Ximena Varela

Ximena Varela (she/they) is an Associate Professor and Director of the Arts Management at American University, as well as President of the Association of Arts Administration Educators. Prof. Varela holds degrees in Management from UCU (Uruguay), TEFL (Uruguay), Arts Administration (MS, Drexel University), and doctoral studies in Comparative Politics at Temple University. She is currently at work on three major projects: mapping emerging artistic directors of theatre in the US and Latin America, exploring the origins of Western theatre management, and overseeing the revision of the graduate standards of education in arts management for AAAE.

For over 25 years Prof. Varela has designed and taught in arts management programs in the United States and around the world, and consulted with city, local, and national governments on issues of cultural policy and culturally sustainable development. A former Fulbright  and OAS fellow and winner of writing, teaching, and DEI awards, Prof. Varela is committed to supporting emerging arts leaders to build and maintain an innovative, inclusive, and impactful arts world. She is eager to engage with others who share a passion for cultural policy, arts management education, research methods, museum and theatre management, and amateur karaoke.