If you didn’t make it to our careers talks at the Cornerstone Arts Festival our Intern, Thomas Bagshaw, shares one speaker’s top tips for those looking to start a career in the arts.
Vicki Ciaputa is as a Youth Ensembles Manager at The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, one of the UK’s most forward-looking music organisations. The organisation encompasses the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and an award-winning Learning Programme.
Here are Vicki’s top tips for making it in a vibrant arts organisation…
- Reputation is everything – work professionally and always strive to work with the best at the highest level. It’s a small world, and being nice will always pay off. It really is who you know and their opinion of you will affect future job offers.
- Grasp every opportunity – always say yes! You don’t know where it will lead you! This can be very scary, but it’s essential to developing your career. It will make you a better professional in the end.
- It’s hard work – the arts is not generally 9 to 5 so you will be working evenings, weekends, long hours and possibly be self-employed. It’s great fun, but hard work, so be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.
- Stalk organisations that you want to work with – some organisations will only advertise on their own websites so make a point of finding out what they are doing. Be interested in what they are offering: Twitter, Arts Council, Arts Professional, Guardian Cultural Professionals Network, etc are all great for this.
- Make stuff happen – working in creative and arts industries is about making stuff happen. Whatever area of work you want to get into or you are interested in (producing, performance, education) make a plan and make it happen. The best way to learn is by doing, so get stuck in and be prepared to learn as you go.
