Julia Atkins, Ph.D. is a visionary leader with extensive experience in the arts and culture industry having worked as an arts administrator, teacher, researcher, and musician. She leverages research and knowledge to help elevate the arts and culture industry, while challenging the status quo to help both individuals and arts organizations succeed in a rapidly changing world. Utilizing both logic and creativity, she seeks to help make the arts more accessible and inclusive both on and off the stage.
Julia's experience in the arts administration field is vast with areas of expertise in orchestral operations and management, arts marketing, audience development, community engagement, and education. With a background as a clarinetist, she has also performed with professional orchestras, concert bands, jazz bands, military bands, chamber ensembles, and musicals. She received a Ph.D. in Arts Administration from Florida State University in 2022, a Master of Music in Music Performance from Florida State University in 2013, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam in 2011. She has additionally received a Program Evaluation Certificate from Florida State University in 2020, a Global Partners Certificate from Florida State University in 2020, and a Nonprofit Management Certificate from Duke University in 2015. Recent publications include: Critical Pedagogy in the Arts Management Classroom in the American Journal of Arts Management; two chapters in Business Issues in the Arts on unions in the nonprofit arts and agents and agency in the arts; and her dissertation, How Small Budget Symphony Orchestras in the U.S. Define Success. Julia has presented and co-led round-table discussions at a variety of conferences including the Social Theory, Politics & the Arts Conference (STP&A), the Southeastern Arts Leadership Educators Conference (SALE), the Arts in Society Conference, and the International Association of Arts and Cultural Management Conference.
Those who know her call her the “brightest witch of her age,” yet she is still waiting for her Hogwarts letter to arrive. So in the meantime, besides work and the arts, Julia enjoys astrology and spirituality, health and wellness, and sports (Go Bills! and Go Noles!).