Careers in the Visual Arts
So, what do you want to do with your life?
Career exploration is an important component of the School of the Arts program, providing
time for you to research and learn more about the wide variety of viable career choices in the
visual arts. Endless opportunities exist for potential employment in the field if you know what
you’re looking for, how to network, where to look and what skills/abilities are necessary for
success in the field.
In this series of mini-research projects, think about jobs you could possibly envision yourself
doing in the future. Is there a specific company you dream of working for? Do you see yourself
working amongst a group of people, or in a quieter, more independent environment?
Select a career that interests you and seek out information to answer the questions included on
the accompanying worksheet. Some answers may be brief and presented as bulleted lists, while
others may be expressed in complete sentences.
Possible resources to use may include (but not limited to….many other resources exist online):
Artschools.com: www.artschools.com
Incredible Art Dept. ~ Art Jobs & Careers: http://www.incredibleart.org/jobs/artjobs.html
The Art Career Project: http://www.theartcareerproject.com/art-as-a-career/
US Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/home.htm
By the end of the school year, you will have compiled research/resource materials for a total of
(8) separate potential career choices, which can then be used as you begin to contemplate
college choices later on. As capstone project, you will select one of the (8) careers you
researched and create a PPT presentation of your findings with the class on the due date. We’ll
talk more about this in the second semester.
Due dates for your research will be on the last Monday of each month and posted on my
Teacher Page, under Sweigart, Wendy on the STHS website.
Due Dates:
 September 28
 October 26
 November 30
 December 21
 January 25
 February 29
 March 29
 April 25
 May 30 – final presentations
Each Mini-Research Project is worth: 30 points
Capstone PPT presentation is worth: 60 points
Visual Arts Seminar: Career Research
W. Sweigart ~ STHS School of the Arts
Careers in the Visual Arts
Circle the visual arts career areas which interest you most and use for your research.
Art Education
(Elementary, Secondary, Post-Secondary Education; Community, Art, Cultural Centers; Art Galleries,
nursing/drug/daycare centers; weekend programs)
Art Critic/Writer
Artist-in-Residence/Artist-in-the-Schools
Freelance Instructor
Recreation Specialist
Art Teacher
Arts Administrator
Postsecondary Instructor
Teacher/Instructor - Overseas
Art History
(Museums, Galleries, Industry)
Archivist
Art Historian, Art Law Specialist
Arts Organization Consultant/Administrator
Curatorial Consultant
Researcher
Publishing Proofreader
Teacher/Administrator, Art Lecturer
Art Gallery and Auction House Assistant
Art Critic/Writer
Corporate, Museum, University Curator
Fine Arts Appraiser
Restorer, Conservator
Visual Resources Curator (Education & Industry)
Crafts: Ceramics, Fibers & Materials Studies, Glass, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM
(Museums, Galleries, Industry, Schools)
Administrator, Industry Consultant
Commercial Serigrapher/Silk screener
Digital Imaging
Gallery Owner/Administrator
Model Maker, Muralist
Painter, Sculptor, Printmaker (freelance, commission)
Scientific Illustrator, Technical Illustrator
Artist-in-Residence/Artist-in-Schools
Costume Designer, Court Artist
Foundry Owner/Operator
Master Printer/Print Studio Owner
Portrait Painter/Sculptor, Set Designer
Teacher/Administrator
Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography
(Advertising, Television/Film, Corporate, Mass-Media)
Art Director
Book Illustrator, Technical/Production Illustrator
Font Designer
Graphic Designer - Advertising, Corporate, Publishing
Multi-media specialist
Photo/Computer/Digital Lab Technician
Urban Graphics Designer (display, signs, billboards)
Visual Arts Seminar: Career Research
Exhibitions Designer
Freelance Photographer
TV/Film, Entertainment
Package Designer, Product Designer
Web Designer, Webmaster
W. Sweigart ~ STHS School of the Arts
Careers in the Visual Arts
Museum Studies, Arts Administration, Conservation/Restoration
(Museums, Galleries and other Arts Organizations)
Social, cultural agencies; Education
Art Lecturer/Visiting Scholar
Arts Administrator
Career Development Counselor
Conservator/Restorer
Director
Exhibition Coordinator
Gallery Director
Photography Lab Technician
Art Director
Art Supervisor
Arts Management
Cataloger
Development/Grant Writer
Director of Visual Arts Program
Fine Arts Appraiser
Museum Educator/Researcher
Registrar
Architecture
(Commercial or Residential)
Architect
Architectural Photographer
Architectural Writer/Critic
Architecture Educator
Building Pathologist
CAD Specialist
Construction Manager
Exhibit Designer
Facility Managers Architects
Interior Architect
Land Planner
Public Architect
Sustainable Design Specialist
Urban Designer
Urban Planner
Corporate Architect
Facility Designer
Industrial Designer
Applied Art
(All Studio Disciplines)
Arts Administrator, Art Dealer
Carpet Designer
Exhibition Designer
Furniture Designer
Greeting Card Designer
Stylist
Toy Manufacturer and Designer
Visual Arts Seminar: Career Research
Art Consultant
Curator, Writer, Critic
Fabric and Textile Designer
Gallery Director
Resilient Flooring Designer
Tableware Designer
Wallcovering Designer
W. Sweigart ~ STHS School of the Arts
Careers in the Visual Arts
RESEARCH WORKSHEET
Student Name: _______________________________________
Date: _____________________
Career Choice: ________________________________________
Using complete sentences, briefly define what an individual working in this career might do.
Does a person in this position work independently, or as part of a team/group? Why, or why not?
What kind of education is required?
What kinds of skills must an individual working in this career have? (Can be a bulleted list)
What is average pay?
What type of company, organization or institution might someone in this profession work?
Based on your research, is this a career that you think you might be interested in? Why or why not?
Visual Arts Seminar: Career Research
W. Sweigart ~ STHS School of the Arts