93-834 Law and the Arts: Workplace Practices
6 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Arts organizations, many of which are nonprofit, aim to provide a strong mission, vibrant programming, and meaningful community engagement. Even at the smallest organization, this takes people (staff and/or volunteers). Budgets and staff sizes typically preclude a formal Human Resources department. However, these organizations are still subject to many of the same employment laws, regulations, best practices, and workplace issues as their much larger or for profit counterparts. Handling these questions falls to the organization's leadership, who have competing demands on time and priorities and minimal resources. This course seeks to address that gap, in order to equip students with a basic, practical understanding of workplace issues that exist in arts nonprofit organizations. Beyond the nuts and bolts of HR and employment law, students will explore the creation and maintenance of a positive, productive working environment that centers equity and inclusion. Class discussion and assignments will address complexities in modern nonprofit administration, including relationship to mission and values, DEAI, hybrid workplaces, pay equity, workplace culture, the role of technology and social media, and board relationships, among other topics. Assignments focus heavily on real-world challenges, requiring practical interpretation and implementation.
Prerequisites: none listed
Offered: Fall 2025
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