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Art Schools and Universities
Art School, Internships and Careers/Interview with Chrissy Garrett of SCAD
Jan 28th
By Carolyn Edlund
Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) is a leading art school located in Savannah, Georgia with campuses in Atlanta, Hong Kong and southern France. With over 9,000 students enrolled, they offer majors in many fields of art and design along with innovative learning experiences. Chrissy Garrett is a Career Development Specialist there, whose background includes coaching women athletes in track and field. Chrissy agreed to speak to Artsy Shark about the opportunities at SCAD and how students in general can use their art education experiences to their best advantage.
AS: Do SCAD students take business classes? Are they required?
CG: SCAD offers a minor program called Business Management and Entrepreneurship. It is not required and is open to all majors. The majority of students who select this major are highly interested in owning their own businesses or simply acquiring the basic business skills that will be beneficial in their chosen career in some capacity.
In addition, we will be hosting the SCAD Entrepreneurial Exchange Conference during February of this year. Some example sessions include “What is an Entrepreneur and How Can You Become One?”, “Legal Issues, Intellectual Property Rights in Art and Design”, and “Tap into Funds for Your Entrepreneurial Idea or Business”.
AS: Tell us about student internships – how do you find them and in what area of study are most available? Are they paid or unpaid? How do you feel about unpaid internships?
CG: With a total of 46 majors at SCAD, we receive internship opportunities in a majority of those areas. Employers of all sizes from around the world offer internship opportunities to our students. For some majors, freelance opportunities are available more than internships. Although some internships are paid, we are seeing an increase in the number of “unpaid, academic credit only” internships. The majority of students here at SCAD seek internships regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid.
Knowing the value of professional development and “hands-on” or “on-the-job experience” can afford students, I highly recommend they participate in an internship whether it is paid or unpaid. Certainly, obtaining money and work experience are a great match (and every student intern’s dream), but I personally do not value one over the other. Experience sells; and whether a student was paid or not paid is irrelevant in most cases.
AS: SCAD hosts all different kinds of events to help students launch careers. Can you describe them?
- Employer Information Sessions
- On-campus interviewing
- Off-campus employer visits (a variety of different majors visit studios, galleries, company headquarters both nationally and internationally)
- Job and Internship Fair
- Networking Receptions
- Panel Discussions
- Round Table Discussions (usually less formal)
- Seminars/Lectures/Workshops (campus wide or in class)
- Conferences (specialized events offered for some majors more often than others)
AS: In your opinion, what are the biggest mistakes students make in preparing for their art careers?
CG: Some of the biggest mistakes students make are:
- waiting until the last minute or not preparing at all
- not creating their marketing materials early and maintaining them
- minimal to no networking
- not taking full advantage of the resources and opportunities available throughout college both on and off campus
- not staying current with their prospective industry
AS: Could you give a “Top Three” list of the most important things an art student should do to start their career successfully?
CG: Yes, my list follows.
1. Know Yourself. Complete a realistic self-assessment to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between in regards to technical skills, transferrable skills, and personal characteristics as well. Have your 30 second elevator pitch prepared!
2. Develop and maintain your marketing materials. These materials include but not limited to your resume, cover letter, portfolio (digital and hard copy), website (requested a lot more by employers), teasers, and business cards.
3. Obtain as much experience as possible. Experience can come from volunteering, interning, freelancing, and/or working part-time or full-time. Take advantage of academic projects as well.
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Essentials for Emerging Artists/Interview with John Luther
Jan 8th
By Carolyn Edlund
John Luther, who is the Career Development Coordinator at University of Michigan’s School of Art & Design (A&D), has a diverse background ranging from being a dancer/choreographer/director to psychotherapist. He agreed to speak about their program, and how young artists are prepared to begin careers.
John’s top four recommendations for emerging artists planning to run their own businesses:
- Network like crazy.
- Meet and speak with artists who are doing what they hope to do
- Learn about marketing and how to create and run a small business
- Create and maintain a personal web site
AS: Does your school teach business classes to students? If not, where are they getting this type of experience?
JL: No, A&D does not offer courses specifically in business. However, the University of Michigan does have the Center for Entrepreneurship and I encourage students to take advantage of the courses, events, speakers, etc. that are offered through this program. In addition, there are many opportunities for students to become involved with understanding business in courses like Integrated Product Development which is cooperatively offered through the U of M Ross School of Business, the College of Engineering and A&D. I also encourage students to look for inexpensive PRACTICAL courses through Community Colleges and continuing education classes since these are easy to find and realistically address starting and running a business.
AS: What networking opportunities does your school offer, and how do students make the most of them?
JL: I see each incoming student individually to establish the importance of career planning right from the beginning. I send daily email updates on opportunities, including networking. In addition, I maintain a database of A&D alums who are willing to be contacted by current students. I encourage students to attend all of the Fairs and Events through A&D, the U of M Career Center , to use resources like LinkedIn and the Arts Alliance.
Some students take advantage of networking early and often, but most do not really understand the importance of this until later no matter how much we as professionals emphasize this. For this reason, I also offer my services to them even after they have graduated and still help connect them to alums and others who may be helpful.
AS: What are the biggest mistakes you see students make while creating their web sites?
JL: I think the biggest mistake students make is that their sites are sometimes not set up for easily viewing their work. For example, a site may make you constantly return to a “home page” to view the next piece rather than set up in a slide show format. Students also sometimes confuse the personal with the professional and will include information and/or images that simply do not belong on a professional artist’s web site. I also find that sometimes students really need help editing and understanding that less really is more.
AS: John, you have an unusual program at the University of Michigan. Can you explain a little about the concept and what makes your Art & Design major so unique?
JL: A&D’s undergraduate BFA in Art & Design is predicated on the belief that all artists are designers and that all designers are artists. With this in mind, a curriculum was created that includes 24 core studio credits, 36 elective studio credits and 12 Integrative Project studio credits. In addition, 56 non studio credits encompass the Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, Environmental Studies, Race and Ethnicity, Writing, and Analytical Reasoning.
This very comprehensive approach to Art & Design education ensures that students are exposed to a variety of tools, materials, processes and ways of thinking. We also heavily emphasize the importance of concept in creative work, thus ensuring that it is ideas that fuel creativity. In the 21st century we know that it is those who can learn and adapt who will be the most successful and therefore encourage students to think beyond the realm of the merely possible.
Since our students elect more than half of their course work (within certain bounds), each student’s BFA is unique to that student and to his or her goals. In addition to the BFA, the School of Art & Design also offers a BA and a wholly unique degree to the University of Michigan called “Interarts Performance”. Beginning in Fall 2010, A&D will also be the first U of M school to require an international experience.
Featured Artist Julia Hacker
