How Arts Schools Prioritize Career Development

Posted by David Cutler in David Cutler, ETA Spotlight, Entrepreneurial Tool Box, Music on September 27th, 2009 | 2 responses

In my last post, I argued that prospective arts students should favor schools that actively prioritize career development and entrepreneurship. After all, this shows a commitment to producing working artists, as opposed to simply outstanding ones (who are likely unprepared to deal with professional realities of the 21^st Century). Even if you ultimately decide on a career path outside of your area of study, these kinds of experiences can truly help you succeed.

In this article, we’ll look at wonderful career development initiatives currently in place in some forward-thinking institutions. Obviously, the more a school does on this front, the more commitment to professional success they demonstrate. Most of my research comes from looking at music schools, but outstanding programs in other areas of the arts have taken equivalent steps.

I have no interest in advocating or discounting any particular school here. (If anything, I hope this post provides inspiration to programs currently falling short.) For this reason, university names are not listed below.

Please note: the phrases arts business and arts administration denote something different than what is addressed here. Typically, arts business programs focus on preparing students to work with for-profit companies such as the recording industry. Arts administration majors learn about the non-profit sector. Contrastingly in this article, I’m more concerned with the development of performers, composers, dancers, actors, visual artists, private teachers, and other largely self-employed individuals.

CENTERS

Some schools host music/arts centers that provide a number of valuable services. They help students get gigs, learn about opportunities, prepare marketing materials, set up outreach activities, etc. These centers have names like:

Music Career Center
Entrepreneurship Center for Music
Institute for Music Leadership
Institute for Leadership & Engagement in Music
Arts Incubator
Arts Enterprise
Camerata (named after the 16^th century Florentine Camerata, which brought together artists, patrons, and students to foster innovation in the arts)
Center for Engagement and Outreach
Community Engagement Program

CAREER COUNSELORS

Some schools have part- or full-time arts career counselors on staff, available to meet one on one with students. In other cases, universities hire career specialists who work with students from all majors across the university. While these employees can be helpful for general issues (resumes, traditional job interviews, etc.), someone who is not an artist will likely be unprepared to address the nitty-gritty and specific concerns of the arts industries.

COURSES

Some schools offer career development courses, with titles such as:

Career Perspectives
Building a Music Career
Practical Aspects of a Career in Music
Chamber Music and Professional Development for the Freelance Musician
Audience Development
Audience Connection
Web Design for Musicians
Digital Portfolio Creation
Arts Media & Promotion: Perfecting and Pitching Your Message
Music Entrepreneurialism, Leadership, and Relevance
The Professional Artist Seminar
College Teaching
How to Win an Orchestral Audition
The Joys and Opportunities of Studio Teaching
Getting Your Sh*t Together

SPEAKER SERIES

Some schools regularly organize talks and workshops by faculty members and visiting professionals, addressing various professional concerns.

PORTFOLIOS

Some schools require students to compile a professional portfolio before graduating, including items like:

Headshot/photo
Bio
Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Sample cover letter
Repertoire list
Press release
Business cards
Program notes
Recordings
Videos
Work samples (for visual artists)
Website
Business cards
Marketing plans
5-10 year career goals

MOCK INTERVEIWS/AUDITIONS

Some schools offer mock interviews and auditions, proceeded by preparation sessions and followed with feedback.

INTERNSHIPS

Some schools require arts majors to enlist in some sort of internship program. Others highly recommend them, and maintain a database of potential opportunities.

COMPETITIONS

A few schools sponsor wonderfully creative competitions where students are invited to pitch projects that are evaluated on both artistic and entrepreneurial factors. Winners receive seed money to enact their proposal.

ENTREPRENEURIAL ENSEMBLES

A few schools now offer ensembles where students are required to do more than simply show up on time and be prepared. Participants are asked to play an active role in program development, marketing, publicity, setting up performances, working with presenters, or even the overall ensemble vision.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

Some schools hire graduate students to teach courses. Obviously, this hands-on job training is beneficial for those interested in educational work. It also looks great on the resume.

GIGGING SERVICE

Many schools contract gigs (weddings, bar mitzvahs, private parties, etc.) for their students, providing real life experiences and a source of revenue. While you should definitely take advantage of this wonderful service and real life experience, keep in mind that it only focuses on one slice of the industry. Additional resources are necessary for deeper career guidance.

CAREER WEBSITE

Some schools maintain extensive websites devoted to career and entrepreneurship issues, with articles, podcasts, databases of opportunities, and more. However, even students without this kind of in-house resource can take advantage of sites like www.SavvyMusician.com (for an extensive list of helpful sites, visit The Savvy Musician Resource Center), so don’t discount a school just because it lacks this feature.

REQUIRED READING

Some schools that do not yet have many or any of the initiatives above at least require their students to read a few books on the subject of arts careers and entrepreneurship. A number of excellent and affordable texts have become available in the past few years. (Incidentally, schools have students research areas that they deem important. For example, every music program requires music theory and history reading; these topics seem to be universally valued. If no career books are assigned anywhere in the curriculum, this is another sign that the school does not prioritize professional success for its alumni.)

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As you can see, there’s quite a lot that arts schools can do to better prepare students for professional success. Now you know (at least a portion of) what’s available. So if you’re serious about developing into a working artist, make sure you have a clear idea about how each school you consider plans to help you achieve this goal. This way, you’ll have more than outstanding artistic ability and a beautiful diploma to look forward to. You may even have some marketable skills!

Love music, but hate to starve? Hoping to achieve more success with your career? Visit www.SavvyMusician.com for a Resource Center with 1000+links, valuable articles, info on the most relevant music career book in print, and more.