Working as a community artist

Jan-Bert Van Der Berg
– Studied at Royal College of Art Education,
Formative experience in how he views art and how confident he his in understanding and engaging with art
– Initially trained as a glass designer
– Then Became a community artist from thinking about his practice and how it related to other people,
Led him to move from London to Edinburgh Pilton to become a community artist
worked with children and then Muirhouse Unemployment Group
– Boiled down to thinking about varied ways of ways of working with people, Getting to know people and making sense of what art might be within a community.
-This was the path he took to end applying for a job as a community arts coordinator for Artlink

Working in Photography

Nick Turpin – Internationally acclaimed street, advertising and design photographer
Studied at University of Westminster
– Became interested in documentary photography,
subsequently spent little time at university due to pursuing newspaper stories, meeting people, learning their stories and taking related photographs.
– Began to work at the Independent newspaper instead finishing the third year of the degree.
Working at the Independent proved to be amazing training
– Practice doing portraits for news and fashion features
– He would recommend getting in touch with experienced photographers, and trying to shadow them
*The career requires you to be friendly, creative but also PUSHY*
There are however various methods to get into the business
One important lesson to learn was there is difference between a picture and a photograph
– A picture gets the front page.
– Involves distilling the image, simplifying. Concentrating on the form and basics of the image (more striking/accessible?).

Free Lancing – Planning for a successful career and creative life

Joe tree –  Entrepreneur, Designer and Tech Start-up Expert
-Started at the bottom and worked his way up from roles involving getting the coffee
-Had an alternative approach that didn’t involve going through higher education, refreshing to know this is an option.
– He said it was important to be open to learning throughout your career, and to choose jobs accordingly,
this will lead you to having an adaptable skill-set, and to be being a more appealing employee
-As a freelance it is important to make your intentions clear, this will lead to more decisive communications and consequentially outcomes
– A plan concerning your future is practical, and will help you in the long term
-Having a unique quality will set you side from your competition