Announcing the Arts Career and Entrepreneurship Space (ACES)

The University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music and Lamar Dodd School of Art are pleased to announce the opening of the UGA Arts Career and Entrepreneurship Space (ACES). The mission of ACES is to provide comprehensive career support for students seeking a future in music and/or art/design by identifying professional objectives, building career skills, opening opportunities, preparing job applications, developing marketing and promotional strategies, organizing internships, launching entrepreneurial ventures and websites, raising funds, producing concert events and tours, and much more. ACES is central to the unfolding vision of the arts on the UGA campus and serves more than 1,000 students across the arts disciplines, including theater and dance.

 

ACES is led by two recently-hired co-directors: 

 

Mark Mobley (Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Florida State University and Master of Music Criticism from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University) has worked as music producer of NPR’s Performance Today, supervising artists, repertoire, and production, as well as Director of Community Engagement for the Delaware Symphony Orchestra (marketing, programming, program books and notes, etc.), Editor-in-Chief of CD Review Music & the Arts, and as host/producer for an alternative music program for a Virginia NPR affiliate. He has produced and compiled CDs for NPR and Sony Classical, served as lecturer and scriptwriter for prominent orchestras and performing arts groups, and as editor, writer and commentator for NPR over the course of 20 years. He has also performed widely as a narrator in festivals and with ensembles. He is a winner of the ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award, Peabody Award, awards from the Black Media Professionals of Hampton Roads, Virginia Press Association and others, and was a Fellow with the National Arts Journalism Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts. 

 

Tif Sigfrids (Bachelor of Arts from University of California School of Arts and Architecture) is owner of the eponymous Tif Sigfrids Gallery, which recently relocated from Los Angeles to Athens, Georgia, and which has garnered attention in Los Angeles and internationally as a significant and influential art space. There she managed the careers of prominent artists, worked in advertising and marketing, and collaborated with other galleries and non-profit institutions. She has also worked as director and studio manager in a variety of other galleries, including the Thomas Solomon Gallery (LA) and Robert Therrien Studio. Ms. Sigfrids has significant experience in development and curatorial work, including auctions, transport, financial and event management. She is the recipient of multiple international research grants through both the Danish and Norwegian cultural ministries, and has lectured on many university campuses. 

 

These experienced, strong, dynamic leaders work in collaboration with the faculties of the art and music schools in providing vision, leadership, public relations, websites, publications and career training. ACES hosts lectures, workshops, informal discussions, events and academic coursework in developing professional careers and entrepreneurship. The office hopes to connect students with arts organizations, performance and exhibition opportunities, grants, education, industry and nonprofits. 

 

The ACES office is located in the art building, just across the bridge from music, C301L.  Drop-in Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10-2 or by appointment.  Email Mark at MarkMobley@uga.edu.  Please come by sometime soon and get acquainted.