A guide to careers in art

Being an artist might not exactly sound like a realistic career choice. Most of us are usually exposed to arts through paintings in galleries, but there is an impressive array of options for art careers out there according to a multitude of aspirations.This article highlights only some of them.

Art management careers

Choosing an arts management program is the first step in embracing such a career. Art administrators are involved in planning and organising logistics of art events and artists/performers as well as securing funding for specific events.Typically, an art administrator has a Bachelor's degree in Arts Management and a completed internship. Art directors deal with the artistic design of advertisements, formulating the basic layout design and matching the layout with the concept. An art director would also hold a Bachelor's degree in Arts Management complemented with courses in fundraising and art history. Job opportunities may be found in art museums and galleries or non-profit art associations.

Careers for art history majors

Those holding a degree in Art History may work as museum curators. It is a job that entails performing research, carrying out inventory proceedings and attending special events. The job may also require extended hours. Art buyers are supposed to find pieces which will be appealing to retailers' customer bases and make sales. This job requires extensive travel in order to attend art shows, meet distributors, visit galleries. An art buyer may earn over 50,000$ in a year. Art History majors may also find job opportunities outside the industry like working as freelance writers and writing art articles for various magazines and online publications that would need such expertise.

Art therapy careers

Art therapists help people overcome emotional distress through art therapy. Using art as therapy has a lot of advantages. Art is used as a common ground for inner and outer worlds. Developing artistic skills is not the aim. Art therapy can be a way to encourage personal growth and help people cope better. Stepping aside from verbal expression towards a graphic representation of what we feel, offers surprising insights on our internal state. Forgotten feelings or memories may instinctively re-surface in the images produced. Creating art - drawing, painting, sculpting - helps people relax and improve their overall well being.

Graphic design jobs

With a graphic arts design degree under belt, one can get diverse career opportunities. A design career is very much envied for sounding so glamorous. Graphic design is about communicating a corporate brand through visual communication.The graphic designer liaises with sales and marketing as the main idea is to visually sell and market the brand in a memorable way. That includes posters, logos, labels, banners, stationery, stickers or web images. It's an exciting yet stressful job.