Typical Careers and Industries for Artists and Designers
No matter how talented an artist or designer is, it can be extremely difficult to break into the industry and succeed at a level that guarantees pure creative freedom and a high enough income that the artist can depend on his or her projects alone. If you’re looking for a day job that will pay the rent in between personal projects, do some research online or by asking your teachers and mentors what kinds of jobs combine your creative talents with a solid income and regular hours. Keep your mind open to jobs that may not seem like a direct transition from your art school background and try to explore how you can channel your artistic vision towards a position that contributes to the more traditional workforce.
Many artists choose to freelance, providing services to a variety of clients on a case-per-case basis. Thanks to the Internet, you can meet contacts through freelance job boards and artist networks, like the National Network for Artist Placement or the ARTrepreneur network. These sites post jobs, auditions, and links to art organizations that are looking for new additions to their companies. Freelancers can also attract clients by creating their own website, featuring their resume, portfolio and contact information. As a freelancer, you’ll be able to set your own hours, pick the projects you want to work on, meet a lot of different people around the country, and ultimately be responsible for the work your produce. Getting to the point where you can rely completely on your freelancing projects may take a while, however, as you’ll constantly need to seek out clients, manage your business as well as your art projects, and earn an income that satisfies your lifestyle.
If you’re not sure about becoming a full-time freelancer right away, consider taking a job at a gallery, theatre, orchestra house, newspaper or animation firm. Even though you may not have a position as a creative director when you first start, working your way up to becoming a curator, museum technician, creative assistant, staff writer or staff illustrator is possible. Another option for artists is to join an art or design team at a business that designs its own websites or is in charge of creating its own advertising. These businesses need creative talent to generate attractive media campaigns, design websites, product labels, commercials, literature about the company and more, providing professional opportunities to students who graduated from school programs in writing, graphic design, drawing, painting or sculpting. Other design businesses and art companies hire cartoonists, medical and scientific illustrators, print makers, archivists, multimedia artists and more. These in-house positions often supply regular benefits, a salary and solid hours. Don’t be afraid to branch out into an industry you weren’t expecting to end up in: many traditional jobs are able to satisfy the creative artists, and you can always work on your own personal projects and freelancing career on the side.
