Carole Rosenstein

Carole Rosenstein is a Professor of Arts Management and affiliated Professor of Folklore at George Mason University, Virginia. Her research focuses on cultural policy, cultural democracy, and equity in the arts and culture sector. She holds a PhD in cultural anthropology and combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies in her work. Rosenstein has led major studies for organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Her fieldwork spans major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She was a Rockefeller Humanities Fellow in Cultural Policy at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Her research interests include the social life of the arts, cultural policy frameworks, and the intersection of cultural heritage with nonprofit operations. Notable works include Understanding Cultural Policy (2024, 2nd ed.) and studies on inequities in cultural data infrastructure. Rosenstein’s recent articles analyze public funding ethics and transnational policy perspectives on cultural equity.

Rosenstein has advised on large-scale cultural policy projects, including studies of outdoor arts festivals and history organizations. Her grants and collaborations reflect a focus on empirical research and actionable policy insights. She contributes to academic discourse through both authored books and peer-reviewed analyses of cultural bureaucracy and institutional practices.

Rosenstein’s work bridges academic research and real-world policy, emphasizing how cultural equity can be operationalized in public and nonprofit sectors. Her affiliations include leadership roles at George Mason’s Folklore program and past collaborations with the Urban Institute’s policy research initiatives.