Innovative Impulses
Hellen Gross to become new professor of arts and event management in Weimar
The arts management programme at the Department of Musicology Weimar-Jena will soon have new leadership. On 1 September 2025, Prof. Dr. Hellen Gross will take over the chair from Prof. Dr. Steffen Höhne, who has shaped the teaching of his subject in Weimar for 25 years.
Hellen Gross will receive her certificate of appointment as Professor of Arts and Event Management on Thursday, 28 August in the Red Salon of the Altenburg from Prof. Dagmar Brauns, Vice-President for Studies and Teaching.
‘The professorship for Arts and Event Management at the University of Music Weimar offers me the unique opportunity to combine my passion for research, teaching and practice in an inspiring environment,’ says the scientist.
"I would like to help shape the university as a central location for scientific discourse and practical training in the cultural sector. I am particularly motivated by the opportunity to accompany students and young researchers in their development and to work with regional and international partners to provide innovative impetus for the cultural sector."
These goals are in line with the vision of the Weimar university management, as emphasised by the Vice-President for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Dagmar Brauns: ‘The university management hopes to see an even closer link between theory and practice in the future, particularly in the areas of music and event management, as well as intensive, project-based networking with other, especially artistic, degree programmes at the university, but also with the media management degree programme at the Bauhaus University Weimar. We are convinced that Dr Gross is exactly the right person to achieve this goal.’
Hellen Gross currently teaches as a professor of arts and social management at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences. "I am looking forward to becoming part of a university that combines musical excellence with personal development and where openness, curiosity and innovation are lived values. I am particularly attracted by the inspiring atmosphere of the cultural city of Weimar, which combines historical depth with artistic and cultural innovation. I am excited about the exchange, collaboration and creative energy that characterise this special place.‘
In her teaching, she aims to give students a sound understanding of the business basics of cultural and event management as well as ’a critical view of managerial tools‘: ’At the same time, I want to sensitise students to the social relevance of their future work. The focus is on practical formats, interactive methods and the combination of theory and application. It is particularly important to me to reflect the diversity of the cultural sector and to enable students to act in a reflective, responsible and innovative manner in this field. The development of new courses and modules for partner degree programmes will also be a focus."
While studying economics at the University of Hohenheim, Hellen Gross focused on the management of cultural organisations. After completing her doctorate in strategic management and marketing of non-profit organisations at the University of Mannheim under Prof. Dr Bernd Helmig, Chair of Public and Non-Profit Management, she worked as a management consultant in the public, private and non-profit sectors. From 2016 to 2021, she held the Chair of Non-Profit Management at the Saarland University of Applied Sciences.
Thanks to her many years of experience at universities and colleges, Hellen Gross has a broad teaching background, including digital teaching and learning formats. Her research focuses on the strategic management, marketing and human resources management of cultural organisations as well as cultural policy and has been published in renowned international journals, including the Journal of Business Research, the Journal of Cultural Management and Cultural Policy and the International Journal of Arts Management.
Since April 2022, she has been chairing the Professional Association for Arts Management Research on a voluntary basis, where she is committed to the further development of arts management in theoretical, empirical and methodological terms and the promotion of young academics.
[28 August 2025]