EXPLORING CAREERS IN THE CREATIVE ARTS

Wondering whether your creative bent can become a full-time job? Read on.

In an introduction, Nardo acknowledges the challenges of making a living solely from creative work but also the drive that induces creatives to make art. Casting a very wide net, the author considers six broad categories of creative workers: art directors, craft artists, fine artists, performing artists, designers, and media and communications artists. Following the series format, for each category Nardo first explains the nature of the specific position; e.g., art directors unify the work of a team in pursuit of a specific look or style. Essential background preparation (a degree, apprenticeship, employment experience, etc.) for each type of work is then described along with pay levels, important skills, working conditions, a typical workday, and, finally, annotated websites providing further information for each category. Quotations from practicing professionals in each field, brief sidebar excerpts from interviews with artists, and one extended interview with a potter deepen the human dimension. Small sidebars highlight statistics, often from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A handful of stock color photos show racially diverse young artists at work. Despite an unavoidable amount of generalizing, the solid, practical data clearly presented here is valuable for creative youths and those who guide them.

Introduces essential information for anyone considering a future in the arts.