Arts

You could soon be making the headlines with a career in the arts industry. A career in the arts could introduce you to many different areas you’d would not expect as there are many opportunities and roles available to you. This could include opening yourself to practical roles as a dancer, graphic designer or interior designer. Or if you’d prefer, more removed managerial duties as an administrator, librarian or museum curator. It’s all about expression; physical, visual, historical and personal!

According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in 2017 just over two million people were employed in the creative industries. Opportunities are available across the UK, from large and established organisations to the smaller, creative businesses which are even more common, and just as exciting.

The place you’ll be working might not be what you expect either. In this wide-ranging industry, you could be employed anywhere from an office, studios for various artistic purposes, theatres, museums and even music venues. However, you should also expect to travel or work away from home depending on if you’re involved with national shows or international tours, or photo shoots in luxury locations with top models!

It can be difficult to find your first role in this competitive sector, but we know that you won't stop if you're set on getting your big break. The industry recognises talent, so if you're prepared to put in the work, the sky's the limit.

What options can I take for a career in the Arts?

Work Experience

The Arts are a very competitive industry to get involved with, and opportunities difficult to come across, so it is really important to get work experience or to look for a placement. Jobs in the creative industries are often not advertised and so speculative applications and the connections you can make in these placements may help you get your foot in the door. There are many other benefits to work experience such as learning practical skills to apply to future jobs and hands-on contact with the industry to find out if that is the correct role for you.

Unsure about what a work placement could involve? You should’ve asked!

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship in the Arts will involve you getting hands on from your first day in the job. You’ll spend a majority of your time working in a full-time role full alongside your experienced colleagues, and 20% of your time studying towards a qualification; all while being paid a minimum of £3.70 an hour. After your apprenticeship, you will have the qualifications necessary to succeed in a career in the industry. Here are some of the Arts apprenticeship opportunities you could consider:

• Level 2 – Furniture Manufacturing
• Level 3 – Library, Information & Archive Services Assistant
• Level 3 – Creative Venue Technician
• Level 3 – Fashion Studio Assistant
• Level 3 – Organ Builder
• Level 4 – Cultural Heritage Conservation Technician
• Level 4 – Junior 2D Artist
• Level 4 – Fashion and Textiles Product Technologist
  Level 5 – Bespoke Tailor and Cutter

Currently, there aren’t any degree apprenticeships in the Arts however who knows what the future holds…

Want to know what apprenticeships are all about? We have you covered!

University

If you choose to go to university to get your Arts career started, there are hundreds of options available to you. Getting a degree in the Arts will allow you to learn the theoretical knowledge of the sector which you can apply to your career in the future. Another benefit of a degree is the chance to specialise your learning in areas that interest you and may be necessary for a particular role if you already have one in mind. Additionally, taking a year in industry will also give you the work experience that employers look for. Here are some examples of degrees in the Arts industry that are open to you:

• Animation BA (Hons)
• Creative Arts BA (Hons)
• Creative Writing BA (Hons)
• Dance BA (Hons)
• Graphic Design BA (Hons)
• History of Arts BA (Hons)
• Illustration BA (Hons)
• Music BA (Hons)
• Photography BA (Hons)
• Textiles BA (Hons)
• Visual Communications BA (Hons)
• Interior Design BA (Hons)

Want to find out what University could offer you? We have your back!

Graduate Jobs

If you have obtained your degree and have decided that a career in the Arts industry is for you, why not take a look at the graduate opportunities that are out there. You will enter the workplace straight away, or even be given mentoring and training by your employers to tailor your skills to your job and enable you to succeed in the creative sector.

Want to know what graduate jobs are all about? We can help! Click here.

Other routes

There are heaps of other options for you to get your career in the Arts if none of these sounds right to you. You could choose to go straight into work after school or even become an entrepreneur and set up your own business and join the huge amounts of others who run an Arts related small business. Many people choose to be self-employed and work on their own projects, such as in the arts commission or photography sector, independently waiting for the right paid opportunities to come along. However, it is important that remember this can be a very competitive industry and many people aiming to start their career are required to work in a different role to the one they have in mind whilst they wait for their dream opportunity to come along!