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Job outlook for senior artists in the United States
Senior artist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior artist job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 3,200 new jobs for senior artists are projected over the next decade.
Senior artist salaries have increased 19% for senior artists in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,551 senior artists currently employed in the United States.
There are 3,665 active senior artist job openings in the US.
The average senior artist salary is $83,394.
Are senior artist jobs in demand?
Senior artist job and salary trends over time
Senior artist jobs over time
Senior artist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,551 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,600 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,100 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,965 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 5,191 | 0.00% |
Average senior artist salary over time
Senior artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $83,394 | $40.09 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $80,786 | $38.84 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $77,834 | $37.42 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $75,698 | $36.39 | +8.0% |
| 2022 | $70,085 | $33.69 | +2.1% |
Senior artist jobs by state
Most common states for senior artists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 83 | 12% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 358 | 5% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 68 | 5% |
| 4 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,408 | 4% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 298 | 4% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 179 | 4% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 115 | 4% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 44 | 4% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 621 | 3% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 296 | 3% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 274 | 3% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 186 | 3% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 168 | 3% |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 162 | 3% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 154 | 3% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 108 | 3% |
| 17 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 86 | 3% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 28 | 3% |
| 19 | Vermont | 623,657 | 16 | 3% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 16 | 3% |
Most common cities for senior artists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 1 | 4% | $68,708 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $97,063 |
| 3 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $114,034 |
| 4 | Foster City | 1 | 3% | $107,831 |
| 5 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $58,904 |
| 6 | Springfield | 2 | 2% | $74,488 |
| 7 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $118,300 |
| 8 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $76,548 |
| 9 | Little Rock | 1 | 1% | $68,712 |
| 10 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $80,511 |
| 11 | San Francisco | 3 | 0% | $107,953 |
| 12 | Austin | 2 | 0% | $67,698 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $71,680 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $53,533 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $46,905 |
| 16 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $68,191 |
| 17 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $70,096 |
| 18 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $70,636 |
Senior Artist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior artist experts
Florida Gulf Coast University
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Rider University
Webster University
Louisiana College
University of Indianapolis
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Western Illinois University
Foothill College
Colby College
The University of Southern Mississippi
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Beth Secor: Keep your eyes and ears open for job opportunities, find a job at an arts non-profit, and never quit making art. Actively engage in the profession, as it can lead to unexpected opportunities.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Beth Secor: Many of the students I went to undergraduate and graduate school, including myself had aspirations of becoming famous artists, but it is best to develop other skills that are art-related that can help you make a living in the meantime. Internships with local arts non-profits organizations, museums, and/or galleries are a great place to start, and while working with them, it is a great opportunity to build networks with others in the arts community.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Michalis Andronikou PhD: Be open-minded and creative. You may need to combine a few different skills to find your own professional path.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Michalis Andronikou PhD: It’s difficult to predict what skills will become more important in the field in the next 3-5 years, but creative people and people with a will to improve their skills will find a way to prevail and lead.
Steve Hughart II
Laboratory Coordinator I/ Adjunct ProfessorFlorida Gulf Coast University
Fine And Studio Arts
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Steve Hughart II: Advice I would give to a graduate beginning their career in Art would be to enter as many shows and exhibitions as possible. Not just in Florida either, expand your focus to regional and national exhibitions as well. Gain as much exposure as you can and make a lot of work to show off. To put it simply, the more you make the better you will get. People will always appreciate a well-crafted handmade item before and artificially made one.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Steve Hughart II: If you want to maximize your salary potential, I always say you need to have a lot of tools in your toolbox. Take your foundation courses seriously and learn as much as you can from the faculty and staff here at FGCU. Ask questions, devote time outside of class to work, time management and understanding how long it will take to complete tasks is very important. Another important aspect is social networking. Meet as many people as you can in the field you are interested in. A lot of times finding the best position isn’t based on what you know, but who you know.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Steve Hughart II: The most important skills that I would suggest would be to learn and understand the Adobe Creative Cloud Applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator for example. These platforms will benefit you immensely in the art field in a ton of different ways. All artists will use these applications in one form or another. That being said, I would also encourage everyone to do as much work as possible with your hands. Learn to use power tools, pick up a piece of paper and pencil instead of the iPad, use a real camera instead of your phone. With AI growing so fast digital media work will all be AI generated, so focusing on improving your editing skills and creating with your hands will be where the jobs are.
Carla Noack
Associate Professor of Theatre, ActingUniversity of Missouri - Kansas City
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Carla Noack: My advice is to be patient and generous with one’s self and others. A career in this field is built over time through nurturing relationships, staying curious, being kind, taking creative risks, and being willing to forgive and be forgiven. Any job “counts” in this field when viewed through an artistic lens. It’s about staying interested in the human condition, finding ways to express your perspective, and encouraging others to do the same.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carla Noack: Be a good collaborator: always show up and on time; treat everyone as a potential scene partner; embrace surprises and challenges; connect with audience members; find “day jobs” between production work that are flexible and engaging; nurture a desire to learn everything about everything.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Carla Noack: The world needs humans who know how to solve problems creatively and joyfully; who can express themselves clearly and tell stories effectively; who are willing to connect to others in real space and time through vulnerability and empathy; who have skills in listening—helping others feel heard and valued; and who can inspire all of us to envision new ways of working, learning and living together.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Professor Kate Jordahl: It is an excellent time to begin in the visual and performing arts because we have such a need for creativity and our approaches to the problems of the world, the challenges of our society, and the ever-changing fabric of business. Whether you work directly in making things and performing or you are a supervisor who organizes other people's creative tasks, this is a very rewarding area with a balance of using all of your skills to create and make projects successful
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Kate Jordahl: Visual and performing arts professionals will do a variety of jobs and tasks. Part of the point of working in this area is both the creativity and the flexibility that a career a creative career can offer you. Many visual and performing arts professionals will work for themselves, so really, they are small business owners needing to negotiate, organize, and then create their artwork or perform their skill. Generally, creative professionals will find that they will spend approximately 30% of their time in their chosen area of creativity and about 70% of their time in the business of organization, negotiation, and client relations. These specialties need people who are self-starters, who really enjoy working collaboratively, and who can work independently to make deadlines and realize projects. For most visual and performing arts professionals, the last decade has been a time of great change, and being flexible is probably one of the most important things you can bring to the table.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Professor Kate Jordahl: People like that they can be flexible in the performing arts and that there is a myriad of ways to work and thrive in this area. People dislike that the pay is sometimes less than for other professions and that the hours can be very long. Being a visual and performing arts professional means working when the work needs to be done, and it can mean long days, but the rewards are worth it.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Fracé: More and more, the actor, director, or designer who is also a creator has a better chance of succeeding in the field. This means creating new work in any medium — original live performance, writing and shooting your own movie (low-budget or no-budget is absolutely legit), or creating online content, for example. This also means creating opportunities for yourself instead of waiting for them to arrive — “put yourself out there” is a cliché, but more necessary than ever. To have the best chances for success with your original work, you will also need to be a producer and marketer. The next most important skill is interdisciplinary collaboration. Learn how you work with other people and practice to get better at it. Hone your listening skills, and develop interest in other disciplines and how they intersect with yours. Practice bravery and flexibility in how you approach new projects and collaborative partnerships.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Fracé: I recommend that before you graduate, you think about where you want to live and make a plan to move there. Consider factors such where are the artists doing the kind of work you are interested in doing, whom do you already know there, and are there opportunities to earn a living as you break into the field. Meet as many people as you can in your chosen place — whomever you want to work with, get to know their work better and reach out to them. Meanwhile, keep active by continuing to train yourself, because in theater or film/TV, it’s very common for there to be gaps between projects as you are starting out. Keep your cost of living low, and try not to wear yourself out at your day job. Do something every day that reminds you that you are an artist, whether it’s rehearsing your monologues, working on a scene with a friend, taking classes, writing, composing or playing music, whatever helps you feel creative.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Hartmut Austen: Go abroad for a while and travel. Build or become part of a community. Foster relationships with people that have an interest in your wellbeing and success. Maintain relationships with other artists and people in other professional fields. Attend professional development opportunities and consider continuing education towards an M.F.A. program.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Hartmut Austen: Apprenticeships in an artist's studio or workshop, embrace physical labor. Develop soft skills such as connecting with others, having a healthy sense of self, and curiosity.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Hartmut Austen: Attend graduate school or broaden your education. Declutter your life and studio. Make your art and yourself visible in the context you want to be seen. Build relationships, focus on your strengths, learn from others in the discipline, and maintain integrity.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ananda Keator: Don't work for free, know your worth and fight for it. Also make sure there is 'life' in your 'work/life balance'. Figure out what success means to you, and it will look different for everyone. You don't have to move to NYC, you don't have to win lots of awards, etc., if that's not what makes you happy.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Ananda Keator: Be multifaceted, don't try to specialize just yet. And see #1
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Todd Dellinger: Have a diverse and relevant toolkit of skills and expertise - creative and artistic ones, yes - but perhaps even more importantly, skills and expertise which translate into multiple, diverse corners of arts & entertainment and into other sectors. Know how to translate your artistic wizardry from the stage to a phone, from the studio to a streaming platform, from one arts discipline or style or genre to multiple others. But also, know how to write up a marketing piece, a grant narrative, plan an event, manage a budget. You might find day-work in the very place where you're sharing your talent at night.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Todd Dellinger: Adaptability to change - it's inescapable and has been forever in the arts - but change comes so swiftly and from so many directions now - particularly those changes brought about by technology and media/communications. Be ahead of the curve when it comes to what new uses of AI, what new applications for social media and how to manipulate those to your advantage, to your 'business' of being an artist in this world. Entrepreneurial skills are vital in any business. You will need to be your own entrepreneur - exercising creative, innovative ways of using your talents and skills 'outside the box' and applying these in parts of the industry and in other settings to expand your earning and learning potential.
Christopher Aaron
Associate Professor of Media ArtsWebster University
Radio, Television, And Digital Communication
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Christopher Aaron: - NEGOTIATE! Always negotiate. Nobody is going to take away the job you got if you negotiate. If you are the final candidate, you are the final choice. I've found candidates who make themselves negotiate early make better pay, get more respect from their leadership, and this just sets up a precedent with your supervisor for other promotions and advancements.
- Technical skills can only increase your value as a candidate. Even 2D folks can stay abreast of the developing technology and software.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christopher Aaron: - Procedural approaches will be a big deal. Procedural modeling, layout, texturing, etc. will continue to replace object-based modeling and manual layout.
- AI is here. Being able to work with it will be a reality many artists are wary of.
- Virtual production will grow exponentially. Learning game engines will open up all kinds of opportunities in the game industry as well as the film industry.
- Old skills will still be needed and may become more valuable. For example, traditional frame by frame animation will be increasingly sought after as less and less people will be practicing it. We've had alumni get great positions because they were the only animators in a region that could do frame by frame. When the industry goes in one direction (like using 2.5D and cut out rigs) the skills "left behind" sometimes become obscure and gain value.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Christopher Aaron: - Be open and adaptable and strategic. Know that most creatives do not get their dream job out of college. You may need to get a masters degree. You may need to get industry experience. So realize most need to build a career. That means starting for introductory positions, the kind that are the least popular. So maybe don't apply to Lead Character Designer at Blizzard right out of school, maybe apply for Environmental Artist or Texture Artist or Storyboard Artist at smaller studios. Once your foot is in the door, you can start networking and look to make moves to the positions you ARE interested in.
- Employers like seeing school assignments in your portfolio, but they will want to see outside work as well. I've had studio heads say they even ask candidates "Are all of these examples school assignments?" as a trick question to see if they are working on projects on their own time. If a student has more than just school assignments, it shows the drive of the potential candidate.
- Don't burn bridges and network. Students usually get their first really desirable positions from unexpected sources. Stay engaged with former peers online, use your connections for info and opportunities from your peers.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Kathryn Baczeski: Recently, in the craft world of; ceramics, wood working, metalsmith/ jewelry, textiles, printmaking and photography - digital fabrication has been utilized as a step in the creative process more everyday. 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers and artificial intelligence are being implemented as tools to help make patterns and designs, used to make instruments to implement in the creative process and assist in the physical fabrication of objects and larger works of art.
Although the current access to these innovations is expediting the making process across multiple art mediums and fields, this popularity of technologies seems to be shortcutting the basic skill sets that are often foundational to many artistic processes. Therefore, a deep understanding and practice of traditional skills across mediums will be the most important to build upon in conjunction with these budding technological breakthroughs.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kathryn Baczeski: For visual art students leaving school and starting their careers, there is an emphasis in teaching professional development on setting up a studio or finding a space where you are able to continue your creative practice in any capacity. In some instances, this would be a work exchange at a community studio, an internship or apprenticeship at a production studio assisting in the making of work for another well established artist /design line or a job at an institution that supports creative practice such as a school or museum. Typically residencies and internships allow their staff to continue their creative practice and research so that purchasing a bunch of equipment is not an immediate expense or obstacle for someone fresh out of an undergraduate program. I have seen students who have graduated struggle making this step in aligning themselves with a job that supports them financially while also furthering their creative explorations. These opportunities are real life applications for continuing education and learning new skills which can not be replicated in the classroom. In taking a position such as those listed above, newly graduated students learn how to communicate with the public, carve out a schedule that can accommodate both their professional and personal practices along with all of the technical aspects that go into maintaining and running a studio, school or museum.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Kathryn Baczeski: The best way to maximize your salary potential is to learn as many skills as you can, specifically in your medium and any medium adjacent to yours. This will allow you to be able to work multiple positions in any career. For example, if you are a ceramic artist, learning how to work by handbuilding, wheel-throwing, and mold making/slip casting will enhance your chances of being able to work in a variety of capacities in a job as opposed to just one style of creating work. In addition to making art, the processes for finalizing those works can assist you in the technician end of working in any studio. Back to the example of someone working as a ceramic artist, learning how to fire work in electric, gas, atmospheric and wood kilns is a lot more versatile than just being able to finalize work in one method. On the backend of being able to know how to work all of those different machines, learning how to repair them is also a valuable skill so knowing the machines you work with, allows you to specialize in different areas of your field. Continuing this style of education by taking workshops and classes in similar mediums (for ceramics that could be glass or metal working courses) will allow you to understand similar processes in different studio applications, reinforcing those skills. Finally, learning how to teach first time learners what you know about an art practice of medium is also a way to maximize a salary potential in finding part-time opportunities, one on one lessons and teaching to those who might be interested and starting to learn about an artistic process. This opens the door to many ways of making income and diversifying your ability to earn money from multiple sources and employers.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
gerard brown: Folks starting out in the crafts and the fine arts often think the most important thing is the images of their work they put out in the world - through social media, on grant applications, etc. But you also need to be able to write and speak about your work in ways that inspire and motivate ordinary people to share your interests. Too often, people come out of school speaking the language of school and writing for an academic reader - I wish everyone would read more good journalism about art in magazines and news papers (yes, they are online!) and learn to communicate about their work in an accessible, approachable way earlier in their careers.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
gerard brown: Obviously, this is going to vary widely depending on the field you're entering within the art, craft, and design professions. In design, the next three to five years will be deeply shaped by AI and we'll need designers who can bring the human perspective to an increasingly technology dependent world. I think everyone in design should be taking a UX course. In the fine arts and crafts areas, we may see a cultural pushback against the drive toward technology and a greater emphasis on the personal, the unique, the handmade, and the narrative. It will be important for artists and artisans in these fields to be able to communicate their vision to their clients and patrons.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
gerard brown: Given that the lion's share of folks in the arts and crafts are self-employed, the salary question is an awkward one. If you're a designer and work for a firm, you can look critically at the place you work, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and take on professional development work (like continuing ed classes or post-professional training) to meet the needs of your firm. But if you're an independent artist or crafts person, you're going to need to think differently about this. You're going to need to figure out how to create reliable relationships with clients, so they come back and refer others to you for work. You're going to have to identify alternative markets where you can exhibit (and sell) your work without competing against yourself in the same neighborhood. All of this is going to require artists to think about customer service in new an innovative ways and may mean thinking outside the box of galleries, fairs, and consignments.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Todd Dellinger: Have a diverse and relevant toolkit of skills and expertise - creative and artistic ones, yes - but perhaps even more importantly, skills and expertise which translate into multiple, diverse corners of arts & entertainment and into other sectors. Know how to translate your artistic wizardry from the stage to a phone, from the studio to a streaming platform, from one arts discipline or style or genre to multiple others. But also, know how write up a marketing piece, a grant narrative, plan an event, manage a budget. You might find day-work in the very place where you're sharing your talent at night.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Todd Dellinger: Adaptability to change - it's inescapable and has been forever in the arts - but change comes so swiftly and from so many directions now - particularly those changes brought about by technology and media/communications. Be ahead of the curve when it comes to what new uses of AI, what new applications for social media and how to manipulate those to your advantage, to your "business" of being an artist in this world. Entrepreneurial skills are vital in any business. You will need to be your own entrepreneur - exercising creative, innovative ways of using your talents and skills "outside the box" and applying these in parts of the industry and in other settings to expand your earning and learning potentia
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Todd Dellinger: Know thyself. This response has many facets and implications - know your "deep why" or vision of yourself as an artist and professional and frame around the impact you wish to have on others - this becomes a sort of "lodestar" for the work ahead of crafting a career. Know who you are internally, as well as externally - as a "package" because you are entering an industry where you - and the work you produce - are the commodity, for good or bad. As such, define and adhere to your boundaries - so that you cannot be taken advantage of, and can stay true to your vision. Know yourself in context of the business - and know the business aspects of what you do. You are, at the end of the day, a business - too many artists ignore that. Then, stick to your knowledge of and vision for, yourself as an artist and professional.
Nathaniel Foley
Assistant Professor of Art & DesignUniversity of Indianapolis
Fine And Studio Arts
What general advice would you give to a Senior Artist?
Nathaniel Foley: Creatives must possess the confidence to sell and speak about themselves and their multifaceted and transferable skill sets. As creative problem-solvers, artists place themselves in a unique position to be able to engage all facets of the job market to positively contribute to today's society. Never place yourself in a mindset of only being able to function as a starving artist as you have gone through extensive training to think, take risks, communicate, and make differently than other disciplines, which sets you apart and provides you a unique opportunity to craft your own path. Do not be afraid to take risks by pursuing jobs that might not completely fit your perceived path because they will open doors and opportunities in the future.
What Senior Artist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathaniel Foley: As we continue to grapple with technology and its impact on society, artists will continue to find ways to use it creatively, so there will be an increase in rapid prototyping, AI, and other digital areas. Additionally, fine art-based traditions will continue to evolve and remain important as a foundation to support all technological explorations and research. The artist's toolbox will always be expanding and supported by their training and ability to think, make, take risks and communicate.
What will help Senior Artists increase their earning potential?
Nathaniel Foley: A career in fine art is never a linear path like other professional fields, so one must remain flexible and aware of all opportunities that they might fit or create. Additionally, they possess numerous skill sets that are unique and they must be able to highlight them to an employer to demonstrate their value.
What skills stand out on Senior Artist resumes?
Paige Williams: The skills that stand out on artist resumes are skills that distinguish them from other applicants. Potential employers are looking for individuals whose resumes provide evidence of exploration, risk-taking, and the ability to adapt. These traits are evidenced through experiences with internships, study abroad, and other real-world experiences such as client-based projects, exhibitions, performances, and readings in public spaces. Art school is experiential. Students aren't just observing but doing while they are in school. The ability to learn and adapt to new technology is also important. Art students don't just learn but utilize technological skills with purpose in their own creative work.
What soft skills should all Senior Artists possess?
Paige Williams: The World Economic Forum has identified the four most important skills that ALL students graduating from college in the 21st century will need to be successful. These are the same skills that artists, designers, and creative writers explore through 21st Century Art Education at the Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC): Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication. 21st Century creatives will need to understand how to explore solutions to complex problems, think outside of the box, work with others, and effectively articulate their ideas. At the Art Academy of Cincinnati, our students in first-year experience engage in courses whose focus is communication, collaboration, ideation, research, and discovery from day one.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior Artists?
Paige Williams: Students entering the creative workplace need the visual, verbal, and written vocabulary to articulate their ideas and provide meaningful and constructive criticism. Students at the AAC learn criticism methods and engage in writing across the curriculum in every studio and academic course. A rigorous capstone experience requires that students write a ten-to-twelve-page thesis that thoroughly explains what they make (subject), how they make it (form), and why it matters (content). They then are required to present their ideas in a public forum.
Learning the latest technological advances and adapting as technology evolves is important for every student entering the workforce.
What skills will help Senior Artists earn the most?
Paige Williams: A combination of the 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication will provide the most effective skill base for those seeking success in creative fields.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Artists?
Elizabeth McPherson: Yes, I think the coronavirus pandemic will have a profound impact on the dance field. Many small dance companies may find it impossible to keep paying dancers and staff. Some bigger dance companies have disbanded their second or junior companies. Virtual or outdoor performances are all that is possible right now for the most part. There is. However, some fantastic work being done in terms of dance film and online performance events. I think as the pandemic subsides eventually, that we will have live performances again, but also more virtual events. Dancers and choreographers are honing their skills with technology.
In terms of dance education, innovation is again the name of the game. One recent grad from Montclair State has just been hired to teach a 4- to 5-year-old dance class outside in someone's backyard. Many dance teachers are teaching over Zoom, and also creating videos of dance classes that people can do at their leisure, not in real time. I think this will also stay with us even after we return to teaching more classes in person. It allows for more global connection, in that I could take a dance class that is happening in Japan, for instance, through Zoom.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Artists to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth McPherson: I predict that NYC will continue to have a large concentration of dance companies. However, I do know that many young professional dancers have returned to their parents' homes across the USA since the pandemic hit. Perhaps this will result in a flourish of more theatrical dance, particularly modern and contemporary, happening outside of NYC.
Tammy Killian
Chair - Department of Theatre and DanceWestern Illinois University
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Artists to find work opportunities?
Tammy Killian: Currently, no. With COVID-19 shutting down the industry, this is not a great time to look for work. Film and TV production companies are beginning to shoot again, with many precautions in place. The outdoor theatre has survived. Many small venue theatres have moved outdoors or are doing drive-in events. Finding a job now is about being willing to relocate, research, and being flexible.
How do you envision technology impacting Senior Artists in the next 5 years?
Tammy Killian: Technology has impacted the profession tremendously already and will be a springboard to the future of performing arts. We've needed to be shaken up for many years, and this pandemic has definitely done that. We will learn and adapt to technology leading us into the future.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Artists?
Tammy Killian: Yes, I believe that this group of graduates (2020 and 2021) will be impacted. I like to think that most graduates will be impacted in that they will be more innovative, more independent, and will have a greater sense of priorities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Artists to find work opportunities?
Tom Gough: Before the pandemic, there were a great number of metropolitan markets with a wealth of opportunities-the Bay Area continues to be a leader, many recent former students (Foothill College) have found and created opportunities for themselves in the Chicago market. Any of our technical theatre graduates who have moved to Las Vegas have immediately found work. But until audiences are allowed to re-assemble. . . .
How do you envision technology impacting Senior Artists in the next 5 years?
Tom Gough: One thing the pandemic has prompted is some extraordinary creativity in using real-time technology. And I would say the greatest innovation from this is bridging geography. I personally have now done projects with people in different time zones and continents. I predict this sort of innovative use will continue to be employed in some respect though not replace the live experience.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Artists?
Annie Kloppenberg: I think there certainly will be-as there will be an enduring impact on our economy and culture at large. It is hard to predict exactly what shape those changes will take. I have faith that our health care researchers will create an antidote to coronavirus, but what the pandemic has also made visible in new ways is the range of inequities that are deeply woven into the fabric of our culture. Producing an antidote to that is less straightforward. While it may be harder to find entry-level jobs, I also think that graduates entering the workforce will do so with creativity and with a palpable commitment to social justice. Young people stepped up as organizers this summer, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see them continue to step up in their professional lives in the coming years. And I think we need to make room for them to do that.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Artists?
Dr. Ashley Allen Ph.D.: In terms of employment, I hope not. Right now, there is an impact in all levels of education (PreK-higher education) because of the uncertainty of what education will "look like" in this time of COVID, and specifically what making music will look like. There are also budget issues because of lower-than-normal enrollment and the uncertainty of education in these times. I am hoping that the job market will open back up for music educators, even as early as spring 2021, but right now, we just don't know. I will say that we had great success in placing our recent music education graduates, even in these times. So it is possible to find a good job as a recent graduate, even now.
In terms of life, absolutely. We are all going through stages of grief and recovery as we navigate this new reality. We are also learning how to innovate, grow, and hopefully be more mindful of our own self-care and work-life balance. I think we are being forced to reexamine all of these things, as there are limits right now to what we can accomplish, endure, and overcome, both physically and emotionally. I think those things will last a lifetime for all of us who have lived through 2020, and will hopefully change us for the better moving forward.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Artists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ashley Allen Ph.D.: Music educators can gain employment in any state in the United States, as long as they take the steps necessary to become licensed in that state. I don't think this has changed significantly because of COVID. I do see more students accepting positions in private, online, and charter schools. I also see more students accepting positions in alternative (but related) fields.