Wanting to pursue a career in the arts is a great stigma in our society. It is often assumed that careers such as doctors, lawyers, engineers have more value than a career in the arts, which is completely false. The arts, them being visual arts, creative writing, music, film making, etc, have extreme importance to our society. It is art that makes us feel alive, makes us think critically, and it's through art that we express ourselves. Without art, we would be living in a
monotonous world, where everyone is nothing but machine to means of production. In an interview with Ms.Camila Pimenta, arts teacher, she stated that "humans have been creating art for as long as we have been around. Our ability to appreciate beauty, to spin stories, to write love songs and sad poems is uniquely human. Even in the most difficult of times, humans have turned to art to seek comfort and express their desires. And in this time of Covid, racial tensions and broken dreams, art is even more important". She also mentioned that "the arts can bring communities together by reducing isolation and making people feel safer. They have been shown to increase empathy towards others, thus reducing social tension and discrimination." The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to different careers regarding arts, and what is explored on them, hopefully inspiring the reader to consider one of those as a life career.
Visual arts
Visual arts is an umbrella term for any type of art that is primarily visual in its nature, for example, design, ceramics, painting sculpture, photography, architecture, etc. A person
who courses in visual art will study a lot of art history, theory, criticism and practice one’s abilities in the area of their choice. A highlight of the visual arts is its exhibitions in galleries, or even on the university campus. The importance of it in our society is undeniable, it has been present throughout history, defining esthetics and historical events. The impact on societal and political issues is also crucial, and many pieces of artwork are used by historians
to this day to understand historical events.
Creative writing
Creative writing is the form of artistic expression conveyed through the use of imagery, narrative and drama. It is found in books, poetry, songwriting, movie scripts, speeches, and essays. Since the creation of language and words, creative writing has been used to create beautiful artworks that illustrate how society worked during a certain time period - such as “The Iliad”, “Les Misérables”, “The Crucible”, “One Hundred Years of Solitude”. It was heavily used in every area of society, passing through knowledge, incentivizing critical thinking, and for political protest as well. Some jobs that include creative writing are writer, journalist, songwriter, teacher, public relations, etc.
“Art is an universal form of communication. It reflects
a society’s beliefs and cultural values”
~Camila Pimenta, Arts teacher
“Life without the collective resources of our libraries,
museums, theatres and galleries, or without the
personal expression of literature, music and art, would
be static and sterile – no creative arguments about
the past, no diverse and stimulating present and
no dreams of the future.”
— Arts Council England (2014)
Image: World University of Design
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