 For many of the artists I canvassed on ArtsNet, the idea of pursuing a career in the arts, during their high school years, did not really exist.
Despite her love of music, Kim Beggs recalled, “Although the music programs at my junior high and high school were very strong and it was my best subject, it never occurred to me to make a living doing music.
“Never in a million years. My school was very academic and only encouraged university after high school.”
Theatre artist and filmmaker Arlin MacFarlane’s response was a definite. “No, no, no, no, no. Art was non-existent.”
Both of these artists came to their practice later in life, when for MacFarlane, “it miraculously became a delicious option.”
Writer and filmmaker Paul Davis has similar recollections of his exposure to art in high school. “The arts were never treated as a legitimate career in Ontario public schools in the 1970s.”
Ruth McCullough, retired YTG curator, attended high school in Saskatchewan in the early 60s. She doesn’t recall careers being discussed much. The school was divided into streams. “There was the A stream who would go to university; the B stream who would do some other college type training like nursing; and the C stream who would do secretarial type work.”
When McFarlane thinks back to high school career choices, she recalls that “business was not an option either. Just jobs. People successful in art are often those who can do the business side of things.”
It’s possible that high school is better suited to guiding someone toward a job, as it trains students in job-style behaviours like showing up and working set hours Monday to Friday.
The only ArtsNetter for whom a career in arts seemed normal was John Knops. Knops is a man about town, retired from a career in insurance. For him, “Art was art. One of the many things one could do with one's life.” But he had friends and family in the arts.
“It was a career choice as far as I was concerned and young people my age went into art, just like auto mechanics or nerds (who became the engineers).”
Professional printmaker Joyce Majiski recalls her art class in which there were “art stars” who were assumed to be headed to art school. It embarrasses her to recall that she was one of them. At that time, she wanted to be a vet, so that wasn’t her plan at all.
Majiski would like to see high school teachers teach students how to be critical of their own work, while still being encouraging. Having artists visit the school to mentor keen students would be valuable, as well as exposing them to a range of different art forms.
There are two useful tools Majiski thinks students could practise: “How to write about your work and how to create a decent proposal, and research skills to find the kinds of galleries, public spaces and commercial spaces they want to target their work for.
“Artists need to think of themselves as business people as well, and learn to think of what they do in that light.”
If a student isn't supported in an art career, all is not lost: “If you have the drive, desire, talent and dream to be an artist, there isn’t much that is going to stop you.”
Music teacher Bruce Johnson, at F. H. Collins High School, hopes he’s giving students the tools they need to consider a career in music, and to pursue it if that’s their choice.
He works with students to help them prepare for auditions, as well as the written theory test: “It’s like calculus if one is going into science: it’s easier to do in Grade 12 than if you see it for the first time in university.
At senior levels, students are encouraged to study a second or third instrument, and encouraged to do jazz as well as concert band.
He urges them to go to a concert series. Students can attend Jazz on the Wing shows for $5, or the Whitehorse Concert series for $2.
The senior or junior bands attend festivals outside the Yukon every year, where they see professional performances as well.
The end of every March, Johnson hosts a three-day retreat, exposing 75 students to the “best teaching we can get on their instruments.”
Duncan Sinclair is a musician who attends the latest jazz workshops outside the territory. He brings back material from those workshops and works with the students.
Johnson relies on the support of the Artist in the School Program to sponsor 12 artists to come work with young musicians that weekend.
As a result, along with lots of opportunities to perform for an audience, he claims, “More kids per capita are going on in music in the Yukon than in other places.”
Nicole Bauberger is a writer and painter living in Whitehorse. Find out where you can see her work at www.nicolebauberger.com.
|
Artrepreneur
