Also known as director of cultural action, the director of cultural affairs works with the elected officials responsible for a sector. Find the key information about the profession of director of cultural action in this article:
The duties of the director of cultural affairs
They take part in developing a cultural policy by analyzing the socio-economic and political aspects of the territory in order to adapt the offerings. This professional acts as an advisor to elected officials on a project’s budget. Other tasks are assigned to them, including overseeing the technical, financial, and legal feasibility of projects. The director of cultural affairs also coordinates the actions of the departments and cultural facilities of their territory. They also take part in organizing events and other cultural productions, and may be required to design a communication strategy with the head of the division.
What Skills Are Required to Become a Director of Cultural Affairs?
To practice the profession of director of cultural affairs, taking an interest in everything related to the cultural sector is essential. A solid knowledge of public and nonprofit cultural networks and of how cultural institutions and local authorities work, and of legal, administrative and financial concepts, is also necessary. This profession also requires good writing skills, managerial skills, and a good capacity for analysis and synthesis.
How to Become a Cultural Affairs Director?
IESA Programs, from High School to 5 Years After
To become a cultural affairs director, IESA arts&culture, a Parisian cultural school, offers two programs in cultural production that provide various skills such as studying the relevance of a project, designing an artistic project or the administrative and financial management of a project.
- Professional Master in Cultural Project Management
Admission Bac+4
To access these Masters programs, IESA arts&culture offers you the following program:
- Bachelor in Cultural Production and Mediation
Admission after Bac
What Is the Field of Practice of Cultural Affairs?
The cultural affairs director works for regions or departments as well as for municipalities. This professional can also move up within an inter-municipal organization. The duties entrusted to them vary with the size of the area in which they work.
What Career Progression for a Cultural Affairs Director?
The cultural affairs director can specialize in a specific field or join the private sector as a festival director. This professional can also hold the position of curator-programmer of a cultural venue.
What is the salary of a director of cultural affairs?
The average salary of a director of cultural affairs is around €47500 gross per year (source Glassdoor - accessed May 2025).