career skills for todays artists

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11/6/10 CAREERS FOR THE 21 st CENTURY ARTIST WhyUnderstanding the Business of the Arts will MAXIMIZE your success in the Arts Business Maria Guralnik Visiting Assistant Professor Arts Management Purchase College

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By Maria Guralnik, visiting Assistant Professor of Arts Management, Purchase College.CAREERS FOR THE 21st CENTURY ARTIST: Why Understanding the Business of the Arts will MAXIMIZE your success in the Arts Business.

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Page 1: Career skills for todays artists

11/6/10

CAREERS  FOR  THE  21st  CENTURY  ARTIST  

Why  Understanding  the  Business  of  the  Arts  will  MAXIMIZE  your  success  in  the  Arts  Business  

Maria  Guralnik  Visiting  Assistant  Professor  Arts  Management  Purchase  College  

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Define  your  career  readiness  quotient  “CRQ”  

1)  Besides  your  technical  command  and  ability  to  express  meaning  through  your  art,  list  any  personal  traits  or  other  skills/advantages  that  you  possess  that  will  assist  you  in  developing  a  successful  career?    

2)  Name  a  famous  artist  in  your  field  under  age  40  and  reasons  why  you  think  he/she  has  been  able  to  achieve  early  success.  

3)  Which  defines  you  most  closely:  a)  I  cannot  imagine  my  life  without  significant  involvement    in  the  creation  and/or  performance  of  the  arts;  b)  I  have  several  interests  and  skills  –  art  is  among  my  passions;  c)  The  opportunity  to  share  my  talent  with  an  audience  is  what  most  motivates  me  to  continue  in  this  field  

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That  Was  Then,  This  is  Now  

  Hundreds  of  accredited  conservatories  and  other  programs  granting  performance  degrees  worldwide  

  Dozens  of  “international”  music  competitions    An  increasing  amount  of  arts  presenters  devoted  to  multi-­‐discipline  

programming    Steady  decline  of  corporate  and  foundation  funding  for  the  arts  due  

to  need  in  social  services,  health,  and  education    Three  generations  of  Americans  largely  not  educated  to  appreciate,  

engage  in,  or  support  traditional  “High  Arts”    Globalization  of  culture;  increased  interest  in  folk  or  roots  music  

involving  spectacle,  ensemble  –  enjoyment    The  implosion  of  digital  media  –  the  demise  of  the  recording  

industry    Managers  and  agents  going  where  the  market  does  –  most  operate  

as  “for  profit”  businesses    As  do  the  media  (decline  of  traditional  arts  journalism)  

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The  Starving  Artist  Bureau of Labor Statistics 04-05: Hourly Wages

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“Only become a musician if there is absolutely no other way you can make a living.” -Kirke Mecham

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The  Real  Competition?  

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THE  NON-­‐PROFIT  PERFORMING  ARTS  INDUSTRY  HAS  BEEN  SLOW  TO  ADAPT  TO  SEISMIC  SHIFTS  IN  AUDIENCE  LIFESTYLES,  PREFERENCES  AND  VALUES.  IN  CLASSICAL  MUSIC  AND  OTHER  TRADITIONAL  “HIGH  ARTS”  FIELDS  –  THIS  HAS  CREATED  A  STAR-­‐DRIVEN  MARKET  SUPPORTING  A  DECREASING  AMOUNT  OF  SOLO  ARTISTS  AND  ENSEMBLES  WHO  CAN  EXIST  BY  PERFORMING  ON  A  FULL-­‐TIME  BASIS.  

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But  a  Savvy  Few  have  decided  that  if  they  can’t  find  an  audience  through  traditional  means,  they  will  find  new  ways  to  bring  what  means  most  directly  to  the  audience  

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The  Rise  of  the  “Artistpreneur”  

Nina  Purlove  -­‐  The  Internet  Flutist   Jade  Simmons!  

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What  motivates  someone  to  attend  a  

concert??    

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Isn’t  it  the  job  of  the  Artist  Manager  to  

find  ways  to  promote  and  support  what  I  do?    Sales  

1st  Qtr  

2nd  Qtr  

3rd  Qtr  

4th  Qtr  

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What  Today’s  Managers  are  Looking  For…  

A  Good  Partner       

“It's  important  that  artists  are  reliable  and    

maintain    good    communication.  They  must  also  

 be  realistic      about  what  an  agent  can  achieve  

 for  them  –in  reality  an  agent  can  only  enhance  

 what  an    artist    brings.    Although  the  agent  will  

 have  a  network  of    contacts  and  will  

 (hopefully!)  have  an  established    reputation  for  

 the  quality  of    the  artists  they    represent,  

 concerts  don't  miraculously  appear  and  are  

 primarily  due  to  the  hard  work,  talent  and    

contacts  established    by  the  artist.”  

-­‐  Matt  Fretton  –  U.K.  Manager  of  Olga  Borodina  

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All   ROADS   LEAD   BACK   TO   UNDERSTANDING  THE  MARKET  FOR  WHAT  YOU  DO…  

  What  Do  You  Do  That  Deserves  an  Audience?  

  How  Can  you  Meet  That  Audience  Where  They  Live  (in  all  respects)  ?  

  What  Might  You  Consider  Doing  To  Build  New  Audiences  (what  do  you  offer  besides  the  art  itself?)  

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AND  WHAT  MOTIVATES  YOU  TO  DO  IT!    

  The    Tradition    Fame    The  Community    Collaboration    Learning  

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HONOR  THE  TRADITION  BUT  LOOK  FOREVER  FORWARD  

 We  are  in  a  time  of  great  change  and  even    greater  opportunities  for  those  who  are    creative,  media  savvy,  and  see  the  “Big    Picture”.    There  will  be  as  many  roads  forward  for  a    career  in  the  arts  as  there  are  imaginative    artists  willing  to  RELATE  what  they    do  to  the    world  around  them.    Perfecting  CRAFT  alone    will  no  longer  be  enough  and,  thus,  your  life  and    those  of  your  audience  will  be  even  more  rewarding!  

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SKILLS  REQUIRED  FOR  THE  21st  CENTURY  ARTISTPRENEUR      Engage  with  the  world  outside  

your  studio    Connect    with  an  artist,  

businessman,  scientist,  or  political  hero  or  two    

  Determine  your  Higher  Purpose  -­‐    create/perform  art  that  builds  communities  and  enhances  the  lives  of  individuals  

  Innovate  -­‐  Break  the  box  wide  open  to  share  what  is  most  inspiring  to  you  with  as  many  as  you  can  through  as  many  different  “distribution  channels”  as  you  can  determine  

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TOOLS  OF  THE  TRADE    

  World  Federation  of  Competitions    North  American  Performing  Arts  Managers  and  Agents  

  Fractured  Atlas  (Fractured  U.)    Association  of  Arts  Administration  Educators    Artsjournal.com  

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I've  never  known  a  musician  who  regretted  being  one.  Whatever  deceptions  life  may  have  in  store  for  you,  music  itself  is  not  going  to  let  you  down.    Virgil  Thompson