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Introduction
Signpost is a newpublication froma-n The Artists
Information Company. Aimed at newgraduates, it
offers support in negotiating the first fewyears out of
higher education. It’s a practical guide that points to all
the information and advice newgraduates need to get
started in their chosen creative profession.
Creative arts and design courses offer an amazing array of
subject-specific skill acquisition. What is less celebrated are the
transferrable skills that arts graduates acquire, from creative
thinking and problem solving to time and project management
skills. This is why graduates from creative courses can go in so
many different directions.
For those determined to forge a career as an independent artist
or designer, however, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Which is why it’s important to realise that most practitioners find
themselves juggling more than one role, job or task at any time –
especially in those all-important first years out of education.
This publication sets out some of the main things new graduates
need to know, and demonstrates some of the approaches that other
creatives have taken in moving their careers forward.
The creative industries are an important part of the UK economy,
and are estimated to grow at twice the national average over
the next few years. But with thousands of creative practitioners
graduating from UK degree courses each year, how do you ensure
that you stand out from the crowd?
The fact that you are reading this shows you’re already one step
ahead of the game.
Anna Francis, Signpost Editor.
AnnA FrAnciS
Anna Francis is an artist whose
practice examines private histories,
public space and civic languages;
using forms of intervention, drawing,
mapping, performance, consultation
and photography to investigate
the impact that artists can have on
their environments. She is Director
at AirSpace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent’s
contemporary, artist-led exhibiting
space, where she has particular
responsibility for the education and
outreach programmes. She is course
leader on the BA Fine Art course,
Staffordshire University.