Working in the Arts | Resources:
Following this past weeks’ protests, we have decided to compile a list of resources for arts administrators to use to continue their anti-racist practices in both their personal lives and at work. We will also include a list of arts organizations that have put out statements against racism. Please remember, this is just a preliminary list of resources we have compiled. There are plenty of other resources, books, and articles to read so don’t let your research and education stop here! Please reach out to us if you want us to add anything to our list.
The arts job search in New York City - it can be intimidating, exhausting, and sometimes seemingly never-ending. And though you can do absolutely everything right in pursuit of your dream job, there are often so many external factors that also need to line-up perfectly in order to land it. Knowing where to start, how to maximize your time, bolster your application, and ultimately, manage your sanity are crucial tactics as you begin your search and are all topics we discussed at ypa’s Jobs Hunting in the Arts panel co-hosted at Sotheby’s Institute of Art on June 18, 2019.
The cherry blossoms are blooming and with that, a sign that the bi-yearly wave of arts and cultural centers galas and benefit’s are arriving in time for the festive spring season. Arts galas, or spring flings, happenings, parties, award shows, benefits, or whatever you want to call them—are the major fundraiser event of the year for institutions and typically honors their programs, artists, and prime supporters.
This fall, YPA partnered with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Emerging Leaders program to present the workshop, Managing Up and Down: Conflict Resolution in the Workplace alongside mentors Judith Pineiro, Executive Director at Association of Art Museum Curators, Maria Villafranca, Director of Communications at The Andy Warhol Foundation, and Renee Foster, Chair of Fundraising and Development for the Universal Hip Hop Museum. The mentors shared their own experiences facing conflict head on in the field and we had a chance to discuss as a group various scenarios typically encountered in the workforce. We learned quite a deal from the evening and gathered up some key takeaways for approaching conflict.
Interviewing is always stressful no matter what field you are in. YPA has found that when it comes to the arts, different paths call on distinct tools to prepare for each interview. Marketing and Development roles within the arts are similar in that they demand keen communication skills, a personable nature, and the ability to adapt as technology and methods evolve. It involves having to comprehend and sell the mission and big picture goals of the organization to audiences and supporters on a daily basis, and because of that your first impression during an interview can impact everything. So how should one prepare for a dream job interview specifically for a role in the coveted Development or Marketing fields? Leaders Erica Sattin, Director of Development at National Sawdust, and Nella Vera, Director of Marketing for BFV Management, disclosed to us at last month’s Professional Development Workshop: The Art Job Interview a few key pointers on how to do your homework before stepping into your next big interview. Below we piled up our favorite steps!
The last ELNYA/YPA workshop brought together young art professionals on October 10 at the Roger Smith hotel to learn and hone their pitching skills from Vladimir Vukicevic, Co-Founder and CEO of Meural.
Pitching is an integral part of every art professionals day-to-day life. Whether you’re looking for a new job, telling colleagues about a new idea, seeking funding for an arts project, or looking for funders or investors for a new production. Great pitching skills will always be useful to you.
On Tuesday, June 27, a room at LMHQ slowly filled with women working in the arts and started buzzing with the usual sounds of first introductions and the greetings of familiar faces. We all gathered to hear from two remarkable women leaders: Mara Manus, Executive Director of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and Pauline Willis, Director of the American Federation of Arts (AFA).
I’ve recently attended a workshop organized by the Arts & Business Council of New York on “Moving Arts Leadership Forward” and one of the panelist's statement has stuck with me for days: “Art professionals are not failed artists”.
Regardless of the definition problem of arts professionals, there is a common sense that we have tried to become full-time artists, failed miserably, needed to pay rent and settled on arts administration.
YPA Arts Profiles:
Did you know 200 students a year spend time working at the Royal Opera House (ROH) in London? They get to experience the backstage of one of the busiest opera houses in Europe for a couple of weeks. At the center of it all was Sarah Foxlee, the Work Experience and Training Coordinator at the ROH.
The recent political beratement on the National Endowment for the Arts has just about everyone I know alerted. As the largest arts grantmaker in the country the precise impact of the organization is truly unquantifiable. It’s influence is found in community conversations, resources such as free after school programs, workshops ranging from professional development to assisting the elderly, cultural festivals and screenings, and by bringing crucial access to the arts in underserved sectors of the country. 65% of the NEA’s budget of $148 Million goes towards small and medium sized organizations, ensuring that all fifty states in the country have exposure to diverse views of culture, through music, art, literature, dance, and theater. All this for merely .004 % of the federal budget. But what do these numbers really measure? Where does the money actually go and what is its impact? What would happen and exactly who would be affected if the funding entity was cut?
In our new series, Oh, The Places The Funding Will Go, we will be exploring the true reach of the endowment by highlighting NEA funded organizations and programs in each of the 50 states as a way to further illuminate its importance and share stories of its cultural and community significance.
Ahh, the online dating scene! There’s nothing quite like it. Each of us showing our best side, the wittiest lines and a carefully curated collection of pictures. But what if we had the chance to write what we actually mean to say? We explored what eight Tinder profiles of young arts professionals would look like.
An interview with Long Island City based artist and MoMA preparator, Juan Hinojosa on how he manages two career paths, his favorite part about being hands on with an incredible collection, and his recommendations for having an authentic NYC experience with art. (Spoiler alert - it's not where you think it'll be)
We know job hunting can be exhausting. Believe us, we've been in your shoes so many times ourselves and tried to keep sane and motivated at the same time. That's why we want to share tips with you, as well as many resources, to help you land your dream gig in the arts. Let's do it!