It’s something every artist studying in graduate school has to struggle with eventually, as the days count down to graduation—namely, what to do next? What to do on the day after graduation?
For the recent law school grad, or medical school grad, or even business school grad, that same question—what to do?—is a little less subtle, a little easier to answer. After all, in a certain sense, their path is fairly clear, as there are professional analogies inherent in their course of study. But for someone who has pursued an advanced degree in the arts, whether a one year MA, or a two- or three-year MFA, parsing the various fine arts job opportunities after graduate school can be a little less intuitive. After all, a career as an artist—as a painter or a sculptor or a writer of fiction—is not even strictly contingent upon a degree.
Unlocking Real World Doors For many recipients of a fine arts degree, the time spent in the program is perceived as a valuable end in itself, regardless of any doors it might open. But, after the sanctuary of school, there is always the real world, where those doors still remain. So what fine art job opportunities are out there? What are the different routes a graduate might take? What jobs require or encourage a fine arts masters degree? And what can a recent graduate do to go about making him or herself attractive to potential employers? In short, where are the doors, and how do they open?
Education The field with perhaps the most—or most obvious—job opportunities in fine arts is education, whether at the high school, college or graduate school level. In academia, the MFA is recognized as a terminal degree, connoting not only the degree-bearer’s accomplishments as a working artist, but his or her abilities to teach in the field as well. Many universities require an MFA in order to teach, and it is universally hard to get a job teaching fine arts at the undergraduate or graduate level without one.
Most fine arts programs are defined by the mentor/mentee relationship—that of an established artist working closely with a group of talented apprentices—and though the job market for a full-time or adjunct post within a university’s art, theater or creative writing department is certainly competitive, it’s not unusual for a recent graduate armed with an MA or an MFA to make the leap from mentee to young mentor, especially if he or she has found some measure of professional success in his field.
At the high school level, or even in middle school or lower, the MFA degree can open doors as well. Many private and parochial schools fashion their art departments after the university model, and are actively searching for a working artist to fill a mentoring role. The MFA can also help one get a head start on a teaching certificate or an MA in education, if one wishes to teach their craft at a public school.
Art as Commerce Another area where the recent graduate would do well to search for fine arts jobs is within the organ of art itself—within the edifices, avenues and mediums through which art is disseminated. For a writer or poet, this might mean an associate-level job at a publishing house or on the staff of a magazine, as a talent scout, say, or a fact-checker, or a production editor.
For a studio artist, a similar path might lead to the curatorial wing of a museum, or as a staff-member at a gallery. Again, since the MFA is a terminal degree, it may provide a candidate a leg-up over someone with a more traditional MA in English or art history. Fields often intersect in the art world; in a search for jobs with a fine arts masters degree, a fiction writer might find himself writing copy for an art museum’s in-house newsletter, while a studio artist might end up working in the design department of a literary magazine or a publishing house.
Putting Your Skills to Work With an MFA or a fine arts MA in hand, a recent graduate can, as they say, “dine out” almost anywhere, in any sphere of business, on the fact that he or she is now considered an expert in the field. And an expert in the fine arts can be quite attractive to a company looking to fill a related role within its department. A creative writer may link up with a company in need of a grant-writer, copywriter or copyeditor, while a studio artist might fill a similar opening in the same company’s graphics wing. An MFA degree in theater has for many led to work as a private acting instructor, or as a public-speaking coach in the corporate world. As a creative thinker and artisan, you’ll find that the specific skills you posses are, in fact, rare and in-demand, and the ability to see yourself and your abilities as a commodity will go a long way during the inevitable interview process.
Unconventional Opportunities A career in the arts is, in a sense, inherently unconventional, and as such many MFA grads in the pursuit of a sustainable living end up walking an unconventional path. The writing workshop has by now become a phenomenon extending far beyond academia, and non-profit arts centers, “Writers in Schools” initiatives, community programs and even prisons have become viable places to teach one’s craft in an intimate setting. Actors and studio artists may find similar opportunities in community theater, local galleries and public art agencies.
Administrative work in the university setting can also be an attractive option, as a clerical job in a school’s art, English or theater department typically provides access to libraries, studios, office space and other amenities, as well as comprehensive health care.
It’s Who You Know In the end, what may truly open doors for the master of fine arts is the network of fellow practitioners he or she has met over the course of his or her studies—both students and mentors alike. All advanced graduates of art school understand the challenges of balancing employment with the demands of one’s craft, and as such there is a palpable desire on the part of those who have, in some sense, “made it” to help grease the path of those who are as yet on there way. Many emerging writers and poets find work as research assistants for more established authors, and burgeoning painters and sculptors have forever found gainful employment working in the studio of a mentoring master. So don’t be afraid to reach out to former teachers and students. Excepting your own competence and creativity (which of course both go without saying), your friends in the field are absolutely the best resource you have.
For More Post-MFA Job Information, check out: Artsearch.us, Academic360.com, Mediabistro.com, HigherEdJobs.com, ChronicleCareers.com, and Idealist.org.