Having worked in Arts Admin for years, I recently found myself looking for work. It's always an educational experience in itself to see how the different galleries, organisations, museums and institutions treat their applicants. I practically had to stalk some of them to get so much as an acknowledgment of my application, let alone a response. Many were just plain rude.
Not to mention that salaries vary ridiculously. I recently saw an advert for a mid-level job at the Queensland Art Council for $34K PA. Considering you can easily exceed that working at a call centre with no qualifications at all, it does make you wonder. It is a perfect illustration of the fact that we do not value our art workers in this state and that the non profit sector is massively underfunded.
We're not all in it for the money of course. There are government art jobs for that ;)
Lets face it.
There are an abundance of suitably qualified and experienced arts professionals floating around this fair city. It's not unusual to see people with two or three degrees and a PhD working reception or being a PA just to get through the front door. Not that there's anything wrong with doing reception, of course. We all have to start somewhere. It just seems wrong that we are supposed to consider ourselves lucky to have a job in the field at all.
Lots of people seem to aspire to work in the largest gallery in this town. It has somehow become the epitome of professional success to be on staff. Despite having the inside scoop on the rather infamous political backstabbing and infighting that goes on, I once found myself applying. I even went to an interview. After three minutes of walking through their offices, I knew I'd never work there. The atmosphere was so toxic, I practically had to stand under a cold shower to decontaminate afterwards.
I've never been one of the cut throat types that will do anything to anyone, just to get ahead. I'd much rather help others to get ahead together. Similarly, I find myself on the outskirts of art openings. I don't fit in.
In the UK, there is such a thing as the 'Old Boys Network', whereby, alumni from a particular university (such as Eton, Oxford or Cambridge) scratch eachothers backs and dole out preferential treatment and favours for their schoolmates whereever possible.
The Brisbane Art Scene has its very own version of this. You know the ones I mean. The people who are so obviously full of a sense of their own self importance that they are in mortal danger of spontaneous combustion. They are Pufferfish in black. Prickly from a distance, poisonous up close.
Personally, I'd rather swim with the mackerel. Or squid. Or maybe even sharks. They might be safer!
Love,
Babble
Not to mention that salaries vary ridiculously. I recently saw an advert for a mid-level job at the Queensland Art Council for $34K PA. Considering you can easily exceed that working at a call centre with no qualifications at all, it does make you wonder. It is a perfect illustration of the fact that we do not value our art workers in this state and that the non profit sector is massively underfunded.
We're not all in it for the money of course. There are government art jobs for that ;)
Lets face it.
There are an abundance of suitably qualified and experienced arts professionals floating around this fair city. It's not unusual to see people with two or three degrees and a PhD working reception or being a PA just to get through the front door. Not that there's anything wrong with doing reception, of course. We all have to start somewhere. It just seems wrong that we are supposed to consider ourselves lucky to have a job in the field at all.
Lots of people seem to aspire to work in the largest gallery in this town. It has somehow become the epitome of professional success to be on staff. Despite having the inside scoop on the rather infamous political backstabbing and infighting that goes on, I once found myself applying. I even went to an interview. After three minutes of walking through their offices, I knew I'd never work there. The atmosphere was so toxic, I practically had to stand under a cold shower to decontaminate afterwards.
I've never been one of the cut throat types that will do anything to anyone, just to get ahead. I'd much rather help others to get ahead together. Similarly, I find myself on the outskirts of art openings. I don't fit in.
In the UK, there is such a thing as the 'Old Boys Network', whereby, alumni from a particular university (such as Eton, Oxford or Cambridge) scratch eachothers backs and dole out preferential treatment and favours for their schoolmates whereever possible.
The Brisbane Art Scene has its very own version of this. You know the ones I mean. The people who are so obviously full of a sense of their own self importance that they are in mortal danger of spontaneous combustion. They are Pufferfish in black. Prickly from a distance, poisonous up close.
Personally, I'd rather swim with the mackerel. Or squid. Or maybe even sharks. They might be safer!
Love,
Babble
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I am loving your blog
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