Careers by Major - Art & Art History

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Careers for graduates

There are many different career options available for Art & Art History graduates.  Below is a sample of types of positions that Art & Art History graduates have gone on to.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list as there are many other careers available. Many positions require additional education or experience.

  • Art Dealer*
  • Art Director*
  • Book/Journal Editor*
  • Graphic Designer/Layout Artist*
  • Photographer*
  • Documentary Editor*
  • Exhibit/Display Designer*
  • Librarian/Information Specialist*
  • Archivist*
  • Museum Director*
  • Arts Programmer (TV/Radio)*
  • Technical/Scientific Illustrator*
  • Fundraiser*
  • Print Journalist*
  • Arts Administrator*
  • Marketing Specialist
  • Cultural Events Planner*
  • Art Therapist*
  • Curator*
  • Conservator/Restorer*
  • Advertising Account Representative*
  • Volunteer Coordinator*
  • Fine Arts Handler*
  • Appraiser*
  • Historical Preservation Coordinator*
  • Designer: Industrial/Fashion/Interior*
  • Teacher/University or College Professor*
  • Grants Officer for the Arts
  • Art Gallery Director*
  • Art Critic*
  • Web Developer/Designer*

Note: career profiles for many of the above jobs are available in the Career Centre. Those marked with an asterisk(*) can be viewed using Career Cruising, a Cdn. electronic career guide available in the Centre

Who employs art and art history graduates?

  • Art Galleries / Auction Houses
  • Advertising Firms
  • Museums
  • Schools, Universities and Colleges
  • Publishing Houses
  • Newspapers and Magazines
  • Photo Agencies / Studios
  • Hospitals / Mental Health Facilities
  • Graphic Design Firms
  • Community Centres
  • Consumer Product Companies
  • Company Marketing Departments

Skills developed by art and art history majors

  • Defining Quality
  • Comparing Works of Art
  • Conveying Complex Information
  • Presenting Theories/Ideas
  • Writing and Speaking Effectively
  • Thinking Critically
  • Recognizing a Work of Art
  • Interpreting Cultures
  • Organizing Information/Materials
  • Evaluating Research Results
  • Creativity

Sample job listings for graduating students/recent graduates

Below is a sample of the types of positions that have recently been posted with the Career Centre for graduating students or recent graduates.  To access full-time opportunities (for up to two years after graduation), you must first attend an orientation.  Drop by or call us at 905-828-5451 for more information.

  • Gallery Assistant, Eskimo Art Gallery Inc.
  • Bilingual Program Assistant, Ontario Arts Council
  • Illustrator & Writer, Cornucopia Books
  • Online Media Design, YYZ Pictures
  • Creative Art Director, Cantos Cadre
  • Inuit & Native Art Specialist, The Guild Shop
  • New Media Programmer, Corus Entertainment
  • Territory Sales Rep, Raul Mercier Fine Arts
  • Concept Artist/Modeller/Animator, Jaded Soul Studios
  • Communications Assistant, Credit Valley Conservation
  • Graphic Design Artist, First Media Group
  • Art Sales & Marketing Representative, Sullivan Entertainment
  • Marketing Co-ordinator, Metalworks Institute of Sound & Music Production Interior
  • Designer, Moss and Lam Inc.
  • Graphic Designer, Pather Plastics Canada
  • Graphics & Web Specialist, Miovision Technologies Inc.

Don't forget about U of T Mississauga alumni!

Check out our Alumni Profiles page, to read profiles of UTM alumni who have studied in this area, find out about their career path and how their experiences have affected their career direction.

How to get experience

Start early by seeking relevant summer, part-time and volunteer opportunities that will help you gain experience and develop the skills that employers want.  Below is a sample of the types of temporary positions that have recently been posted with the Career Centre. To access the summer, part-time, temporary and volunteer postings, register with Career Centre Online.

Summer Positions

  • Photographers, Seven Magazine
  • Arts Counsellor, Centauri Summer Arts Camp
  • Summer Art Instructor, Glenhyrst Art Gallery
  • Exhibit & Conservation Assistant, Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum
  • Historical Interpreter, Art Gallery of Ontario
  • Storyboard Artist, On the Down Low Productions Inc.
  • Visual Merchandiser, French Connection Canada

Part-Time Positions

  • Drawing Instructor, Art Gallery of Hamilton
  • Youth Art Leader, Harbourfront Community Centre
  • Visual Arts/Young Artist Instructors, City of Mississauga
  • Studio Assistant, Pottery-A-Go-Go
  • Program Assistants, Living Arts Centre
  • Mural Artist, West Scarborough Community Centre
  • Children Graphic Designer, 88 Keys

Work Study - previous postings have included:

  • Curatorial Assistant, Blackwood Gallery, UTM
  • Fine Art Development Program, Centre for Visual and Media Culture
  • Drawing Technicians, Art & Art History Program
  • Scientific Illustrator, UTM Biology

Internships

Internships are offered in the cultural sector offered through the Youth Internship Program. These are 6-12 month paid internships with organizations such as: National Arts Centre; Power Plant Contemporary Gallery; and more.

Extern Job Shadowing Program:

Extern is a career exploration program that offers you the opportunity to meet with people working in your preferred career area for placements of 1-5 days.

Samples of previous Extern placements include:

  • Manager, Artist Relations, EMI Canada
  • Collections Manager, University of Toronto Art Centre
  • Photographer, Gurgles and Giggles Photography
  • Newsroom Coordinator, 680 News

Other ways to get involved

UTM Clubs and Community Associations: Join on-campus clubs and community associations that demonstrate your commitment and enthusiasm for particular industries. Check out the UTM Visual Culture & Communication Association and the UTM Artistic Resource Team.

Professional associations

Each industry has affiliated associations. There are many benefits of becoming a member of an association, such as stating your affiliation on your resume. In addition to your experiences and the completion of your university degree, a student membership in an association is one way to get an edge in the job market. It also furthers your knowledge of a particular field.

Association of Art Historians
"The AAH promotes the professional practice and public understanding of art history.  The Association was formed in 1974, and we currently have around 1400 active members. We are the national organisation for the discipline and serve a key role in shaping and securing the future study of art history and visual culture. Our flagship publication, Art History, is a leading academic journal word-wide. The AAH annual conference is an established, international event that provides a valuable platform for current, interdisciplinary, research and critical debate for delegates with a broad range of research and ideas."

Canadian Association for Photographic Art
“Our objectives, at CAPA, are:

  • To promote the art and science of photography in all its forms throughout Canada and the world, and to further public interest therein
  • To encourage and promote participation by its members in photographic exhibitions, circuits, competitions and like endeavors at regional, national and international levels
  • To promote the organization and encourage the affiliation of camera clubs, councils and similar groups
  • To promote international, national and regional exhibitions of photography
  • To compile and disseminate information relating to photography in all its forms for the use and benefit of its members and the Association’s affiliated or associated groups
  • To regularly publish a printed and/or digital photographic publication
  • To promote and sustain friendly relationships among all photographic organizations throughout the world."

Canadian Museums Association
"The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The CMA works for the recognition, growth, and stability of the sector. It was established by a small group of people in Quebec City in 1947. There were 161 museums in Canada in 1951; by 1972 there were 838 museums, galleries and related institutions. As the quantity of Canadian museums increased, so did the need for the CMA."

Canadian Society for Education through Art
"The Canadian Society for Education through Art, a voluntary association founded in Quebec City in 1955, is the only Canadian national organization that brings together art educators, gallery educators and others with similar interests and concerns. Membership represents all levels of education: elementary, secondary, college/university, ministries of education, art galleries/museums, and community education.  The benefits of membership bring you regular publications, provide you with a range of professional opportunities and resources and link you with a world wide network of art educators through partnerships with provincial, American (NAEA, USSEA) and International (INSEA) art education organizations."

Central Ontario Art Association
"The Central Ontario Art Association (COAA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing individual and group opportunities in art instruction, encouragement of art appreciation, pooling of area efforts and resources, development of area leadership in visual art and fostering inter-group co-operation and participation in visual arts."

College Art Association
“Founded in 1911, the College Art Association:

  • Promotes excellence in scholarship and teaching in the history and criticism of the visual arts and in creativity and technical skill in the teaching and practices of art
  • Facilitates the exchange of ideas and information among those interested in art and history of art
  • Advocates comprehensive and inclusive education in the visual arts
  • Speaks for the membership on issues affecting the visual arts and humanities
  • Provides publication of scholarship, criticism, and artists’ writings
  • Fosters career development and professional advancement
  • Identifies and develops sources of funding for the practice of art and for scholarship in the arts and humanities
  • Honors accomplishments of artists, art historians, and critics
  • Articulates and affirms the highest ethical standards in the conduct of the profession.”

Glass Art Association of Canada
"The Glass Art Association of Canada is a professional not-for-profit association which serves to connect a geographically-diverse community of artists, designers, craftspeople, educators, curators, collectors, gallerists and students passionate about work made with glass. Our aim is to highlight excellence in Canadian studio glass through activities that are pertinent and accessible, and which promote communication, public education and appreciation, both in Canada and internationally. GAAC is a volunteer- and member-run organization."

Ottawa Art Association
"The Ottawa Art Association is a collegial group of visual artists working in watercolour, pastel, oil, acrylic, mixed media and other media (graphite, ink, charcoal, painting on silk, and prints made by hand). Members come from Ottawa and the surrounding region, including Western Quebec. We welcome artists at all stages of development from beginning artists trying to promote their work, to established artists whose work is found in Galleries throughout Canada and internationally."

Universities Art Association of Canada (UAAC)
"The Universities Art Association of Canada provides a national voice for its membership, composed of university and college faculty, independent scholars and other art professionals in the fields of art, art history and visual culture. Institutions may also join.  Members' views and concerns are registered and scholarship is presented through an annual conference; a regular newsletter (the UAAC-AAUC Bulletin) and a scholarly journal (RACAR, Revue d'art canadienne/Canadian Art Review). The UAAC belongs to the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada and is affiliated with the Comité international d'histoire de l'art (CIHA)."

Women’s Art Association of Canada
"In 1886 artist Mary E. Dignam rented a studio in the Arcade building in Toronto and gathered together a group of women artists to sketch, exchange ideas, and develop their painting skills. Shortly thereafter, Lady Aberdeen, wife of the seventh Governor General, invited Mrs. Dignam to Government House to discuss the possibility of continuing to organize groups of women artists and "handicrafters" in order to assist them and promote interest in their work. Thus, the Women's Art Association of Canada was founded. To this day, the Women's Art Association of Canada continues to assist students with scholarships to schools in various fields of the Arts, such as the National Ballet School, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, the Ontario College of Art and Design, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advance Learning and George Brown The City College."

Resources

Career Centre Library Resources:

  • Career Cruising
  • Careers for Culture Lovers and Other Artsy Types
  • Top Careers for Art Graduates
  • Great Jobs for Art Majors
  • Great Jobs for Liberal Art Majors
  • Survival Skills: A Visual Artist's Guide to Professional Practice
  • Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads
  • Vault Career Guide to Advertising
  • Vault Career Guide to Marketing & Brand Management
  • Careers in Marketing
  • Careers in Culture Series
  • Careers by Design

Web Links:

Library Panel Packages:

  • The Keys to a Successful Career as an Independent Artist (2010)
  • Careers in Marketing (2009)

Directories:

  • Canadian Film and Television Production Association: Guide (2009) http://www.cftpa.ca/guide/
  • Breaking into Film (1999)
  • Ontario Gallery Guide (2004)

The Career Centre Resource Library is located in DV 3094. For more information please visit us, call 905-828-5451 or e-mail: careers.utm@utoronto.ca

What's your next step? Take a look at our Sample Career Plan to see suggested steps that you can take towards developing your career-work search plan. Check our Events Calendar regularly for upcoming career related events (we offer several networking events and panels throughout the year). Watch for our Get Experience Fair (held annually in September), the Graduate and Professional School Fair (held annually in late September or early October), and the Summer Job Fair (held annually in January).