Top Tips for working in the Arts – Cornerstone Arts Festival

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.