Final answer:
The artistic director oversees creative and artistic aspects of a theatre, such as production design, but is not responsible for financial management, marketing, or human resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
The artistic director is responsible for all creative and artistic activities within a theatre. This role typically involves selecting the productions for each season, developing artistic projects, and overseeing the staging and creative concept of shows. The artistic director collaborates closely with various creative team members, including playwrights, actors, and designers (set, costume, light, prop, and sound), to bring a production to life.
On the other hand, the financial management aspects, such as applying for grants, building budgets, and handling contracts and economic negotiations, are usually overseen by an executive director or managing director, who works alongside the artistic director. The producer plays a key role in this financial and administrative domain too, taking charge of raising funds for the production through connections with finance, grants, donors, and investors.
In conclusion, while an artistic director has a critical role in the artistic decisions, their responsibilities do not extend to financial management, marketing strategies, or human resources, which is why the correct answer to the student's question is A) Production design.