The UK’s contribution to the international creative arts scene is unrivalled and the country continues to innovate and develop both through events and exhibitions and internationally renowned creative talent. The UK has a worldwide reputation for producing original and successful artists, designers, photographers, craftspeople, performers and musicians. With almost two million people employed in the creative industries and 120,000 creative businesses to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities for those looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Alexander McQueen, Terence Conran and Damien Hurst.

The UK values and nurtures its creative and cultural industries and they play an increasingly important role in economic life. According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, they account for 7.3 per cent of the economy comparable in size to the financial services industry. They employ one million people themselves, while another 800,000 people work in  creative occupations.
There is a huge range of creative courses available in the UK in subjects such as art, fashion, dance and theatre.

Postgraduate students often choose to further their creativity and skill in their own particular art form. Scholarships are available for particularly talented individuals, such as prodigious musicians or artists, and research projects cover a wide range of areas.

Areas of specialism
Design
Design covers a huge area, including product innovation, fashion, graphic illustration and computer aided design (CAD). Master’s degrees give students a chance to develop their own style and expertise in their chosen medium without the pressures of a commercial work-based environment. Many fashion designers, for example, find that  studying for a postgraduate qualification gives them a chance to develop their creativity by experimenting with different styles and techniques.

Fine art
Programmes in fine art at master’s and doctoral level focus on art in terms of theory and practice, describing and analysing the artistic process and the outcome. Programmes may also include elements of historical contexts, art history and appreciation of existing art. Some courses help teach students how to market and promote their work, network with contacts such as curators, dealers and agents, and engage potential galleries, clients or supporters.

Dance, drama and music
As with the other creative arts, postgraduate performing arts programmes are breeding grounds for burgeoning individual talent, and develop skills and understanding of performance traditions both locally and globally.
Candidates on practical performance programmes will be highly talented individuals looking to develop their skills,  be it as a musician, actor, director, dancer, choreographer or director. Specialist institutions, such as music conservatoires, dance academies and theatre schools, will often run prestigious and highly competitive programmes, with even more competitive scholarships.
It’s not all about performance, though. Many performing arts courses look at the educational, social and intellectual aspects of performing arts. Research areas can include topics such as dance/theatre techniques from around the world, in-depth study of a composer/director/choreographer’s work, compositional theory, choreographical techniques and the relationship between performer and audience.

Study methods
Taught master’s and postgraduate certificate/ postgraduate diploma
Courses can focus on practical elements (i.e. performance or producing original work) as well as the theory behind the practice. Lectures and group work may feature, but the production of a dissertation is common to all.

Research degrees: MPhil and PhD
PhD/MPhil students are usually assigned to a supervisor with particular interests in their proposed area of  study and will be required to attend various courses of lectures, appropriate to their needs. Students may also  be expected to present detailed research seminars on their work to fellow students.

Entry requirements
To be admitted to study for a master’s or potentially a PhD, you will need a good honours degree in an appropriate subject. Subject areas such as fine art, dance and music may require outstanding individual talent and, in some cases, will require an audition or portfolio presentation.
Music scholarships are available to talented students (commonly organ or choral specialists) not necessarily studying music.

Career Choices
Illustrator/graphic designer/ art editor/art director
Illustrators and graphic designers work to a brief and, depending on their medium, are usually skilled in artworking using graphic software. A good working knowledge of programs such as QuarkXPress, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator is usually expected, particularly for art editors and art directors on magazines. Many graphic designers can move into other related areas such as digital/web design and animation. Employers include publishers, advertising and design agencies, multimedia production companies,  local government, charities, commerce and industry.

Salary guide
Graphic designers can earn between £11,000 and £65,000, illustrators can earn between £14,000 and £40,000 or more, and art editors/directors between £22,000 and £70,000 a year,  all depending on experience.

Gallery curator
Art gallery curators are not only responsible for putting on exhibitions; they also look after collections of work, be they of artistic, historical or special interest. They are involved in acquiring or borrowing objects for display by researching, identifying and cataloguing them, as well as looking after practical aspects of exhibiting works, such as marketing, security, safety and insurance.

A postgraduate qualification specialising in a relevant area of art history can help gain entry into this competitive profession, as can work experience in a gallery, museum or other National Trust-owned property. The National Trust runs many volunteering schemes – see www.nationaltrust.org.uk for details. Sotheby’s offers six MA degree programmes (awarded by the University of Manchester) for those wishing to enter the international art world – find out more at www.sothebysinstitutelondon.com. Christie’s also runs master’s courses accredited by the University of Glasgow – go to www.christies.com/education for further information.
 

Salary guide
Salaries start at around £15,500-£23,000, rising to £23,500-£35,000  with experience. Senior curators are likely to be paid £30,000 or more. There is much variation, depending on the size, location and nature of the museum/gallery.

TV/film/theatre set designer
Set designers are responsible for the visual aspects of a production, helping to bring the drama to life by creating an artistically realistic environment for actors to work in. Working with the director and production team, they plan the design for sets, costumes, props, locations and lighting.
Most set designers are graduates and begin in the profession as assistants in a design studio or workshop, possibly on a voluntary or low-paid basis. Designers train on the job and some may go on to learn specific technical skills or take a postgraduate course in a specialist area.

Salary guide
Income varies greatly depending on factors such as experience and budget available. An assistant designer employed by a theatre may earn around £15,600 a year. Experienced designers can expect to earn the equivalent of around £20,000-£40,000. Well-established designers with exceptional talent or reputation may earn considerably more. (Source: Connexions Direct and Aimhigher)

Musician/musical director/conductor
As the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) stresses, you may have to acquire qualifications to demonstrate that you have the necessary expertise for most careers in music, but they alone will not necessarily bring you work. Classical musicians need to be trained to an exceptionally high standard and will then need to gain a repertoire of performance material; this can be gained by taking a postgraduate certificate in musical performance.
Musicians are usually self-employed and may work on one-off performance, show or tour contracts. They can also work accompanying other artists, backing films, advertisements, web pages or computer games. Most soloists employ an agent to help negotiate work opportunities and terms. Some musicians progress to write and direct their own music, start up an ensemble or work in private music tuition. Employers include orchestras, music ensembles, opera companies or choirs.
 

Salary guide
Rates for musicians vary, depending on the type of performance and musical venue, their instrument and their reputation and experience.  One-off functions like wedding receptions, for example, can make musicians anything between £85 and £500 for a three-hour session, while typical concert fees can vary between £45 and £3,000 per performance. The ISM website (www.ism.org) has fees information based on surveys of its own members, while the Musicians Union and Equity websites (www.musiciansunion.org.uk and www.equity.org.uk) have details of negotiated rates.

Fashion designer
Fashion designers design clothes, accessories and shoes, individually or as part of a team. They usually work in one of three areas: haute-couture (the exclusive end of the market), ready-to-wear (also known as prêt-a-porter) or high-street fashion. It is also possible to specialise in a particular area, such as sportswear or children’s fashion.

Entry is usually at an early age after passing an HNC/HND or a degree in fashion, but some take postgraduate courses before starting work. Having experience of skills that are in demand, such as pattern cutting, textile technology, production management  and studio management can be  hugely advantageous.

Salary guide
Starting salaries can be as low as £12,000-£18,000, but may rise to £60,000+ for an established  London-based designer.

Further Information
Arts and Humanities Research Council www.ahrc.ac.uk
National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) www.nesta.org.uk
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) www.culture.gov.uk
Arts Council England www.artscouncil.org.uk
Scottish Arts Council www.scottisharts.org.uk
Arts Council of Wales www.artswales.org.uk
Arts Council of Northern Ireland  www.artscouncil-ni.org  
The Cultural Heritage National Training Organisation www.chnto.co.uk
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies www.nadfas.org.uk
British Arts www.britisharts.co.uk
Design Council www.designcouncil.org.uk
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art www.rada.org
English National Ballet www.ballet.org.uk
Scottish Ballet www.scottishballet.co.uk
Associated Board of the  Royal Schools of Music www.abrsm.ac.uk
Association of British Orchestras (ABO) www.abo.org.uk
Museums Association  www.museumsassociation.org
Equity www.equity.org.uk
Musicians Union www.musiciansunion.org.uk