As an artist, you may wonder where to start when trying to create a successful career in what you love to do. The following tips should give you a solid foundation to build upon when creating a career in art.
Build an Impressive Portfolio
A portfolio is the evidence of your talent and shows off your ability to create. Having a great portfolio to go alongside your resume is a very professional way to show potential employers that you are extremely organized, what you have to offer, and your abilities. Having a portfolio, more specifically an online portfolio, means that you have a ready-to-go visual for anyone who may need to see your capabilities and style. Without an impressive portfolio, people, including potential employers, may not take you or your talents seriously.
Practice Networking
Get involved in your local art scene. Finding opportunities to connect with artists in your area gives you the potential to expand your network of connections. If you support others within your creative field you are likely to gain support from them in return. Join arts organizations and Meetup groups to push your network even further. Social media is also a great resource for networking and expanding your network to areas you have never even been to. Success is all about growing your network and gaining fans of your work so these forms of connections are very important.
Effectively and Actively Apply for Jobs
When seeking a job that involves your creative abilities there is a lot more you can do than email out your portfolio and resume to potential employers. A great way to find employment is to go directly to the source. You can call individuals who may have job openings or go in and talk to these people in person. This gives you a chance to show the employer who you are and gives them a face and personality to go along with your name. Apply for everything you qualify for, this will get your name out there and employers will likely pass your resume on to other companies if they feel you would be a better fit elsewhere. It is important to remember to not quit your day job. Artistic fields are a hard market to find work in and keep a stable amount of work in as time goes on. Even if there is a buzz towards your work, things always go in and out of style, one day your prints are flying off the shelf, and a short time later there may be some other artist’s creation that has taken the place of yours. While this should not discourage you from pursuing a job that involves your creative abilities, it is just a reminder to make sure you are cautious with your career decisions just like any person should be.
Keep a Shareable Calendar
Keeping a shareable calendar with your events, along with other artist’s events, will help you share where you will be for networking purposes and will also show that you support others within your creative field. The artists that you feature on your calendar may also promote you which is great for gaining new fans. The main purpose of the calendar is for your fans to see when you will be showing your work or where your work will be for sale. Not only will this potentially increase sales, but it will give more people the opportunity to see where you will be and what you will be doing.
Create a Website
In today’s society people and companies are on the internet constantly. The purpose of the internet and websites in specific is to find information. If you’re in the creative business world, information about both, you, and your creations, is critical. Having a website for your customers or fans will give them 24/7 access to your information, and creates something that is easily shared.
Set Goals
Goals are great because, even though they often change over time, they will help create a road map into the future. You can also break large goals into smaller tasks so it’s easier to plan out how you will complete them. Goal making strategies help you feel in control of your career and give you a sense of accomplishment whenever you complete a task no matter how large or small it is.
Conclusion
There are many aspects that lead to a successful career in any field. When aiming for a job in the arts it is important to remember to not get discouraged by rejection. Use the time you have between creative jobs to keep creating because the better your portfolio is the more likely you are to get the job of your dreams.
Sources:
http://www.careerealism.com/successful-career-art-tips/
http://hyperallergic.com/64465/7-ways-to-build-a-sustainable-art-career-this-year/
http://www.womenarts.org/skills/tips/