Professional Artist Survey

[dreamingtree]

My name is David Weaver. I am currently a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. I am doing my final research project on what it takes to be a successful artist and what art teachers can do to help prepare their students for the real world. If you are a professional artist, I would love it if you could answer this survey for me. If you have any other friends or art associates that you could also pass this on to, I would greatly appreciate it. You can answer directly to the forum. I'm sure many would love to see and comment on your responses. You can also PM me or email me at fauxcalpoint at gmail dot com.

Thanks so much for your help. I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

• 1. What is your name? Can I use your real name or would you prefer I use a pseudonym for this study?

• 2. What mediums do you use?

• 3. How long have you been a professional artist?

• 4. What schools did you attend and what training have you had to become an artist?

• 5. What did you learn in your training that has been the most valuable to you as a professional artist?

• 6. In what ways did your art education help you succeed?

• 7. What areas, do you feel were lacking in your art education?

• 8. What things did you have to learn on your own, through personal experience, that you did not learn in school?

• 9. What are the most important skills, attributes, habits, etc. that you think are essential to become a full time professional artist?

• 10. Are there habits that you created for yourself on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule that have helped you to become the artist you are today? What are those habits?

• 11. What are the biggest problems or obstacles that you have encountered as you worked your way from student to professional? Could any of these problems have been avoided or lessened if you had more knowledge or different instruction at your institution?

• 12. What separates a good artist from a truly successful great artist?

• 13. What resources have helped you to become a professional artist? How important are mentors, critique groups, art groups, additional workshops or training, to becoming successful?

• 14. How important are learning the business aspects of art, such as marketing, negotiations, contracts, taxes, etc.? Where did you learn the business side to art? Do you do this yourself, or do you hire someone to do these things for you?

• 15. What are the best ways for an artist to market themselves and get their name out there?

• 16. What advice would you give to students and future artists on what they need to do to become a successful artist?

• 17. What advice would you give to art educators on how to help prepare students to become successful professional artists?

• 18. There are a large number of students graduating with art degrees with only a small percentage able to successfully transition from being a student to making it as a full time professional artist. Many continue to create art part time while working another job unrelated to the arts. Only a few actually succeed at making a career out of it. Why do you think so few artists are making that transition?

• 19. Do you feel that art programs are doing enough to prepare students to enter the workforce? If not, what should be added to the curriculum to better prepare students to make a living as a professional artist? What areas do you think should be improved in art education?