Advice to artists: Get involved

In the fourth in our series for advice for those of you starting a career in the arts, I'm hoping that I can offer some kind of advice from my own experience. I've done courses, volunteered and tried it all, in what I think is a fairly average experience and what you can expect for yourself maybe.

 

For advice on starting in the arts without a degree read here, persevering and what to expect.

 The Heart by Hannah Adamaszek and Kristin Gaudio Endsley

Patience is a virtue

I think I've followed a standard route into the Arts, although I initially applied to go to university to study history because I thought it would be a more sensible option (don't think like this, it's just silly, do what makes you happy). It is because of this that I have learnt to be resilient, I was about to leave secondary school and I didn't have anywhere to go afterwards now that I wasn't going to Reading for History, and so began a summer of last minute interviews to get onto an Art Foundation course. It wasn't until August that I landed my place on a course, and I started what happened to be one of the greatest years I've had- do not expect everything to fall into place, sometimes you really do have to wait for the best.

 

Get involved

And so followed a BA Fine Art, volunteering at galleries, helping at any exhibitions I could, and planning them with my friends. Which brings me to my next point, take every opportunity you can or create them! Look at galleries, sign up to mailing lists, get alerts from Arts Council, search high and low, and try hanging exhibitions, invigilating, get used to social media, think about admin as a mean necessity, organise your own exhibitions. All of those listed above makes the art world, you may be planning on being a practising artist, but you will need to do all these things to be your own business think of it as a timer served apprenticeship. And if you want to work in the arts, but not as an artist, you will at some point be called on to be handy, it is not glamourous, but it is fun.

Erupt by Aidan Myers

 

Get a job

You will need to have additional jobs, I have always worked part time whilst studying-you just have to be disciplined with time. I say this not just to bring in some money, but because this is something you will have to get used to. When I say starting a career in the arts, I mean it as entering the whole industry, you do not enter one area, but the whole sector. Everything depends on each other, artiSts to galleries, to fairs to framing, you all work together. Which also means that you will probably work across a few areas in a few years, whilst being an artist and holding down a steady income. It isn't as daunting as it sounds, but it does need you to use time wisely.

 

Ultimately, everyone's way into the arts will be different, and it does keep strange hours, but it is never ever boring.

 

 

 

Written by Curious Duke Gallery blogger Sinéad Loftus.

Lover of all art and fluffy cats.