Brea Heidelberg, PhD

Heidelberg is an expert on the management, culture and behavior of arts organizations. Her research, teaching and consulting centers on inclusion, power dynamics, industrial psychology and human resource management in arts and cultural organizations.

She has written extensively about the how arts organizations could better recruit, support and retain employees; barriers to entry and advancement for Black arts administrators; and the professionalization of arts management. In addition, she is a leading scholar in the examination of advocacy rhetoric used by organizations pushing for state and federal policies and funding to support the arts.

Heidelberg also applies her scholarship and observations of organizational culture and power dynamics to cultural critiques of larger organizations, social systems and pop culture — including music, film and theater. She has published perspectives on the influence of hip-hop music on musical theater, the differences between color-blind casting and color-conscious casting in “Hamilton,” and used “The Wire” as a lens for examining the social and economic impact of a university on its surrounding community.

Heidelberg holds advanced degrees in arts policy administration and human resource development and a PhD in arts administration, education and policy from The Ohio State University. In addition to her scholarship and teaching, Heidelberg also consults for a variety of organizations, including nonprofits, government entities and corporations, seeking organizational cultural assessment, or assistance addressing issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.