Art Career Areas
What can I do with this degree?
| AREAS |
EMPLOYERS |
STRATEGIES |
|
ART MUSEUMS/GALLERIES
Education
Administration
Curatorial
Conservation
Registrar
Collections Management
Sales
Publications
Development
Public Relations
Exhibit
Design/Preparation
Archivist
Tour Guides/Docent
|
- Government or private museums
- Local historical societies
- Galleries
|
- Intern or volunteer in an art museum.
- Develop strength in art history areas.
- Enhance computer skills.
- Earn a business minor.
- Acquire strong skills in research, fund-raising,
speaking, and writing.
- Earn an advanced degree in an academic discipline
or museum studies for greater career
opportunities.
- Each specialty has varying qualifications and
required training.
- Develop good interpersonal skills, including the
ability to work well on teams.
|
| FINE ARTS |
- Self-employed
- Shared studios
- Historic sites
- School/Community programs
|
- Prepare a strong portfolio.
- Participate in juried shows.
- Secure guild membership.
- Consider developing a source of supplemental
income.
- Learn to network and make contacts.
- Develop strong skills in area of interest.
- Obtain experience through apprenticeships, internships,
or volunteering.
|
COMMERCIAL ART
Graphic Art
Computer Graphics
Illustration
Advertising |
- Newspapers
- Publishing houses
- Advertising agencies
- Design firms
- Large companies - product design divisions
- Department stores
- Television and motion picture industry
- Non-technical and technical books, magazines, and
trade publications
- Internet media companies
- Self-employed (freelance)
|
- Prepare a strong portfolio.
- Gain computer and technical skills.
- Find an internship in a design firm.
- Work on campus publications in design or layout.
- Obtain summer or part-time experience with book,
magazine, or newspaper publishers.
- Develop attention to detail and ability to meet
deadlines.
- Supplement curriculum with course work in advertising
or business.
|
EDUCATION
Studio Art
Fine Arts
Art History |
- Art schools
- Public and private schools (K-12)
- Colleges and universities
- Adult and community programs
- Libraries
- Museums
- Alternative schools
- Group homes
|
- Obtain certification for public school teaching.
- Graduate degree usually required for post-
secondary teaching.
- Develop a speciality area.
Work or volunteer as a tutor, camp counselor, Big
Brother/Sister, or after-school program counselor.
- Become a member of art clubs.
- Obtain substitute teaching experience.
- Develop strength in art history areas.
|
| ART THERAPY |
- Hospitals, nursing homes
- Mental health facilities
- Rehabilitation centers
- Nonprofit organizations
|
- Requires specialized training and certification, usually
a master's degree in art therapy.
- Supplement curriculum with psychology, social work, or
counseling courses.
- Gain experience working with diverse populations.
|
MEDIA
Sales
Programming
Design
Video
Production
Editing
Art Journalism
Illustration
Art Criticism
Animation/Cartoons |
- Corporate media departments
- Federal, state, and local government
- Nonprofit agencies
- Public relations and advertising firms
Independent production companies
- Art-related publications
- Publishing houses
- Newspapers and magazines
|
- Compile an up-to-date portfolio.
- Gain knowledge of a variety of technical equipment.
- Develop strong computer skills.
- Participate in student theatrical productions.
- Serve as audio-visual aide for campus films and
lectures.
- Act as photographer for campus events.
- Work on student publications.
- Gain experience through internships in media or
related areas.
- Supplement curriculum with courses in business,
journalism, or broadcasting/electronic media.
|
| PHOTOGRAPHY |
- Museums and historical societies
- Media organizations
- Photo agencies, studios, and auction houses
- Libraries
- Self-employment
- Large corporations
- Hospitals
|
- Apprentice with a free-lance photographer.
- Prepare a black and white and a color portfolio.
- Obtain a staff photographer position with the
yearbook, campus newspaper, or magazine.
- Act as an audio-visual assistant or projectionist.
|
FASHION, TEXTILE,
INTERIOR DESIGN |
- Pattern companies
- Apparel manufacturers/textile mills
- Interior design departments
- Commercial/residential design firms
- Self-employment
|
- Prepare a strong portfolio.
- Complete an internship in a production firm.
- Create and fit costumes for stage productions.
- Enter design ideas in magazine contests.
- Become a student member of professional
organization(s).
- Reseach requirements for entering these fields. Some
may require specialized training or additional
degrees.
|
| ART SALES |
- Galleries/Museums
- Auction houses
- Specialty stores
|
- Gain sales experience.
- Obtain a business minor.
- Develop computer skills.
- Establish contacts by attending shows.
- Volunteer in museums, membership drives, and
community outreach programs.
- Serve as a student assistant in a university gallery.
- Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills.
|
RETAIL
Buying
Store Management
Display Design
Fashion Coordination
Custom Framing |
- Retail stores, including department, grocery,
drug, specialty, and variety chains
|
- Gain sales experience.
- Enhance curriculum with business courses.
- Obtain summer, part-time, or internship positions in
retail.
- Secure leadership in campus organizations.
- Serve as treasurer or financial officer of an organization.
- Obtain a sales position with the yearbook or campus
newspaper.
|
GENERAL INFORMATION
• A bachelor’s degree is valuable for entry-level positions, but
an advanced degree is usually necessary to attain competitive, upper-level
positions.
• An art degree can and should be tailored to areas of specialization.
• Save artwork for a strong portfolio - too much is better than too
little.
• Be prepared to relocate to the larger markets of metropolitan areas
where more opportunities exist.
• Join art related professional and student organizations.
• Volunteer with fundraising efforts for the arts.
• Gain valuable experience through volunteering, internships, part-time
and summer jobs, and apprenticeships.
• Conduct informational interviews with professionals in areas of interest
to learn more about opportunities and strategies for these areas.
• Learn to network.
• Be prepared to begin career in entry-level positions.
• Pair an art degree with other career interests to increase opportunities
and provide supplemental income.
• Develop skills in business management, computers, marketing, and
other related areas to increase marketability.
• A career in the arts takes dedication, patience, flexibility, talent,
and some luck.
News & Events
Mail: PO Box 359, Sheboygan, WI 53082-0359