A simple Google search can change your life.
Dr. Divya Janardhan, Head of Arts Administration, spent the first part of her career working largely in marketing. After receiving her bachelor's degree in Media and Communications from Bangalore University and a postgraduate diploma in Advertising and Marketing from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, she forged a path working on both the creative and clientele sides of advertising. But she knew this was not where she wanted to stay.
“My first love was always the arts,” she said.
From a young age, Dr. Janardhan was reluctantly trained in classical music, later supplemented with a true passion for visual art, exploring a variety of mediums from ceramics to paints. However, she knew that being a full-time artist was not a viable option, as a career in the arts would also need to be financially stable, and such paths in the field are not well advertised.
So how did she discover arts administration?
“[My husband] did some kind of a Google search and he said ‘Hey, guess what, there's this degree called arts administration and I think you need to check that out,'” Dr. Janardhan explained. Then she joked, “Should we give him the credit?”
Soon after her husband's suggestion, Dr. Janardhan attended an informational interview for the Arts Administration master's program at Drexel University in Philadelphia, leaving an hour later with admission in hand. She went on to receive a Ph.D. in Cultural Policy and Arts Management from Ohio State University and credits this education for making her comfortable with cultural policy, cultural equity, and cultural equity policy–interrelated concepts that consist of frameworks and practices that are integral to modern arts management and her research.
After finishing her doctorate, moving to Texas was not initially part of the plan. It was a faraway land, a place to visit friends and family occasionally. But when her husband's job moved the family to Houston in 2017, she unexpectedly found herself loving the change. “Texas is a vibe,” she said with a laugh, explaining that the large-hearted, friendly culture grew on her.
A Texas Tech advertisement for an arts administration professor was a welcome surprise because it was one of the few R1 research universities boasting a well-established, high quality arts administration program. Impressed by both the professionalism of the faculty and staff, and the enthusiasm of the students, her campus visit officially sealed the deal.
In the classroom, Dr. Janardhan seeks to create a democratic and inclusive environment where students can be themselves and feel welcome and supported. She refers to it as a balancing act: “You want to make sure the students are comfortable and at the same time they take you seriously. You want to be approachable, accessible, and lay the right foundations. There are difficult things to be taught and serious lessons to be learned.”
She is interested in innovating the structure and curriculum of arts administration education, further developing unique methods of study to help her students gain more in-depth knowledge in the classroom to enhance their practical experience. She wants students to remember, “There is no such thing as a silly question. It's just a question, and you may ask whatever questions you want to ask.”
For students entering the program, Dr. Janardhan emphasized that it is not only about learning business skills, but also demonstrating a passion for the arts. “I need to see that you are here because you care about arts and culture, and also why you care. That should really be the reason you are in this field… You're joining a wonderful field; you're in for a nice adventure.”
“I honestly love my job,” she concluded, this being entirely evident from the enthusiasm in her voice as she spoke of her work. “There are very few jobs where you can combine your passion, your love for the arts and culture with a paying career, and also feel fulfilled.”