[…] The testimonies of most respondents show that they are fully aware of the issues concerning employment in the fine art milieu. Some of them were even able to reflect on the state of their careers and their professional prospects in a thought-provoking way.

The first six participants of our study focused primarily on their own ability or inability to adapt to the demands of the art world. They considered the issue of mastering artistic practice from the viewpoint of their family background and a very personal experience of the art scene and tertiary education.

Only our last three respondents revealed to us how important it is for fine art students to take a step back from determining their relationship with working in the arts in a way that is overly personal, and instead to begin to see it as a practice requiring a particular kind of engagement and typology of values that are constantly developing and transforming.

For example, one of the study participants successfully overcame issues regarding insufficient finances, social contacts and cultural outlook, acquiring all the know-how necessary for pursuing an art practice over the course of their studies. Above all they were able to rationally appraise their talents and limitations, selecting the most appropriate artistic field from the wide spectrum available.

From these concrete testimonies I have gained the impression that our respondents are more or less aware of the importance of values built on openness, responsiveness and a clear vision of the future (which are also the values currently preferred by the middle class), and that they have embraced them fully. This will enable them to foster beneficial relations with diverse art agencies, allowing them to progress from the position of artist (someone who makes art) to a self-employed art producer (someone who can build on art production and support themselves in the long term). […]


You can find the full essayWorking in Fine Art: Between Emancipation and Tradition in the bookThe Boundaries of Opportunities. It is available for purchase at the ArtMap online bookstore.