A Guide to Popular Art Careers – Part 1

At some point someone will ask: “But what can you do with an art degree? Don’t you want a stable career? Is it worth the investment?”

In this series of posts I will cover some of the most popular careers for people with art backgrounds. In previous posts I have touched upon side hustles and part-time jobs that can support an art practice or art student such as an: art technician, gallery assistant, art supply store worker, or an art worker in a studio or print house. These jobs can all boost an artist's network, give great discounts for art supplies and generally give an artist a lot of working knowledge that can help their career.

However, although a lot of people go to art school with the wish of becoming full-time artists, not everyone leaves with the same feeling – the reality is we all need to pay rent and bills, and not every artist can or wants to rely upon their art practice for this. Some people leave art school dreaming of a stable career.?

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Art Professor

This is an academic position not to be confused with an art teacher role (see the next point for this). This is a competitive position for experienced and highly qualified art specialists which generally requires a minimum of a master’s degree but often requires a PhD. Most professors already have established art careers as practicing artists or as published art writers.

Who does it suit? Those that want to pursue the academic side of the arts.

What does the job involve? Expect to give lectures, be asked to contribute to publications, tutor art students, run seminars, support students writing dissertations, offer insight into the art industry, critique works, and go to a lot of art events and shows. This role requires a person to be well read and versed in the industry.

What qualifications are required? MA, PhD, practical experience tutoring students.

How can this work with your art practice? There are full-time or part-time positions and some professors work as freelance visiting lecturers to give their own creative pursuits time.

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Art Teacher

This career is very different to being an art professor as it requires teaching qualifications. The level is not as prestigious as an art professor and covers teaching students before going to college (at high school in the US or younger). There are other options such as teaching adults outside of the school environment but that doesn’t always require formal teaching qualifications.

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Who does it suit? People that enjoy teaching in a classroom setting.?

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What does the job involve? Teaching younger students (some that may not want to be there!), producing lesson plans, marking homework, guiding students through a curriculum, teacher-parent relations, a general understanding of art history, knowledge of materials and mediums, a basic level of understanding of the industry.

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What qualifications are required? A teaching qualification specific to the country you are working in. ?

How can this work with your art practice? Most art teachers have to put their art practice on the back burner to an extent. Being an art teacher is demanding on time and energy. After a school day you often have to mark and create lesson plans. During the vacations there is time to get in the studio but in general the life of a teacher is rigid and revolves around the school calendar.

Art PR and Marketing

Marketing and public relation careers can span many different roles across the art industry.?

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Who does it suit? Strong communicators in person and in writing. Organized, meticulous multi-taskers with strong technical skills.

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What does the job involve? There is a broad spectrum of work in the world of marketing. For example, art galleries and art colleges usually have in-house marketing teams. This may be a press contact who is writing press releases and communicating with journalists, some members of the team are briefing designers or web developers to create promotional material for exhibitions, some are running social media channels and managing advertising campaigns.?

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What qualifications are required? Most art specific venues or companies require someone with an art background, a strong network of contacts and an understanding of how the industry works. Additional marketing training is often required (short course in digital advertising, press relations etc.). Degrees in marketing are requested especially in roles that hang heavy on sales and advertising online.

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How can this work with your art practice? This can be a full-time position or a freelance career. Depending on the type of work chosen and the demand on time this can run alongside a career as an artist. Artists also are at a huge benefit being in the know of how to market their own artwork and understanding how all the promotional cogs work in the industry.??

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Art Therapy

To find out more about this career path take a look at my posts Interested in a Career as an Art Therapist? and Art Therapy – an Overview of the Who, What and Why

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In part two I will cover gallery and museum specialists.

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