Finding a Job in Art

Since computerized software has opened up an entire world of jobs for art school graduates, the artistic workplace has become an even more exciting and competitive arena. Animation, website design, and art direction are just a few fields in which art school graduates are forging professions. Armed with your art school degree and a professionally photographed and arranged portfolio, here are few ways to begin the “art” of getting hired for jobs:

Create a Business Image

Your business card and personal website will introduce prospective clients to your artwork and range of skills. It’s okay to post work you completed in art school.

Show Your Work

If you’re trained in the fine arts, get your work into galleries. Many nonprofit galleries host group shows for newer, edgier artists.

Get Funding and/or Work Space

This kind of support comes in the form of artist residencies and grants, and with the hundreds available on the Internet, you can find many that match your needs.

Sell Your Pieces Locally

Connect with the art scene in your area and find out about local art shows, fairs, and exhibits where you can exhibit and sell your work.

Search for Jobs Online

There are thousands of art job postings from all over the country and abroad in online classified listings. A variety of employers are looking for long- and short-term help that can lead to future work.

Follow Up with Old Contacts

If you were savvy enough to volunteer or intern while still in art school, you should have names and numbers of people you worked with. E-mail them or give them a call, letting them know you’re available for work. Be sure to send links to your website.
Be Near Art or Curate

Working in a museum keeps you close to the art that inspires you and may give you an opportunity to teach and/or curate shows.

Teach

Teaching jobs allow you to share the skills you learned in art school. If you’re not after a teaching career, search for part-time jobs in after-school programs, community centers, and continuing adult education programs.

Personal Website

A professionally written, easy-to-navigate website is an excellent (and nowadays essential) networking tool to have while you’re studying at art school and after you graduate. When you hand prospective clients your business card, you should also be handing them the address of a website to explore. In doing this, you are inviting an employer to see your range of skills and experience, as well as your aesthetic.

Rules for a job-winning website:

Fast and Easy Navigation

Overkill is not a pleasing aesthetic, so don’t overcrowd your website with artwork. Feature your best, most technically adept and original pieces, just as you would when arranging your portfolio.

A Few Simple Links

Have a few essential categories to click on, like art, bio, resume, and clients. On each page of your website, keep the links in the same place so as not to waste visitors’ time by having them search for the information they need. And make sure your website has the option to print your resume in PDF format.

Quick-Loading

Your clients’ time is precious, so you want your site to load quickly. Upload smaller-sized files that won’t take a long time to load. Video and music files tend to be large, so keep those to a minimum. Don’t waste time uploading cleverly programmed gadgets that will clog your site, and avoid background images that also make your website take longer to load. Remember to make your site compatible in all browsers.

Essential Content

On your website, prospective employers, clients, and gallery owners should find your

  • resume
  • portfolio/artwork
  • contact information
  • clients/references
  • brief (2 – 3 paragraph) artist’s statement and a bio.

Domain Name

Purchase your own domain name. You can register it for a year for about $12 and renew it annually for the same.

Art Gallery

If you are displaying fine art, label each piece with dimensions, materials used, and price if it is for sale.

Don’t Send People to Other Sites

If you link to other sites, make sure all links open in separate windows so that your website stays on the screen.

Site Maintenance

Maintain your site: Have no broken links or pages “under construction.”

Web Aesthetics

Keep your website easy on the eyes. That means:

  • Choose subdued colors – no brights!
  • No all-capital text. Writing in all caps is the equivalent of shouting.
  • No underlining. Underlined text tells visitors they’re reading a clickable link.

Nonprofits Interested in Group Exhibitions

As you look for places to exhibit and represent your work after you graduate from art school, consider applying for group shows in nonprofit galleries. These galleries tend to be less exclusive and more open to new artists and edgier work than established commercial galleries. Though nonprofits may not seem as glamorous, showing your work in a nonprofit gallery is an excellent way to get exposure to the local art scene, meet other artists and curators, and network for jobs and other shows. In fact, dealers who are scouting for new talent may get a better sense of your work by seeing it in a nonprofit gallery than they would by simply looking at your portfolio.

Advantages of Showing in a Nonprofit Gallery

  • Nonprofit galleries take less commission (up to 30%) than established commercial galleries, which may take up to 90% commission.
  • There is a constant influx of new ideas due to incoming interns, artists, and curators, whereas commercial galleries tend to form a rather exclusive system that might initially be closed to outsiders.
  • Nonprofits in big cities can get as much of an audience and media exposure as commercial galleries and museums.
  • Artists may get a small payment or honoraria.
  • Nonprofits put out calls that any artist can answer as long as their artwork meets the criteria. This kind of opportunity is rarely, if ever, offered by museums or commercial galleries.
  • You can put your showings on your resume and simply name the gallery without indicating that it’s not-for-profit.
  • Since nonprofits depend more on grants and donations than sales, you have more chance of showing your work in an atmosphere that is about art, not profit.
  • Nonprofits may hold auctions selling their artists’ (your) work to raise money.

Possible Disadvantages of Showing in a Nonprofit Gallery

  • You may have to apply to many nonprofit galleries repeatedly before you get accepted to show your work. Be persistent and don’t give up on your first or even tenth rejection.
  • Certain established nonprofits may behave as exclusively as commercial galleries.
  • You may not sell as much work as you would in an established art gallery, but if you do, you’ll make more money on each piece.

If you do get a chance to show your work in a nonprofit gallery, make sure to sign a loan/exhibition form to see how (if possible) the gallery will insure your work and protect it from damages.

Read a list of nonprofit galleries throughout the United States. (http://artbistro.monster.com/news/articles/7528-the-411-on-non-profit-galleries)

Residencies and Grants

Residencies and grants are excellent ways to get time, space, and money to focus on creating your art, especially after you graduate from art school and are plunged into the cares of everyday life. It takes research to find the residency or grant that matches your art and circumstances, but doing the legwork is worth the effort. Residencies give you time and a private space to work in a special geographical location; grants give you money. Receiving either gives you an extra boost of confidence, knowing that an institution or individual who appreciates art believes that yours deserves to be made.

What Is an Artist Grant?

An artist’s grant is a sum of money awarded to a single artist or organization to help alleviate financial worry. Grants for the arts can run from $50 to $500,000.

Where to Apply for Grants

There are many government, nonprofit, and private groups and foundations that offer monetary support to artists.

Note: If you create a nonprofit organization for yourself, you will be placed in a special category to receive government art grants.

What Is an Artist Residency?

An artist residency, or artist-in-residence program, offers artists a quiet place in a specific geographical region (almost anywhere in the world) to practice/create art. Some residencies are planned months or years ahead of time, so be prepared to wait, even after you are accepted.

Where to Find Residencies

There are hundreds of residencies to be found online. Here are a few sources:

What Do Residency and Grant Applications Ask For?

  • Cover letter
  • Specific answers to every question
  • Portfolio
  • Statement of intent
  • Project proposal
  • Proof of nationality

Visiting Local Events

Showing and selling your art at local events is a great way to start getting feedback from buyers and other artists. It’s also a practical way to get exposure. Check out your local art scene through galleries, classified ads, and your local Chamber of Commerce. You’re sure to find places to exhibit, art events at local colleges and universities, information on regional fairs and booth events, and a community of active artists who can point you toward many different venues for sharing your art.

Craft Fairs and Holiday Markets

People who come to craft fairs to buy unique, one-of-a-kind gifts are your perfect customers. By selling at fairs you’ll get instant feedback from buying customers as well as from other artists. You’ll also get a feel for the market and where you fit into it. Come prepared with business cards that have your website address printed on them, and don’t be shy to give them out! Figure out beforehand how you’ll get paid. Since it’s easy to write a bad check, cash and credit cards are best. And if renting a booth at an event is too expensive, share the cost and space with other artists.

Libraries and Colleges/Universities

Exhibits of local artists’ work (along with artist bios and prices) are often shown on the walls of municipal and other well-regarded institutions, so be aware of exhibits in your area. Local artists strike a personal note with the people who live in the region, and local exhibits are a great way to have pieces shown over a longer period of time than just an afternoon at a craft fair. Your pieces will be thoughtfully arranged in a place of academic or other prestige, which enhances their beauty; and since you’re not there with the intent to sell, people can have the time to just look and take in your art without feeling pressured to buy.

Restaurants and Cafes

Classy and funky eating establishments often display the work of local artists. People sitting for the course of their meal at restaurants and sometimes for hours at cafes come to know the art displayed around them. Eateries also have a lot of repeat customers who may see your work over and over again and ask who the painter, sculptor, or illustrator is.

Visiting Local Events

Showing and selling your art at local events is a great way to start getting feedback from buyers and other artists. It’s also a practical way to get exposure. Check out your local art scene through galleries, classified ads, and your local Chamber of Commerce. You’re sure to find places to exhibit, art events at local colleges and universities, information on regional fairs and booth events, and a community of active artists who can point you toward many different venues for sharing your art.

Craft Fairs and Holiday Markets

People who come to craft fairs to buy unique, one-of-a-kind gifts are your perfect customers. By selling at fairs you’ll get instant feedback from buying customers as well as from other artists. You’ll also get a feel for the market and where you fit into it. Come prepared with business cards that have your website address printed on them, and don’t be shy to give them out! Figure out beforehand how you’ll get paid. Since it’s easy to write a bad check, cash and credit cards are best. And if renting a booth at an event is too expensive, share the cost and space with other artists.

Libraries and Colleges/Universities

Exhibits of local artists’ work (along with artist bios and prices) are often shown on the walls of municipal and other well-regarded institutions, so be aware of exhibits in your area. Local artists strike a personal note with the people who live in the region, and local exhibits are a great way to have pieces shown over a longer period of time than just an afternoon at a craft fair. Your pieces will be thoughtfully arranged in a place of academic or other prestige, which enhances their beauty; and since you’re not there with the intent to sell, people can have the time to just look and take in your art without feeling pressured to buy.

Restaurants and Cafes

Classy and funky eating establishments often display the work of local artists. People sitting for the course of their meal at restaurants and sometimes for hours at cafes come to know the art displayed around them. Eateries also have a lot of repeat customers who may see your work over and over again and ask who the painter, sculptor, or illustrator is.

Consider Teaching Jobs

Teaching art is one of the best ways to get paid for sharing your technical and aesthetic know-how. It’s also a practical way to immerse yourself in the artistic process and to explore the use of different materials, as well as a good way to get known locally as an artist. Whether you teach adults, young adults, or kids, your skills as a teacher and an artist will come to the attention of your students, faculty, and your students’ parents. Another benefit of teaching is that it gets you out of the solitude of creating and gives you a few hours with people doing what you love.

There are many art school teaching positions, each involving different time commitments:

  • Part-Time Art Teacher
    If you want to make some extra money by teaching art while looking for professional art/design jobs with companies or as a freelancer, you can look for part-time art teaching jobs in local community centers, after-school programs, summer camps, schools that only need art teachers two or three days a week, or adult education classes. You can also teach in educational programs in museums.
  • Full-Time Public/Private School Art Teacher
    Full-time art teacher jobs are a big commitment, requiring hours of lesson planning, and ordering and organizing art materials. You also need to be trained in classroom management or you’ll end up with paint in your hair, all over your students, and on the walls!
  • College Art Professor
    Since competition for college art school teaching positions is very tough, most college-level art teachers need a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. Candidates for such positions also need an excellent resume detailing their art career, including gallery showings, commissioned works, and academic achievements. An impressive, professionally photographed and organized portfolio is also necessary.
  • Art Workshop Instructor
    If you have your own decent-sized studio space or can rent a room in a community center or college, you can advertise your own unique workshops. The benefits of doing this are that you can teach what you like without being locked to the schedule or desires of an employer. You can get paid directly and develop a closer relationship with your students than you might by working for an institution or school. Most importantly, giving your own workshops can be an amazing networking opportunity.

Human Resources Department at Art Museums

Working in an art museum is a great opportunity for art school students and those who have already graduated. Such a job requires knowledge of fine arts and art history, and provides an inspiring environment for those interested in a career in the arts. Museum staff members are surrounded by art and exposed to museum events and newly curated shows. As a museum employee, you may also have the chance to curate shows yourself and lead tours, giving you the thrill of sharing your own hard-earned knowledge about specific artists and art periods.

To be considered for a job in a museum, contact the human resources department and/or recruitment office of the museums you’re applying to.

Benefits of Working in a Museum

  • Be surrounded by original works of art while on the job.
  • Extend your education by learning about art periods, artists, and pieces in your work environment.
  • Give art tours, learning fine details and interesting facts about art periods and sharing what you know.
  • Teach in museum education department by giving tours and classes to children.
  • Learn how to curate shows.
  • Learn video/media production.
  • Learn how to talk about/introduce a work of art.
  • Network with museum operators and other curators.

The following sites are full of museum job opportunities:
Global Museum (http://hosting.wave.co.nz/~jollyroger/GM2/jobs/jobs.htm)
Jobsearchengine.com (www.job-search-engine.com/keyword/art-museum-employment/)
National Gallery of Art, MD, website (www.nga.gov/resources/employ.shtm)

Volunteering or Interning

Volunteering

Volunteering does not bring in any money while you’re in or out of art school, but it can bring you rich professional experiences, job opportunities after you graduate from art school, and excellent networking opportunities.

Benefits of Volunteering

  • You stand out from the paid employees. You’re viewed not as a colleague, but as someone aspiring toward your goals with enough devotion to work for free in order to learn. Because of this, the people you volunteer for will be more likely to teach you what they know.
  • People may ask about your art, which is an excellent opportunity to network. Don’t feel shy about sharing your sketches or your website, or about inviting people to your studio to see your pieces.
  • You’re not confined to one job. Make yourself available for as many practical experiences as you can. The more open you are, the more varied your hands-on experiences can be.

Internships

Internships, which can be paid or exchanged for school credits, give you hands-on work experience that can add to your skills and expose you to the reality of the professional world you’d like to enter. Internships are also a way for companies, nonprofits, and other establishments to scout for new employees. Sometimes the place where you interned will hire you after you graduate.

Benefits of Internships

  • Can be paid or exchanged for school credits
  • Give you a behind-the-scenes look at the profession you want to enter
  • Give you networking opportunities. Get as many contacts as you can and save them.
  • Directly introduce you to the art scene in the place where you’re interning. You will meet artists, see new work, and get a taste of how the practical/business side of the art world works.
  • Can lead to a full- or part-time job.

When Do I Start Volunteering and/or Interning?

Start as early as you can while you’re still in school. If you begin in your second or third year of art school, you’ll be able to have a few volunteer and/or internship experiences in different places so that you can see what it’s like to work in different sectors of your field of art.

Where Do I Find Volunteer Opportunities and/or Internships?

  • Your art school’s career center
  • College alumni
  • Online and print classified ads
  • Art journals
  • Local galleries (both for-profit and nonprofit)
  • Local museums
  • Local corporations and small businesses