Employability and the Performance Arts: aspirations, realities and implications Jayne Stevens
Development of knowledge and understanding for employability Subject specific, academic module Pedagogic research Commitment to enhancement of student employability
Employability and the Performance Arts: aspirations, realities and implications 2006-09 • understand the career pathways taken by DMU graduates of Dance, Drama and Music, Technology and Innovation
Employability and the Performance Arts: aspirations, realities and implications 2006-09 • identify perceptions (student, graduate, staff) of relationships between undergraduate education and graduate work
Employability and the Performance Arts: aspirations, realities and implications 2006-09 • consider the implications for the content, delivery and promotion of undergraduate degree courses in the subjects concerned
‘Exploring the Dance Profession’ First year, core, taught module • consider the implications for the content, delivery and promotion of undergraduate degree courses in the subjects concerned
Issues arising from research • Student awareness of the nature of employment in the creative and cultural industries • Student awareness of the range of work undertaken by artists in the UK • Provision of work placements and opportunities • First year students’ desire to focus on subject specific knowledge and skills
Issues arising from research • Student awareness of the nature of employment in the creative and cultural industries • Multiple job holding; portfolio working • Self employment (82% of dance sector workers) • Oversupply (750,000 in training; 100,000 in work in the UK performing arts sector) • Self management, self promotion, reputation building • Importance of networks and networking 1
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(2010) The Performing Arts Blueprint. London, Creative & Cultural Skills.
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Issues arising from research • Student awareness of the range of work undertaken by artists in the UK • Performing or/then teaching • Less than 40% of the 100,000 working in the performing arts sector have an onstage role • Participatory artists working in education, youth work, criminal justice, health sectors • Opportunities in administration, promotion, curation, organisation 1
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(2010) The Performing Arts Blueprint. London, Creative & Cultural Skills.
Issues arising from research • Provision of work placements and opportunities • 90% of performing arts organisations employ fewer than 10 people 1
• Many work on a project to project basis • Increase in student numbers. (HE dance students 2002/3 to 2008/9 +124%) 2
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(2010) The Performing Arts Blueprint. London, Creative & Cultural Skills.
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(2010) PALATINE Key facts and stats (based on data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency).
Issues arising from research • Student awareness of the nature of employment in the creative and cultural industries • Student awareness of the range of work undertaken by artists in the UK • Provision of work placements and opportunities • First year students’ desire to focus on subject specific knowledge and skills
Transition - applied
Collaboration Problematisation Critical reflection
Transition - diagnostic Stevens, J.S. and Smith, G. Developing creative capabilities: embedding entrepreneurialism in the curriculum at Creating a Higher Vision: the HE contribution to the Creative Economy, Universities UK conference, Woburn House, London, 25 November 2009.
‘Exploring the Dance Profession’ First year, core (for 70+ students), taught (1hr contact) The module is designed to enable students to: • ‘understand the infrastructure for British dance and how it operates • appreciate the multiple and interconnected roles and skills that operate within the dance profession • develop awareness of current opportunities in dance • apply knowledge creatively to a given brief’
‘Exploring the Dance Profession’ The module incorporates learning and teaching strategies drawn from: • Enquiry based learning • Collaborative learning • Reflective learning • Situated learning Two examples: 1. Learning resources 2. Group task
Learning resources
Group task ‘Propose a new dance organisation to operate in the current British dance sector.’ ‘Pitch your idea as though to potential funders, clients or partners.’
Student response “Before this module I wasn’t aware of all the different ways in which you can be involved in dance and the opportunities out there.” “This module has really made me think about my future and my career, what pathways I would like to explore other than the performing side of the industry.” “The presentation task was not only very enjoyable but made me realise what it might be like to actually set up an organisation.”
Students:
Staff:
• Aware of a broader range of employment possibilities
• Embed employability issues in the core, academic curriculum
• Locate themselves in relation to the professional world • Interest in developing skills for future employment
• Within the resource constraints of a taught module • Engage students in entrepreneurial learning at the start of their course
Employability and the Performance Arts: aspirations, realities and implications