by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
Can an artist make a living at art? Making a living as an artist can be tough go. Once you have that art degree in hand you might be spending time wondering why you spent money on a degree while you pull espresso shots at Starbucks. But there are places where the focus is on the practical application of making a living at art, and the newly opened Art Institute of Jacksonville is one of them.
EU spoke with Erika Orris, President of the Art Institute of Jacksonville, who had this to say about the school: “We are not a fine arts school, we have a career focus on the areas of graphic design and interior design…We’re teaching students to have a viable career in art.” The Art Institute of Jacksonville currently offers three tracks for students: graphic design, interactive media design and interior design. They don’t offer any program until they get real world data that shows that there are a feasible amount of jobs available for the students when they graduate. They track employment trends not only on a national level, but also on a statewide level. The Art Institute has three other locales in Florida in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Miami. The Jacksonville school will be the 33rd Art Institute to open North America (2 of the schools are in Canada) and the 34th will be soon be opening in Charleston.
The eminently realistic President Orris is more interested in the hard stats backing the school’s success, and makes sure we know that the school isn’t interested in offering such courses as pottery or painting, because there just aren’t enough steady jobs to justify having such courses. “Our success is measured on our outcome…In 2005 90% of all our students accepted positions in their field within 6 months.”
Orris herself isn’t an artist per se, but is an experienced administrator with a history of management at the Art Institutes. She hails from Pittsburg, where she managed all the high school recruitment for the Institutes across the country and directed all the high school recruiting efforts.
Since the school builds its reputation on the number of students with decent jobs upon graduation, they have vested interest in making sure those students have the experience they need. To that end, the Art Institutes integrate volunteer opportunities into their program, giving students experience that they can put on their resume, helping them to land a job.
A graphics design degree from the Institute can land you in a number of fields. Besides the general training you’ll receive, you can take very focused classes that zero in on the specific career you’ll want to pursue, whether it’s illustration, art direction or ad copy.
The interactive media design job not only gives you a foundation of basic graphic design, it also helps you learn how to use technology as a tool for delivering your designs. Knowledge of computer applications tends to open many doors, even with an art degree.
The interior design program teaches students about the history of the design and the differences between corporate design and home design. Many interior designers work independently, so they also school students on practical things like writing a legally binding contract and how to keep accurate records.
By the summer, the Art Institute should be offering three courses new to the Jacksonville school: culinary arts, culinary management, and digital filmmaking/production.
The culinary arts program handles cooking and dish presentation for the aspiring chef. You’ll learn how to keep things to code, nutritional information, how to keep your food overhead low, and how to build a menu. You’ll also gain kitchen experience and learn how to work with others in a restaurant environment.
Culinary management deals with the business end of cooking such as running a catering business or how to run your own restaurant. Cooking, baking and practical management skills form the core of this program.
Digital filmmaking prepares students for a job as video editor, video producer, or digital videographer. Coursework will help make students acquainted with new tech in high definition video, storage area networks, and software. You’ll also get to work with the latest equipment.
Art Institute graduates can land jobs at major corps like Disney, Lockheed Martin, Nordstrom, Nintendo, MTV and many more. They work with over 40,000 employers across the nation to offer internships and priceless industry connections to their students. Average starting salary for one of the 90% who get a job in their field is $29, 710. Programs to come in the July quarter are culinary arts, digital filmmaking and video production. An A.S. takes 21 months to complete and a B.A. takes 36 months. For info on classes call (800) 924-1589 or go to the web site at www.artinstitutes.edu/jacksonville.
· To foster within students the desire to maintain high levels of professionalism in their chosen careers and continue learning throughout their lives while contributing to their community and society,
· To provide students broad foundations in the theory and practice of their chosen occupations,
· To help students identify their personal, academic, and career goals within the specific fields offered and to help them develop means of achieving these goals,
· To ensure a continuous quality improvement process that encourages growth and facilitates learning for all constituencies,
· To encourage the academic freedom of instructors in a student-centered environment,
· To recruit and retain a qualified faculty with the appropriate academic credentials and professional experience,
· To offer student support services that recognize the diversity of the student population and provide a safe and comfortable learning environment,
· To continue to provide students with a vehicle for life-long learning in their field by providing accessible graduate level instruction in appropriate disciplines.
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