Future Career Path
Professional Progression

Knowing what it was like trying to practice independently for several years before this MA, I know what I would like to be different this time post-MA. 

 

I am under no illusion about the difficulties in juggling a work/life balance and sustaining an art practice. Right now, I have no intention of making a living from my practice. I want to be realistic about what I can achieve, what I want, and ultimately, what having a practice looks like and means to me. I look at my practice as a personal progression. While I merit the professional trajectory of it, my practice is a personal thing, not a commodity. 

 

The following is a list of achievements/to-do’s I want for the growth of my practice: 

 

• A functioning studio space 

• To take part in a residency(ies)

• Continue exhibiting (rule to have a minimum of x1 exhibition a year) 

• Work towards keeping the momentum of my research to be able to contribute to more research papers in the future

• A solo show (a dream accomplishment) 

• To be part of a supportive and collaborative network of artists through shared studio spaces or meeting artists through opportunities

• Find someone willing to be a mentor to my artistic practice 

• Seek out specific opportunities to work in ceramics (and, later down the line, glass) 

• To organise and curate a group show(s) (themes relative to (1) a sculptural drawing practice, (2) embodiment) 

• To produce a publication as extended research to my practice and for this to be a collaborative project beyond that which I have started as part of the Research Festival

 

I am not putting a definitive timeline on these achievements at this moment. My approach to achieving these goals will span the rest of my life, not just as an artistic career.

 

To obtain these achievements, I intend always to keep a deadline on the horizon, so the momentum doesn’t stop. I will be on the lookout and applying for opportunities, including funding, residencies and exhibiting opportunities via sources including, but not limited to, ArtQuest, Art Rabbit, Axisweb and a-n, the artists' information company. I will ensure that I sign up for arts opportunity newsletters such as Art Monthly 

as well as following useful sources on Instagram, like, starving artist opportunities and we make art work. 

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I intend to become part of membership and profiling platforms to continue to build my network and piggyback off of the visibility of such organisations, starting with OUTPOST.

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There are a number of organisations I am particularly interested in, and hope to be able to take part in their offerings, such as the

courses held at London Sculpture Workshop, artist placements with AA2A, and the facilities and residencies held at the Scottish Sculpture Workshops. Aligning myself to specific practice-based exploration such as these will enable me to sustain the growth of my practice and continue to make in new ways. 

 

The financial viability of my practice will be sustained mainly through my working career. However, I will seek funding through scholarships and grants wherever possible, looking for specific professional development opportunities such as those offered by a-n and eventually building up the confidence to apply for an ACEs grant.

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I will continue to progress my working career within the arts industry and am incredibly excited to be taking on the Young People’s Programme Coordinator role at Wysing Art Centre after completing this MA. This role is a position I hope to grow in and will see me through the next three to five years of my career.  

 

I have always been interested in the role of teaching and learning, especially in the transformative power of creative learning. Over time I have come to appreciate that this doesn’t have to take place within a classroom. Going into teaching is a logical progression, given my interest, but I am more interested in alternative learning spaces and knowledge production. Still teaching and learning but in different ways. My professional career will always navigate this mutable area between art and learning and how the arts are taught.