A Career in the Arts: The Complex Learning and Career Needs of Creative Professionals - Paperback

by Gary A. Berg (Author)

There is a gap in knowledge about artistic careers--few people fully understand the economics and sociology of the visual and performing arts. The public impression of the lives of artists are distorted because typically only the very successful get attention. Society generalizes based on those people who are statistical exceptions, not by looking at average careers, let alone those who discontinue their pursuit of arts professions. For emerging young artists, it is essential to know the histories of the different performing and visual arts, and their training and craft traditions. Additionally, understanding the role of informal learning, differences in types of institutions, approaches to teaching-learning, and the subsequent likely career impact is important. While some have hailed the advances in the arts as a result of new technology, changes in the finances of performers are greatly impacted by the digital world. Many have commented on the greying audiences for classical music and opera, but the characteristics of the younger generations who appear to want to view, listen, and interact with visual and performance art differently may be even more impactful.

Author Biography

Gary A. Berg, PhD, MFA, is the author or editor of ten previous books including The Rise of Women in Higher Education: How, Why, and What's Next and Low-Income Students and the Perpetuation of Inequality, as well as numerous articles and short stories. Berg has an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA, and an MA in Film Studies from San Francisco State University.