Many exciting and fulfilling careers exist in the creative economy, and Wellesley’s rigorous liberal arts curriculum prepares students and alumnae with strengths that are especially relevant in the arts and media fields. Opportunities can be found in every sector— from nonprofit organizations, education, and government, to Fortune 500 companies. Whether you are interested in working in a museum, a lifestyle start-up, a civic arts council, a classroom, an established corporation, somewhere in-between, or somewhere beyond, you can find positions. Students and alumnae are encouraged to get started by exploring the resources below and scheduling an appointment in Handshake to meet with Hebert Labbate.
Arts Resources
The resources below explore a broad range of careers in art and design; from architecture, to fashion, to museum work, and beyond.
Nonprofits are mission-driven organizations dedicated to addressing a particular social issue or advocating for a cause. These resources provide an overview of the vast nonprofit sector, which includes numerous industries and many job functions.
Appointments can be scheduled in Handshake for Mon–Fri.
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Top Job Functions
Class of 2023 Top Job Functions across Arts, Media, Nonprofit, & Human Services
30.00%
Writing / Editing
30.00%
Administration
10.00%
Design / Art
10.00%
Research
10.00%
Operations / Production
10.00%
Marketing
Arts, Media, Nonprofit, & Human Services: Graduates in the World
What they studied
Where they work or attend graduate school
What they do
Architecture & Anthropology
designLAB architects
Designer
Art History & Architecture
Tatter Blue Library
Content Manager
Art History
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Executive Assistant to Chief External Relations Officer
Latin American Studies & Peace and Justice Studies
Practicing artists support themselves by teaching, selling artwork, being awarded grants and commissions, and a wide variety of other related (and non-related) professional endeavors. Growing and maintaining an active studio practice requires both training and resources— in the form of materials, equipment, space, and exhibition or performance opportunities. Many artists refine their work and begin to connect with the world of galleries, grants, and exhibitions in a graduate program (usually an MFA program). However, this is not the only path to a career as an artist.
Fashion is a fast-paced and exciting industry for those who love clothes, designs, and trends. This international industry includes careers ranging from modeling to fabric/clothing design, from marketing to retail, from business to manufacturing, from buying to merchandising. Possible occupational titles include: fashion designer, model, photographer, fashion editor, fashion writer, fashion stylist, fashion buyer, retail merchandisers.
Design and illustration careers begin with a portfolio of client-based or self-inspired work that displays your talent, style, and creative thinking. While there are full-time positions in the field of design, there are fewer full-time opportunities for illustrators. For this reason, many illustrators work as designers and illustration is a part of their job.
As a practice, creative writing refers to a wide variety of disciplines. Writers who want to publish novels, poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction often earn an MFA and support their creative practice by teaching in higher education.
A career in arts administration combines interest in the arts with business expertise and fundraising skills. Arts administrators work for symphony orchestras, art galleries, museums, ballet companies, musical groups, theatres and other organizations.
Architecture, a discipline deeply rooted in the creative expression of designing physical spaces, presents a vast array of interdisciplinary job opportunities. While architecture itself embodies the art and science of constructing buildings, the path to success in this field extends beyond the confines of traditional licensed architectural practice.
