• Tools for managing up and laterally to get the green light

• How to bring others along with your vision and ideas

• Standing out from the pack: Crafting your leadership purpose statement

• Elements of procedural justice

• Research-backed negotiation strategies - for collective bargaining and/or job offers

• Do’s and Don’ts as a candidate

• Applications

• Cover letters: It’s a problem when the messaging doesn’t...

• Fair and equitable hiring practices

• Best practices for writing job descriptions to attract the best talent possible

• What to look for when reviewing resumes (and what not to) to maximize the talent pool

• Best practices for interviewing to land the best candidate every time

• Qualities of high performing teams

• Qualities of high performing leaders

• How to strengthen company culture

Top negotiation tips for job offers and collective bargaining

• Audience retention overview (the crash course you need no matter your role)

• Online and in person experience: The three F’s

• When to quit (and when not to)

• Putting it all together & defining your next steps

Uplevel is designed for arts professionals wanting professional development and skill building across multiple topics, wanting to get buy-in for your ideas or position yourself in the marketplace, wanting to galvanize the board or leadership around an idea or vision, and/or wanting modern best practices for fair and equitable hiring for both employers and employees, no matter your level of seniority or years in the field. This includes administrators as well as artists wanting to transition to admin or management roles.

If you are wanting to increase audiences, the donor base, and/or revenue, or improve marketing or fundraising, then Run It Likee A Business Academy is likely a better fit for you.

If you are wanting to better understand you patron data or metrics, the Audience Development Bootcamp is likely a good fit for you too.

Definitely! Especially if you are considering a career pivot, or want to learn more about administrative roles, this content will be valuable to you. Artists have participated in past cohorts and always bring so much value to the group.

For the 2025 cohort joining at the Gold “All Access” tier, the live small group sessions will take place:

Thursday, August 7, 3-4pm Pacific Time
Thursday, September 4, 3-4pm Pacific

Once you enroll at the “All Access” tier, you’ll be able to access the schedule, RSVP, and add the events to your calendar with the links to join.

Every year, program alums tell us one their favorite parts was being in small group with a variety of folks in the field, all arts administrators looking to make a difference in their careers, organizations, and the industry.

Aubrey is there to facilitate, be a sounding board, and offer coaching/guidance, and the time is yours to use however you’d like. Bring your questions, thoughts, and scenarios related to any Uplevel topic(s) you want to talk through, and know you’ll instantly be surrounded and supported by a group of like-minded people who want you to succeed.

The diversity of thought, backgrounds, and years in the field actually enhances the learning experience. We always see that different perspectives lead to richer discussions—and research backs this up, which is why we do it this way!

I don’t want to talk badly about my organization, boss, or artistic director in front of others—how do we maintain confidentiality? Or, I’m too afraid to share in front of others and/or don’t want to show vulnerability in a group setting, what do I do?!

First, know you’re not alone. Second, know you don’t have to join the small groups if you don’t want to. Many people really love the live, interactive setting, and some folks are content watching the video content and digging in that way. The program content is yours to consume as you’d like, with whatever level of access and involvement you want.

And if you do want the small group element but are a little unsure, know that the group setting is a safe space where you’ll gain support; Aubrey makes sure of it. Plus, sharing allows you to grow as a leader by building stronger, more authentic connections. You can share as much or as little as you want—no one is making you talk about any topic you don’t want to—and those who participate more tend to get more out the experience.

Last, know that what happens in small group stays in small group. Discussions are confidential and focused on positive solutions rather than negativity. Also, discretion and leadership go hand in hand. You’ll develop the skills to handle tough situations without undermining anyone or compromising your values.

Uplevel is Aubrey’s longest-running program, and as such has evolved over the years. Aubrey found that in all her other programs, no matter where or when or who the participants were, questions always seemed to come back to the leadership topics she teaches in Uplevel.

Over the past year, the CTN has been working to develop different investment tiers to make access more affordable for more people. The highest tier, the Gold “All Access” tier is almost identical to the original program in terms of content and price point. The only differences are that as an alum, you were taught the Uplevel content live by Aubrey and now we’re using recordings of the content from all the past iterations of the program to make it all available on-demand. OG participants also had more small group date/time options than Aubrey is now able to offer.

For past participants who want to revisit any of the material or access the library of additional professional development videos, all are welcome to rejoin at a lower tier to consume (or re-consume) whatever you’d like.

This program is intentionally now offered at different investment tiers to make it a significantly more affordable investment than other arts professional development programs.

Additionally, CTN wants to help people from historically marginalized groups be able to attend to increase representation in the arts and will offer a limited number of pay-what-you-can slots. If you come from a historically marginalized or underrepresented group(s) and feel your income sources are different than peers that are paying full price, please contact us here to be considered for a PWYC option.