Art

Occupational Possibilities Skills and Abilities Career Planning and Resources	Internships Job Search Professional Associations

 

Occupational Possibilities

Training in the field of art provides skills applicable to a variety of career paths. Many art majors continue to graduate school, but other careers are available to holders of undergraduate degrees.

Some occupations, such as teacher, may require additional training or special talents or skills. In general, further graduate study is required for the occupations marked with a *.

Business and Industry *Industrial designer *Fashion designer *Interior designer Executive search consultant Gallery operator Consumer goods salesperson Marketing manager Marketing consultant Animator Media consultant Commercial artist Cinematographer Art director *Computer programmer Publicist	Technical *Conservator/restorer Fine arts handler Appraiser Arts consultant Design consultant *Historical preservation coordinator Artist-in-residence
Human Services and Management *Arts therapist City cultural events planner *Museum director *Archivist Arts council director Preservation council director Community arts center director	Education and Communication *Industrial designer *Fashion designer *Interior designer Executive search consultant Gallery operator Consumer goods salesperson Marketing manager Marketing consultant Animator Media consultant Commercial artist Cinematographer Art director *Computer programmer Publicist

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Skills and Abilities

A major in art is valuable to those wishing to pursue careers as professional artists, obviously. Many skills are learned which may be applicable to a wide range of other occupational groups as well. Working independently, for example, is valuable to an animator, a teacher, and a designer on a daily basis. Representative skills developed in an art major are listed below.

Technical Gauging public tastes Developing manual flexibility and dexterity Assessing an audience Project planning Writing grant proposals Developing fine visual discrimination skills Examining critically Demonstrating creativity and artistic expression	Problem Solving Defining problem areas Taking multiple approaches to problems Examining components Using other symbol systems Attending to details Perceiving patterns/structures Utilizing available resources Working independently
Interpersonal Relations Working with community groups Recognizing cultural similarities/differences Describing impressions about art Observing human interactions Working within organizations	Visual and Data Analysis Considering historical perspectives Defining quality Recognizing cultural differences/similarities Thinking critically Weighing values Recognizing the school/period/artist of a work Comparing interpretations Analyzing the artistic qualities of everyday objects

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Career Planning and Resources

• Art Links - Provided by The University of Tennessee
• Art Student's Handbook, Part I & II
• Career Find-O-Rama (see Animator, Antiques Dealer, Architect, Art Dealer, Artist, Curator, Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer, Fundraiser/Institutional Solicitor, Graphic Designer, Interior Designer, Photographer, Printer and Teacher)
• Useful Art Sites - Provided by The University of Texas
• The Getty
• Lower East Side Printshop
• Creative Time
• Public Art Fund
• Locus +
• Art in Public Places
• International Sculpture Center

Internships

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art Internships
• Artist Resource - Volunteer and Internship listings
• Lands' End - Apparel Design Internships
• National Gallery of Art Internships
• The Museum of Modern Art Internships
• Links to various fine arts internships
• International Arts & Artist's - arranges for international students to come over to the US, where they are assigned to US arts institutions across the country; arranges internships for overseas students; this program is also open to US students who wish to intern in the arts field

Job Search

• The complete resource for careers in the visual arts
• Resume and Job-Search Strategies for the Creative Arts
• Arts Employment
• Artist Resources & Job Listings
• The Riley Guide - Extensive opportunities and job resources listed
• Art Links - Provided by The University of Tennessee
• World Wide Arts Resources - Numerous job announcement sites listed
• Aquent Partners Job Search - Job announcements and a free service that e-mails job openings to registered employment seekers

Professional Associations

Art Education

• National Art Education Association
• State Art Education Associations
• American Society for Aesthetics
• The Getty
• ArtsEdNet
• National Endowment for the Arts
• The Art Association
• College Art Association (CAA)
• Cambridge Art Association
• Prescott Fine Arts Association
• The Light Factory
• Orange County Arts Commission
• National Textile Association
• Performance Textile Association
• American Reusable Textile Association
• Women in Textile Art Organization
• Surface Design Association
• Technical Association of the Graphic Arts

Drawing and Painting

• Society of Decorative Painters
• American Society of Portrait Artists
• Washington Society of Landscape Painters
• National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society
• Pastel Society of America
• International Association of Pastel Societies

Photography

• Photographic Society of America
• North American Nature Photography Association
• Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc.
• Friends of Photography
• Society of Photographic Education
• FiftyCrows Foundation
• Blue Earth Alliance
• International Combat Camera Association, Inc.

Printmaking

• American Print Alliance
• Print Council of America
• Lower East Side Printshop

Public Art

• Creative Time
• Public Art Fund
• Locus +
• Art in Public Places

Sculpture

• International Sculpture Center
• Contemporary Sculptures Association

 

For More Information

...about careers, graduate and professional schools, internships, professional associations, or job descriptions contact:

University Career Center
110 Burge Union
(785) 864-3624

For information about majors and concentrations in art:

Art Department
300 Art and Design Building
(785) 864-4401

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