LibGuides: Art & Art History (ARTA): Choosing a Career

Careers in the Arts

Are you planning for a career in the Arts? Thinking about pursuing an advanced degree? Here are several prestigious institutions to consider.

Click here to browse the e-book Careers in the Arts: Fine, Performing & Visual. More career information from this series is available in the Salem Press database.

The print version of this book is located in the Stacks at Mack Library (Bethlehem), at call number NX 163 .C375 2017.

Need it delivered? Request it by using Library to Go.

Career in the Arts: The Complex Learning & Career Needs of Creative Professionals by Berg, Gary.
Call Number: NX 163 .B467 2022 Print
ISBN: 9781475862362
Publication Date: 2022
There is a gap in knowledge about artistic careers -- few people fully understand the economics and sociology of the visual and performing arts. The public impression of the lives of artists are distorted because typically only the very successful get attention. Society generalizes based on those people who are statistical exceptions, not by looking at average careers, let alone those who discontinue their pursuit of arts professions. For emerging young artists, it is essential to know the histories of the different performing and visual arts, and their training and craft traditions. Additionally, understanding the role of informal learning, differences in types of institutions, approaches to teaching-learning, and the subsequent likely career impact is important. While some have hailed the advances in the arts as a result of new technology, changes in the finances of performers are greatly affected by the digital world. Many have commented on the greying audiences for classical music and opera, but the characteristics of the younger generations who appear to want to view, listen, and interact with visual and performance art differently may be even more impactful.
Starting Your Career As an Artist by Miller, Stacy.
Call Number: N 8350 .M54 2023 Print
ISBN: 9781621537977
Publication Date: 2023
In this comprehensive manual, veteran art career professionals Stacy Miller and Angie Wojak show aspiring artists how to evaluate their goals and create a plan of action to advance their professional careers, using their talents to build productive lives in the art world. In addition, the book includes insightful interviews with professional artists and well-known players in the art scene. This newly updated third edition features a chapter on social media, and includes interviews with artists, museum professionals, and educators, as well as new chapters on how to navigate the post-pandemic art world and artists' wellness.

Finding Job Descriptions, Salary Data, and Much More

If you're trying to decide what type of job would be best for you, start your research with the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It lists all kinds of information about careers in a variety of fields, such as:

Duties required by the job
Work environment
Education and training needed
Licenses, certification, and registrations needed
Personal qualities that are best suited to the job
Typical salary
Outlook for job opportunities in that industry
Contact information for professional organizations.

The online version of the Occupational Outlook Handbook is searchable. For a preview of how it works, watch this instructional video.

To use the book in print format, go to the Reference section of either the Mack Library (Bethlehem) or ESSA Library (Pocono), and look for call number HF 5382 .U53.

Job Titles in the Arts

Here are some job titles related to the Arts that you can find information about in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.