Art Colleges in the Northeast? Maybe a long shot but do you have any recommendations

[BrinkofSunshine]

To those of you who have an Art degree or know a person with an Art degree, have you found it easy to get employed using that degree? What kind of jobs in Art did you get?

I have my degree in Studio Art, and most recently I've been employed doing theme park and theatrical scenic art.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There is a program, I forget what it's called. But I believe it's for New England colleges (and they have it in other areas too) where they have a reciprocity agreement so that if there is not a college in your area that offers a certain program you want, if they offer it at another school out of state, you can go there for in-state cost. (Or something like that.) Maybe someone else will know the name. But definitely something to look into.

Found it: http://www.nebhe.org/programs-overview/rsp-tuition-break/overview/

 

[sk!mom]

To those of you who have an Art degree or know a person with an Art degree, have you found it easy to get employed using that degree? What kind of jobs in Art did you get?

This was my concern with my DD20 who is also an artist. As a high school junior, we had her research possible job opportunities for art degrees. She saw the dismal picture. She was adamant that a teaching certificate fall back was NOT for her so this is what she did...

We visited many schools and she ended up choosing the one with a great College of Visual and Art Design. She started out in Fashion Design with the plan to get a Masters in Design Management. She did not enjoy clothing construction (although after 2 years, she's Project Runway ready) and last Spring the University made the Design Management Masters a Bachelor's option. This was perfect for her as she wanted a switch but didn't want to get offtrack from a 4 year graduation. She changed over and is now getting a Design Management Degree with a Business Management Minor.

She also chose a school in a metropolitan area so that there would be lots of internship opportunities. Sophomore year, she did a social media internship for a Swimwear company. Last Summer, she got an Internship with an Interior Design firm. It went so well that she has continued it this school year. Both internships have been paid and will hopefully help her in a job search a year from now.

The college DD chose has given her the opportunity to explore lots of mediums but she's already seeing how difficult art is to sell. My house is full of pieces that she has created and people often ask about them but rarely want to pay for one. Her cousin is getting married next month and has already said, "I'd LOVE it if you painted me something like the piece in you mom's dining room as a wedding gift!" That's her typical experience- I'd Love an original art piece...as a gift!

 

[AppleDumpling]

I would suggest your daughter supplement studio art classes with computer/technology courses. The combination of artistic talent and computer skills will make her marketable in fields like graphic design, digital media, animation, advertising, art direction, etc.

A different path might include art history or museum studies, if she has interest in becoming a curator. Another career to look into is art therapy.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

CCS - College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. It has an awesome reputation. Lot's of different programs there.

 

[longboard55]

My daughter went to Otis Art school in Los Angeles. They have a very high employment rate. Not in fine art but graphic computer art is very employable. I was surprised but it worked out. Lot on internet work need graphic artist, then the gaming companies and traditional advertising. You want an amazing career go into Toy Design, they were recruiting those in that major

 

[wishesuponastar]

There is a program, I forget what it's called. But I believe it's for New England colleges (and they have it in other areas too) where they have a reciprocity agreement so that if there is not a college in your area that offers a certain program you want, if they offer it at another school out of state, you can go there for in-state cost. (Or something like that.) Maybe someone else will know the name. But definitely something to look into.

Found it: http://www.nebhe.org/programs-overview/rsp-tuition-break/overview/

Thank you but we are not from New England.

 

[wishesuponastar]

This was my concern with my DD20 who is also an artist. As a high school junior, we had her research possible job opportunities for art degrees. She saw the dismal picture. She was adamant that a teaching certificate fall back was NOT for her so this is what she did...

We visited many schools and she ended up choosing the one with a great College of Visual and Art Design. She started out in Fashion Design with the plan to get a Masters in Design Management. She did not enjoy clothing construction (although after 2 years, she's Project Runway ready) and last Spring the University made the Design Management Masters a Bachelor's option. This was perfect for her as she wanted a switch but didn't want to get offtrack from a 4 year graduation. She changed over and is now getting a Design Management Degree with a Business Management Minor.

She also chose a school in a metropolitan area so that there would be lots of internship opportunities. Sophomore year, she did a social media internship for a Swimwear company. Last Summer, she got an Internship with an Interior Design firm. It went so well that she has continued it this school year. Both internships have been paid and will hopefully help her in a job search a year from now.

The college DD chose has given her the opportunity to explore lots of mediums but she's already seeing how difficult art is to sell. My house is full of pieces that she has created and people often ask about them but rarely want to pay for one. Her cousin is getting married next month and has already said, "I'd LOVE it if you painted me something like the piece in you mom's dining room as a wedding gift!" That's her typical experience- I'd Love an original art piece...as a gift!

Thank you for letting me know it's a good idea to go to a college in a metro area. Good luck to your daughter.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you but we are not from New England.

Sorry, misread OP.

They have them in other areas too. Check here.

https://www.instateangels.com/tuition-reciprocity-agreements-explained/

 

[maltdizzy]

As someone who has worked in the arts must of my adult life, RISD and the School of Visual Arts both have excellent reputations with lots of alumni in the arts. MICA in mAryland is also good. That said, NYU (Tisch), Rutgers, Pratt, Rensselar, RIT, Bard, and all the ivy's are examples of a large group of 4-year universities with excellent art programs that allow a greater range of electives, minors and double-major option.

 

[rwdavis2]

Slippery Rock in PA

I think Edinboro, also in PA, has a good graphic arts dept.

 

[Denise W]

There is a program, I forget what it's called. But I believe it's for New England colleges (and they have it in other areas too) where they have a reciprocity agreement so that if there is not a college in your area that offers a certain program you want, if they offer it at another school out of state, you can go there for in-state cost. (Or something like that.) Maybe someone else will know the name. But definitely something to look into.

Found it: http://www.nebhe.org/programs-overview/rsp-tuition-break/overview/

We were living in RI and my daughter went to UMass Dartmouth where she got a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. We paid in state tuition even though we lived out of state because of that program. She also took classes at RISD after graduation. If you are a RISD fulltime student you can take classes at Brown for credit.

I realize OP can't use that program, but for NE residents, a lot don't know about this program. Because the RI state colleges didn't offer the degree she wanted, our daughter was able to save quite a bit of money at UMass.
Denise

 

[jtobykrauss]

SUNY Purchase has a great program.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Your comments are very helpful everyone. I will have my daughter research where she could potentially work in the Art world and see if she is still interested in pursuing an Art degree. She is always sketching people, ocean, mountain scenes.

 

[nkereina]

Might be too far from you, but Nazareth College in Rochester, NY is known as a fine arts school and is a small private school in an upscale suburb of Rochester. Buffalo State College in Buffalo, NY also has an art program and is affiliated with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery which is supposed to be known in the industry from what I've heard. Buffalo State is a state college so much larger and cheaper than Nazareth, and located within the city of Buffalo. It's actually in a really nice, artsy district of the city. Good luck!

 

[FINFAN]

I would have your DD research careers/companies/studios she is interested in working for. THEN look up current salaries. If she is good with what she sees then she needs to see what colleges those companies recruit from...(to narrow her search initially) and look at costs of attending those colleges vs the salaries being paid in the field she chooses. My DD is a Computer Animator and attended Ringling College of Art and Design. She knew before accepting admission the salary she would have to command to justify the cost of RCAD. MOST Art Colleges are over the 45 grand a year mark, but there are many public ones that have great programs. Fine Arts can be tricky..but as another poster said, supplement with other courses. IE: My DD's degree has the word computer in it and she knows some 30 programs...her resume' made it through the first few rounds of "sorting" due to this. After a while their portfolio (and network)speaks as loud if not louder but in the beginning you want nothing blocking your resume from getting to the person it needs to

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am not familiar with the program but Maryland Institute College of Art is known in the Baltimore area. https://www.mica.edu/

 

[wishesuponastar]

I would have your DD research careers/companies/studios she is interested in working for. THEN look up current salaries. If she is good with what she sees then she needs to see what colleges those companies recruit from...(to narrow her search initially) and look at costs of attending those colleges vs the salaries being paid in the field she chooses. My DD is a Computer Animator and attended Ringling College of Art and Design. She knew before accepting admission the salary she would have to command to justify the cost of RCAD. MOST Art Colleges are over the 45 grand a year mark, but there are many public ones that have great programs. Fine Arts can be tricky..but as another poster said, supplement with other courses. IE: My DD's degrees has the word computer in it and she knows some 30 programs...her resume' made it through the first few rounds of "sorting" due to this. After a while their portfolio (and network)speaks as loud if not louder but in the beginning you want nothing blocking your resume from getting to the person it needs to

My daughter wants to sell her Art in a gallery. Thank you for your advice to have her research what the salary would be although I think with the job she wants it will be hard to come up with a salary figure. I am hoping she minors in something more steady. She does not want to work in computer or graphic arts. Her sister told her to minor in Business.

She also says she wants to be a tattoo artist while trying to sell her Art in a gallery.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

My daughter wants to sell her Art in a gallery. Thank you for your advice to have her research what the salary would be although I think with the job she wants it will be hard to come up with a salary figure. I am hoping she minors in something more steady. She does not want to work in computer or graphic arts. Her sister told her to minor in Business.

She also says she wants to be a tattoo artist while trying to sell her Art in a gallery.

I know people give this advice often, but she's a sophomore in HS; I'm sure she will change her mind/broaden her mind to different ventures once she's older (and I don't mean to something "practical", as there are many great jobs to be had in the field of art). I changed my major (and transferred colleges).. and still had no idea that I'd be in this art career field until after I had graduated. I think the best thing you can do for her is to expose her to a lot of different paths within the artistic field. Gallery work is tough... I hate giving the "reality check" to artists, but from what I gathered from my professors is that it is heavily about networking, who you know, and selling yourself as a business in addition to just being a good artist. At least, for now, I'd have her get involved in local art festivals or at least talking to local artists to get their advice and perspectives.

 

[morgan98]

It is going to be hard to determine a salary for "wanting to sell her art in a gallery." Often the work in shown in the gallery, the owner takes a cut and gives the balance to the artist. What she earns, of course, is going to be determined by the quality and desirability of her work, and she will have to network heavily. There is no way to say she is going to make $35,000/year selling her art in a gallery.

I think others on this thread have done a good job explaining ways that they have applied their love of art into different ways of being an artist and through various degrees. It is hard as a sophomore in high school to see what your exact job can be realistically. I am not saying this to squash any dreams, but rather to make sure she thinks through various options.