<p>Sorry, but I don't really understand what an art degree can do? Why do so many people want to get into it?</p>
<p>An art degree, while expensive, does reap some essential benefits in my opinion.</p>
<p>You are given the opportunity to work alongside and network with fellow students who are also passionate about art; and networking is a key component in the business part of the art world.</p>
<p>You get the opportunity to work with industry professionals and working artists as teachers who can help your artistic skill and perspective grow.</p>
<p>And lastly, a school can help you find and acquire job opportunities. (Some may argue against this, but it is my personal viewpoint.)</p>
<p>And if you’re truly passionate about art then there should be no question about attending art school. No, it isn’t necessary to become a working artist, but it is certainly an experience that can help one grow substantially in their work and in their resume with opportunities.</p>
<p>When D began looking at art schools, I quickly found that saying you want to ‘study art’ is like saying you want to ‘study science’. That is too broad a statement and the student really needs to know what kind of emphasis they want to pursue- or find out quickly. In the case of D, it was always illustration. For her, a BFA allows her to feed her passion for drawing and challenges her to think critically about how her art can be used to communicate ( and save those 1000 words). The value here is an informed, critically thinking individual who is proficient in her craft. And that value meets D’s needs.</p>
<p>There is a difference between someone who can draw and sculpt and an artist.</p>
<p>My S lives and breathes art. He has tremendous creativity and its always just coming out of him. He’s not the type to sit at a desk all day, do what he’s told and earn a steady paycheck. In a way, that would be my preference as a dad but its clear to see that he has a creative gift and talent and needs to pursue it.</p>
<p>The study of the different branches of art and design-related fields is, at its simplist, the nurture and development of individual creativity, and that is something that not only all businesses are looking for in potential hires, but is something that can’t be done by a robot, and in this age of job displacement caused by technological advance, if you’re creative, you’ll not only have job security, you’ll have the ability to create a new job, and re-invent your old one to keep up with changes in the working environment.</p>
<p>Depending on the individual field within the art and design world that a student decides to major in, he/she will also learn the skills and techniques needed to express that developed creative spark. In addition, many art programs incorporate co-ops allowing their students to gain experience as part of obtaining a degree. Businesses today are looking for more than just a piece of paper. If you apply with some experience in addition to your degree, you’re head and shoulders above most other applicants for a position.</p>
<p>Lastly, your earning ability in a creative field is unlimited. You’re not just a cog in a gear in the machinery of business that is easily replaced. Instead you’ve got the ability to start your own business thanks to the self-confidence and self-awareness developed by the nurturing of your creative side by your study of art.</p>