A GUIDE TO
YOUR FUTURE IN ARTS & CULTURE
Humber Arts Administration & Cultural Management 2019
@artslead
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Introduction Welcome to ARTS LEAD! Meet the Team Introduction to ARTS LEAD members! Arts Workers What makes a good Arts Worker? Arts Workers Interests!
Success in the Arts Sector Why work in the arts? Arts & Culture Job Opportunities What's out there in the Arts World? Arts & Culture Academic Programs How do I get there? Networking Volunteer in the Arts & Culture Sector! Resources Lakeshore Grounds & TAPA WorkInCulture Website walk-through
MAXWELL COMPANY • WWW.MAXWELL.COM
WELCOME
Congratulations on taking your first step toward a career in the arts! This guide book was created by a team who started out just like you - students with a passion for the arts, and who were curious about opportunities outside of practicing as an artist. Unfortunately, none of us were exposed to the field of arts management and administration until long after our high school careers ended. Fortunately, this lack of awareness lead to our mission to change things for future students - hence the birth of ARTS LEAD! The ARTS LEAD collective is comprised of six arts managers who represent various artistic disciplines and share a passion for arts education and community engagement. We are providing this educational document as a means to inform secondary students about post secondary education and employment options in the arts and culture sector. This guide will provide an overview of professional opportunities that allow career expansion/advancement for artists as well as small steps students can take now to prepare themselves for a future in the arts sector. Young learners need to be reminded that their artistic talents and ambitions are valued by the economy and Canadian culture. The arts sector requires a constant feed of innovative and curious minds to continue advancing and expanding. We believe that if we make the effort to plant the arts seed early enough in students’ lives, we may begin to see more arts leaders, of all backgrounds and genders, emerging with a passion to advocate for the sector. We hope you enjoy reading this guidebook as much as we enjoyed putting it together and we can’t wait to watch future leaders like you change the arts world! Sincerely, The ARTS LEAD Team Laura-Anne Graul, Bethanie Hughes, Emily Langer, Kelsey Lee, Caitie McKinnon, & Emily Parker MAXWELL COMPANY • WWW.MAXWELL.COM
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MEET THE TEAM KELSEY LEE
Is a graduate of Carleton University with a Vocal Musical Theatre
Performance Degree. Her interests lie within blending her love of art with her passion for management and business. This path led her to Humber College in Arts Administration and Cultural
Management. She continuously enjoys learning how to lead
different arts organizations and working to inspire others to support the arts and become more involved in developing cultural practises within their community.
BETHANIE HUGHES
Comes from a musical theatre background and has a passion for arts education. She has a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Child,
Youth, and Family Studies and has been involved with numerous
children’s dance and theatre programs across Ontario. Bethanie has worked as a Teacher, Choreographer, Program Coordinator, Client Communications Manager, and has recently geared her
career path toward arts administration. Her favourite projects are
those that call her artistic, interpersonal, and organizational skills to action, and involve engaging young people in community arts.
C
AITIE M KINNON C
Is a postgraduate student at Humber College in the Arts
Administration and Cultural Management program. Having
graduated from the Arts and Contemporary Studies program at Ryerson University, with a major in Culture Studies and a double minor in Curatorial Studies and Philosophy, she is strongly
connected to the arts scene here in Toronto. In addition to her educational journey, she now runs a self-published zine that features artists from in and around the Toronto area.
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LAURA-ANNE GRAUL
Is a York University graduate with a degree in Visual Art and
Sociology, with an emphasis in painting and photography. She has a passion for sharing arts and culture with others and because of
this, has pursued the postgraduate program for Arts Management at Humber College. She is currently working out of Mississauga in her personal arts practice, as well as working with the arts
organization Arts Etobicoke on many of their arts and community outreach projects.
EMILY PARKER
Is a Trent University graduate with a BA in French and Cultural
Studies, emphasizing in writing and narrative. She enjoys literature, film, visual arts and viewing artistic performances. Her passion for working with children and planning events led her to the Humber
College Arts Administration Graduate Program. Recently, Emily has worked in the arts as a Digital Archivist, Events Coordinator,
Program Guide and Historical Interpreter in museums and holiday festivals. Emily hopes to continue her work in events and
programming in the future while participating in the arts community through initiatives like ARTS LEAD.
EMILY LANGER
Is an Arts Educator from Toronto currently working at Young
People’s Theatre as the Drama School Coordinator. She has a passion for creating open, safe and accessible spaces for
program participants of all backgrounds to explore themselves
through the arts. Emily has received her BaH in Drama as well as her bED at Queen’s University and is currently pursuing her
Certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management at
Humber College. Emily is excited to work with ARTS LEAD to help
inspire students to work in the Arts and Culture sector in a wide variety of capacities.
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WHAT MAKES A GOOD ARTS WORKER? An Arts Manager plays a key role within their organization. While every Arts Manager has their own style, experience and outlook, there are key personality traits that are inherent in every successful arts leaders.
PERSONABLE It is crucial to network yourself and negotiate within this sector. As Susan de Cartier states “it’s not creating the relationships, it’s maintaining them”.
DETERMINED This trait is extremely important as an
Arts Manager as it takes perseverance and commitment to complete a long term goal or project. Sometimes it
OPEN TO LEARNING It is extremely important to continue learning to grow your knowledge base in the arts sector. Society and technology are ever-changing, and a good Arts Manager will continue to grow and learn with them.
PERSISTANT Sometimes you have to ask for something 10 times before any
progress is made toward your goal.
This means keeping on top of board
members, employees, volunteers, and other organizations to keep on task and accountable of their
responsibilities to you. In turn, you always have to uphold your responsibility to others.
takes weeks or months to accomplish
RESPONSIBLE
one can see it through.
As an Arts Manager, you will probably
OUT OF THE BOX
organization. It is crucial to be
these goals, but it is always worth it if
Flexibility and problem solving are
major components within this industry. Sometimes it may seem like you have exhausted all of your options, which is where creative thinking and patience are great assets.
be wearing many hats within your
responsible in regards to yours and
others’ time, keeping a strict budget, meeting deadlines, and always
keeping your word. Furthermore, a
major part of responsibility is having
the capacity to ask for help when you need it.
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MODEST Whether you are the CEO of TIFF, or the Artistic Director of a small dance company, all arts workers aim to achieve a common goal - success! You must also remember that everyone starts in the same place, and your level of employment does not define your worth within the sector. Furthermore, an Arts Manager may have to ask for funding, loans, donations, etc. on multiple occasions - you must be confident but never too proud to ask for financial or resource assistance.
HONEST As an Arts Manager, you have a duty to your organization, staff, board
members, and any other stakeholders, to be completely transparent
regarding the state of the organization (financially, socially, etc.). Trusting
others and having them trust you in return will establish a strong bond between you and others.
MULTI-TASKER It is very important to have an
organized mind and calendar to make multi-tasking as seamless as
possible. Sometimes, you need to divide your attention to work as
efficiently as possible. This does not
mean that you do not complete your tasks with attention to detail, it just means that you can juggle many different tasks at once.
INTERESTS OF AN ARTS WORKER Museums & Galleries Personal Development Trying New Things Exploring /Traveling Writing /Journaling Crafting Reading about History or Culture Attending Festivals / Fairs Popular Culture Photography Theatre Performances Opera / Concerts Sculpting Film Literature Poetry Curation Textile Design Graphic Design Technical Management Knitting and Crocheting Song Writing Playing an Instrument Musical Performance
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SU CC ESS IN THE ARTS SE C TOR At some point in your life, you have likely come across the common misconception that surrounds the arts sector: artists and arts workers are always struggling to find work, never feel financially secure, and are not in demand like scientists or mathematicians are. Well, the next time someone shares this kind of opinion with you, flip to this page! Unfortunately, those of us who work in arts and culture often find ourselves in the position of needing to defend our professional goals and explain why our work is important. We want to provide you with a whole list of reasons why, not only to inform others who may not know otherwise, but to remind yourselves that choosing a career path in the arts is not unfeasible or less valuable than other career options.
WHY ARTS WORKERS ARE IN DEMAND Not only does our Canadian economy need arts
workers, but our local communities do too. Art plays a monumental role in maintaining the mental and physical well-being of Canadian citizens. Art of all forms helps those struggling with grief, isolation,
illness, addiction, and stress. We need the arts (and in turn, arts workers) as an outlet to express
ourselves and share our stories with one another to stay connected over time and keep our cultures
alive (Speak Art Loud, 2010). To keep it simple, art brings us together as human beings, and if that’s
not an important cause to work for, we don’t know what is!
First of all, the arts and culture sector is a huge driver of our economy, especially when it comes to tourism. The culture industry contributes to more than 3% of Canada’s GDP - a greater proportion than the food/accommodation industry or the agriculture/forestry industry provides. This means that the arts and culture sector provides many opportunities that are required to keep the industry booming. Other countries are far ahead of Canada in terms of promoting arts and culture, and we need to catch up. The sector needs young, innovative minds to continue this growth as the more the sector advances and expands, the more jobs will open up! (Canadian Arts Coalition, 2019)
PAGE 6 Beyond the arts sector, arts graduates are needed in nearly every field of work. Art, design, and architectural professionals are needed across major sectors including education, health, agriculture, and manufacturing, which all contribute significantly to our economy (Bucknall, 2017). Even companies who do not focus on the arts still need employees who can help them with design, marketing, communications, and digital media. Not to mention, employers of all sectors are looking for candidates who can think critically, have highly developed communication skills, are culturally aware, and have a diverse skill set. Who checks all of these boxes? Arts Workers! Another asset gained by companies who hire arts workers is creativity. The work that artists and arts workers do cannot be replaced by machines and would become extremely boring if new creators and unique ideas were not constantly being sought after. As an arts worker, you are creating ideas, not just tangible goods or services, which are highly valuable to employers and can set them apart from competitors (Kowalski, 2016). Enough about what you can offer employers - what are the personal benefits to becoming an arts worker? Unlike many other industries, you get to be creative and curious in your work. You will learn about your own strengths and capabilities while having the chance to connect with others about something you all share a common passion for. As an arts worker, you have the freedom to create your own path, constantly take on new opportunities, and continuously evolve personally and professionally (Rigali, 2015). Furthermore, many arts positions come with added bonuses like travel, flexible work hours, and networking opportunities (Bucknall, 2017). Despite what you may have heard, there is a wide range of job descriptions to choose from and the chance for career advancement is very prominent in the arts sector. Even within one role or job title, you will likely get to try your hand at a variety of tasks, which only improves your skill set and makes your resume more appealing (Collins, 2016). Not only does our economy need arts workers, but our communities do too. Art plays a huge role in mental and physical well-being. Art of all forms helps those struggling with grief, isolation, physical or mental illness, addictions, and stress. We need the arts as an outlet to express ourselves and share our stories with one another to stay connected over time and keep our cultures alive (Speak Art Loud, 2010). One thing is for certain, if and when you decide to pursue a career in the arts, you will become part of a family that is dedicated to supporting, inspiring, and advocating for you throughout your journey.
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SO, WHAT S OUT THERE? '
So now that we have looked at what it means to work in the arts sector, what kind of jobs can you aspire to have? For one thing, you could be like us at ARTS LEAD and go into arts management! A job in arts management, which can also be called arts administration, involves the dayto-day operations of arts sector organizations such as; museums, galleries, theaters, concert halls, dance studios, arts service organizations, and so much more! Why do we need Arts Managers? It is a career path that was developed out of a great need for leadership within arts and cultural organizations and is a truly valued position within large and small businesses alike. Talented individuals and groups are always producing new works of art, and it takes equally talented professionals to make those works accessible to the public. Art needs to be analyzed, curated, displayed and sold in exhibitions, plays, dance shows, concerts, book readings that all require careful and strategic planning, management and marketing.
JOB OPTIONS For examples of the types of jobs you could pursue within the arts sector, we can look at these
categories as defined by the Government of
Canada’s National Occupational Classification document! Though these are generalized
categories, they include a multitude of options within each category.
Archivists and Curators Producers, Directors, Choreographers & more! Conductors, Composers and Arrangers Technical Occupations related to Museums and Art Galleries Graphic Arts Technicians And many more!
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HOW DO I GET THERE? Following high school graduation there are many academic programs through which you can pursue an undergraduate degree that can continue to prepare you for a career in the arts and culture sector. Many undergraduate degrees may be more general such as a general arts, history, literature, English or any other degree in the liberal arts. If after completing these degrees, or any other type of undergraduate degree, you wish to gain a more specific set of skills there are post graduate certificates, diplomas and masters programs available. ARTS LEAD was created and is run by a group of six students currently enrolled in the Arts Administration and Cultural Management post graduate program at Humber College Lakeshore, however, there are many other programs that can be explored to continue your engagement with and work towards an arts-focused career. Below are some specific programs that can be more deeply explored:
1. Humber College Arts Administration and Cultural Management Event Planning Fashion Arts and Business 2. Durham College Music Business Administration Music Business Management 3. Seneca College Event Marketing- Sports, Entertainment, Arts 4. Centennial College Arts Education and Community Engagement Arts Management Advertising- Media Management Advertising and Marketing Communications Management Interactive Media Management Museum and Cultural Management 5. Algonquin College Baking and Pastry Arts Management 6. Sheridan College Communication. Culture, Information and Technology 7. St. Clair College Event Management
8. Fleming College Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management Museum Management and Curatorship 9. Georgian College Museum and Gallery Studies 10. Conestoga College Interactive Media Management 11. Trent University Arts and Business 12. University of Toronto Scarborough Arts Management Curatorial Studies Music & culture 13. University of Toronto Master of Museum Studies 14. Queen’s University Master of Arts in Arts Leadership Graduate Diploma in Arts Management 15. York University Arts and Media Administration Graduate Diploma 16. University of Ottawa Major in Arts Administration
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HOW DO I MAKE ONNE TIONS? C
C
While the arts and culture sector holds a lot of opportunity it is also extremely small. Every individual and organization are somehow connected whether directly, or at a distance. So, having effective networking techniques is imperative to making a good impression.that can lead to important connections.
INFORMATION INTERVIEW
Request meetings with people you are interested in learning from. This is often referred to as an informational interview. If someone agrees to meet with you make sure that you are respectful of their time and come prepared with specific questions in mind that would beneift your growth in your journey.
FOLLOW UP
&
Regardless of how long a meeting or conversation is, always follow up with an email. With a further initiative in putting your name out there after meeting you, there is a higher chance that they will remember you. In addition to this, it shows that you are interested in a continued relationship and value their opinions and experiences.
BE YOURSELF
Be yourself- don’t sell yourself. When talking about yourself, leave room for conversation, questions and comments. You don’t want to sound like a rehearsed machine, you know yourself best so just share and have fun!
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VOLUNTEER! VOLUNTEER! VOLUNTEER! Toronto is an ocean full of arts and culture events and organizations that will provide you with opportunities leading to experiences in various parts of the Greater Toronto Area. We encourage you to explore community arts opportunities in order to engage with a wide variety of professional and educational networks. Apart from being a great way to spend time, volunteering for and attending these programs will help you; gain a better understanding of your arts environment, support local artists, and will provide you with a space to identify your personal career preferences as well as best practices while working in the industry.
VISUAL ARTS
PERFORMING ARTS
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) Youth Programs Koffler Gallery
NXNE Buskerfest (must be 15 years old) Toronto Caribbean Carnival (must be 16 years old) Luminato Festival (must be 19 years old) Summerworks Performance Festival Buddies in Bad Times Fall for Dance North
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery McMichael Canadian Art Collection Aga Khan Museum Nuit Blanche Sketch Culture Days Youth Ambassador Program Neilson Park Creative Centre
TD Toronto Jazz Festival Living Arts Centre
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FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY Hot Docs (must be 18 years old) Toronto International Film Festival (must be 18 years old) Toronto Palestine Film Festival Ryerson Image Centre - Youth in Focus Program
LITERARY ARTS International Festival of Authors Harbourfront Centre (must be 16 years old) Word on the Street Book and Magazine Festival Toronto Public Library Youth Advisory Groups Toronto Poetry Slam
ROM KIDS The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Kids Program is used to engage children with museum exhibits and research. As a volunteer, you would be helping instructors set-up and facilitate learning sessions and tours for kids and ultimately, connecting little learners to art, nature, and history. If you enjoy working with kids and are interested in teaching or program coordination, this is a great start for you!
TEEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Visual Arts Mississauga at Riverwood offers volunteer opportunities during March Break, Summer Break, at their annual Art in the Park event, and throughout the year. Help with studio set-up, materials handling, and event/class management in all kinds of disciplines including sculpture, painting, drawing, and printmaking.
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FESTIVAL YOUTH TEAM Become an important member of the volunteer team at the Luminato Festival while gaining new experience in customer service and communications. This is a super fun opportunity to network with new people in the arts world while receiving perks like a reference letter to use for future opportunities and admission to a fabulous volunteer wrap party!
TPL YOUTH ADVISORY GROUP Help make your library an inviting and engaging space for young people with the Toronto Public Library Organization! This program involves attending regular library meetings to voice your opinions and ideas about library collections and programming for teens. This is a leadership opportunity that involves active collaboration with both passionate youth and experienced library staff, plus comes with perks for using library services.
ARTS SERVI E ORGANIZATIONS C
East End Arts Arts Etobicoke  Lakeshore Arts North York Arts Scarborough Arts UrbanArts Mabelle Arts
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LAKESHORE GROUNDS INTERPRETIVE C ENTRE Through arts, culture, and storytelling, the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre aims to interpret the natural and built heritage of the Lakeshore Grounds and to engage the surrounding community through exhibitions and cultural programming. They focus on themes of education, mental health, indigenous history, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement. Find out more information and get connected at lakeshoregrounds.ca!
TORONTO ALLIAN C E FOR PERFORMAN C E ARTS Volunteering with the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) can help you to learn more information about theatre, dance and opera in Toronto as well as help you find potential job opportunities. There are many industry resources on their website in order to further understand many aspects of the arts and culture sector. Find out more information and get connected at tapa.ca!
These are only some potential resources that you can utilize in order to continue on your path to becoming an arts worker. We strongly urge you to always be open to learning new things through a variety of different platforms. Many companies have websites that can be extremely informative- just keep looking and asking questions!
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WorkInCulture is a website and organization that is passionate about the vital contribution of arts and culture work to society in Ontario. They provide space for the collaborative and inclusive delivery of relevant and practical programs, resources and services for arts workers. WorkInCulture provides training programs, is a hub for information gathering and has a comprehensive job board of Arts and Culture opportunities across Canada. The jobs posted range from volunteer opportunities at festivals to Artistic Director positions at large theatres. In a new initiative to inform arts workers, all opportunities now provide specific information regarding the compensation of the positions, which allows arts workers to make informed decisions while applying to jobs. WorkInCulture is a great place to start when looking for a position, however, we recommend you broaden that search to include other websites to ensure that you have access to as many options as possible.
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WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO OFFER? WorkInCulture implements programs that are available either in-person or online through: WorkSmarts – workshops or webinars related to organizational capacity and management. CreativeBoost – workshops or webinars on business planning and entrepreneurship skills. WICMentorship - connects cultural workers with professionals experienced with a specific learning objective.
WorkInCulture is also committed to exploring sector conditions, trends, and priorities that will inform programming in the sector. With the MakingItWork Research and the annual Creative Works Conference, they offer safe spaces for dialogue and encourage conversations that will impact change in the sector. WorkInCulture also serves as a platform of opportunities. Their popular JobBoard continues to connect job seekers and qualified candidates to sector employers, and the DiscoveryBoard provides individuals with a range of professional development opportunities across Canada.
Content generously provided by Work In Culture Visit www.workinculture.ca for more information!
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THANK YOU!
SOUR ES C
Bucknall, B. (March 17, 2017). 7 reasons why a creative career is right for you.
Retrieved from https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2017/mar/7-reasons-to-pursue-a-career-in-art-design-architecture. Canadian Arts Coalition. (2019). Economics and the arts.
Retrieved from http://www.canadianartscoalition.com/resources/economics-and-the-arts/. Collins, A. (2016). 10 reasons why you should start a career in digital design.
Retrieved from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/blog/2016/09/05/ca-10-reasons-career-in-digital-design/. Kowalski, S. (2016, February 29). Five reasons why you should get an arts degree.
Retrieved from http://blog.uoit.ca/what-can-i-do-with-an-arts-degree. http://humberonline.ca/support/blackboard
Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre (est.2017). Communications & Resources Retrieved from https://www.lakeshoregrounds.ca/
Rigali, A. (2015, August 13). Five reasons to choose a career in arts fundraising. Retrieved from https://ccskills.org.uk/network/profile/25531. Speak Art Loud. (April 23, 2010). Five reasons why we need art.
Retrieved from https://speakartloud.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/41/.
WorkInCulture (Cultural Careers Council Ontario, 2019). Online Website & Resources Retrieved from https://www.workinculture.ca/
HERES TO THE
ARTS LEADERS OF TOMORROW