency in best practices and providing a transferable framework for excellence in arts management.
Foundations of Leadership in the Arts culminates in a Capstone Project designed by the participant (in consultation with a program advisor) that builds on program learnings with a practical application. This Capstone Project is intended to address a meaningful challenge or opportunity for the participant within their organizational or individual context.
The Foundations program consists of six core sessions and a minimum of two electives chosen from the newly developed Intersections sessions. Intersections are four-hour in-person training opportunities that offer a chance for arts leaders at varying stages of their career from across the sector to learn together. By opening Intersections to both our training participants and the greater arts leadership community, our hope is to foster collaborative learning, problem solving, and knowledge exchange.
Snippets from the 2024–2025 RAMP Graduation Celebration .
Photos by Mike Tan
FOUNDATIONS LEARNING OUTCOMES
-
Identify practical strategies to move your organization forward including through brand building and community engagement
-
Apply strategic thinking to tangible projects within your organization
-
Practice leadership in a values-led, ethical way
-
Foster an inclusive, respectful work culture
-
Implement collaborative learning principles to allow ongoing knowledge exchange
MORE ABOUT THE CAPSTONE PROJECTS
A critical success measure for the Foundations program is that learnings are applied to real, relevant, and timely challenges and opportunities. The Capstone projects provide a meaningful way for participants to practically apply program content, assess knowledge gained, and utilize critical thinking and effective communication to drive a project forward. Your Capstone project offers a tangible outcome for you and/or your organization. Informed by the Foundations and Intersections sessions, and in consultation with a program advisor, your unique project will be crafted over your time in the program and presented in-person on the final day to your cohort, faculty, and staff of the Rozsa Foundation and Haskayne School of Business, Executive Education.
Foundations graduates may be eligible to apply for funding to support the realization of their Capstone project through the Rozsa Foundation’s Capstone Funding program.
TUITION
The Rozsa Foundation requires a financial investment from individuals or the organizations they work with in order to secure their spot in the program. Please note that the amount that an organization pays depends on the organization's operating budget (OB):
-
$200 - Individual (currently not working in a non-profit or registered charity)
-
$300 - Non-profit/Registered Charity: Operating Budget less than $300,000
-
$750 - Non-profit/Registered Charity: Operating Budget between $300,001-$1,000,000
-
$1500 - Non-profit/Registered Charity: Operating Budget more than $1,000,001
Applicants may contact the Rozsa Foundation for information on further subsidies (this includes board members and contracted staff of arts organizations).
For those participants who will be traveling to Calgary for the in person sessions the Foundation will have subsidies available for travel and accommodation.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
**indicates an in-person session in Calgary
Guest faculty sessions
-
October 8: Welcome and Orientation (10am-12pm)
-
October 15: Core Session 1 - Indigenous Worldviews **
-
October 29: Intersection 1 – Financial Literacy **
-
November 12: Core Session 2 – Personal Leadership
-
November 26: Intersection 2 – Revenue Strategies**
-
December 3: Core Session 3 – Building Your Brand
-
January 7: Core Session 4 – Community Engagement
-
January 21: Intersections 3 – Boards & Governance**
-
February 4: Core Session 5 – Building Better Teams
-
February 18: Intersections 4 - Advocacy**
-
March 4: Core Session 6 – Strategic Thinking
Capstone Project Coaching Dates
There are three coaching sessions presented during the Foundations course: two 75-minute coaching sessions for your assigned Capstone group, and one half-day full-cohort coaching session. Capstone groups will be assigned a 75-minute timeslot on one of the two dates listed below sessions #1 & 3:
-
Coaching #1
-
October 22 (9:30 am-1 pm)
-
October 23 (12-3:30 pm)
-
-
Coaching #2
-
December 10 (1-5:30 pm)** [full cohort coaching and sharing]
-
-
Coaching #3
-
February 25 (9:30 am-1 pm)
-
February 26 (12-3:30 pm)
-
Capstone Project Presentations
-
April 8 (10 am-3 pm) **
Other In-Person Events **
-
October 15: Reception (3:30-5 pm)
-
December 10: Winter Social (6:30-9 pm)
-
April 8: Certificate Ceremony & Celebration (3-5 pm)
ATTENDANCE AND PROGRAM COMPLETION:
The Rozsa Foundation is making an investment in the success of Foundations participants by heavily subsidizing tuition for the program. In exchange for this support, participants are expected to commit themselves to this program and their peers. A participant is considered a program graduate after the following has been completed:
-
Attendance at 6 live online core sessions (absences may be permitted in exceptional circumstances)
-
Attendance at 2 in-person sessions including one core & one capstone
-
Attendance at a minimum of 2 in-person Intersections sessions.
-
Attendance at 2 live-online Capstone Project coaching sessions
-
Beneficial and supportive engagement with cohort, notably the Capstone Project learning group.
-
Completion of Capstone project and presentation to Foundations cohort and Faculty
-
Completion of the Foundations program’s final evaluation (20-minute commitment)
*If you have concerns about attendance, please contact Director of Training, Samantha MacDonald.
WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE SAID:
RAMP provides essential administration basics for those of us who thought we would never work in an office. Thank you to the Rozsa Foundation and the U of C.
Kaylee Maciejko
Untitled Art Society
If you are tentative about RAMP, don’t be. Come prepared with an open mind and a love of your organization, and you will flourish.
Carlos Foggin
Rocky Mountain
Symphony Orchestra
RAMP provided me with the skills and resources to tackle some organizational challenges with timely, relevant and progressive programming. The ability to network and collaborate with the industry professionals in my cohort was an added bonus.
Ali Bryan,
Alexandra Writers Centre
As a new generation of creative leaders emerge, programs like RAMP help grow their capacity, confidence and clarity of vision. Thank you.
Laurel Green,
High Performance Rodeo
RAMP has been helpful and eye-opening in helping me improve what I know about the arts and what I am doing.
Brian Batista
Atelier Artista
RAMP gave me a good understanding of the challenges faced by other members of my organization and encouraged me to try harder to apply leadership principles from within our team.
Amanda MacKay
Leighton Art Centre