Is an Art School education respected?

[seriousquestions]

What do you all think about people who have degrees and masters degrees from Art Schools, do you think it is a respected educational path in general? Would you be happy for your children to go down that path?

Absolutely yes!! I would be delighted if ds went on that path. I would always suggest that he looked at a lot of different ones as they are known for different strengths IMO.

I'd be happy for my DC to follow me down that path and i'm really pleased that DD started her GCSE Photography course today

Dd is heading down that route. She's started gcse art, photography and graphic design! I imagine she will leave school after gcses to go to art college.

Thank you for your replies that is encouraging although I imagine you are all symapthetic to the arts. One question Whothefuckissimon, you say you daughter will leave school after GCSEs and go to art college. I've been looking myself and most dedicated art schools require decent A level or Higher results if there are other routes I would be interested to know?

Yes, I believe the arts have value in society (not all arts, all the time). But also, I believe that art schools in general offer a very demanding and broad education, including analytical thinking, practical skills and the ability to follow an idea or an argument through to the end. Art students also have to accept regular verbal criticism, deal with it, reflect on it and use it to improve their work. They also have to learn to give criticism that is well-argued. That's the kind of skill that employers really love and it's increasingly rare in other types of education.

Our town has a specific art college where you can do a levels. She might stay on at school and do her a levels there but I wouldn't be suprised if there's a timetable clash. In which case she'll go to college to do it.

After that I don't know. She might do the foundation diploma and then go onto a degree. She thinks she probably wants to do either architecture or graphic design. I think she would be better suited to graphic design but will see how she feels in a few years.

In my opinion it's respected. It's something I could never do (I'm a scientist).

I live in scotland where there is a very famous respected art school. I know 4 people who went there. One works in Asda, one in a kiddies arts and crafts centre, one is a PA and one is retraining to be a police officer.

Art school is great and respected but you need to have a realistic view on career paths available.

Most Art schools are part of Universities now, though mostly ex Poly type places.

this book is worth a read. The author has some very good YouTube videos as well. Changed how I thought about the direction dd seems to be taking because I did have reservations.

The Glasgow school of art is very well respected.

Personally no, I don't think it's that respected and it certainly wasn't in the career circles I moved in, but I am a scientist and I worked all over the world with various high ranking military personnel, so I have probably been biased. That being said, of DS wanted to go down that carer path I would support him 100%, whatever makes him happy. I would encourage him to be clear and realistic about career paths.

Whothefuckissimon, that college sounds fantastic wish their was something like that round here best of both worlds!

I am glad it is repected as you say Annadale the kind of broad education and the intellectual freedom is quite unique especially these days but I wonder if people who aren't familier with art school educations see all that? Perhaps Drdrereturns can see it's value because because both science and art require a lot of creativity (not to say other lines of work don't).

However as you say onthematleavecountdown there are very limited propects especially for those who specialise in fine art unless they are seriously driven (talent is only a small part of it when it comes to making a living, getting noticed). Also speaking to a friend in recruitment she claims former art students are difficult because employers don't understand the transferable skills they have to offer compared to say someone with a history degree. Also they can be percived as unlikely to fit in to some busineses.

Especially now like so many areas of the arts it is turning into the preseve of the rich.

A lot to think about, my main concern would be they take that path and then find they don't have the drive to make a career out of it but instead end up as you say in asda, thwarted.

I should add that I wouldn't judge anyone who had art degrees, just from my experience it is subject to a lot of smirking and sniggering.

My dad did a degree in fine art and says that the skills he learnt have been invaluable throughout his life....but he was never a artist. He left art school and looked for a job as a sculptor and when there wasn't one became a stock controller! I did a science degree and ended up with my own craft business. I wish I'd done a creative/art course instead.

Gah! That still didn't read right, I'm giving up now and blaming my migraine.

I'd be very worried if my DC wanted to go to art college or do an art degree not because I think they don't have value but because I don't think it is a basis for a secure future. I know many people from my school days who studied photography and/or art. Most of them are now in their mid thirties and still bumming around, living a student lifestyle without much financial security. I think I'd encourage my DC to follow the arts as more of a hobby....though it doesn't seem to be something they are interested in anyway.

Why wouldn't it be respected?
Both myself, my OH and plenty of our friends went to arts colleges and Universities, and now have a range of jobs between us including photographer, shoe makers, textile print designers, graphic designers, animators, video producers, marketing and branding specialists, fine artists, artworkers, illustrators, creative directors, magazine editors, visual merchandisers, the list could go on!

Good arts schools can be very competitive, as UK courses at the top uni's are very sort after by international students. You needs to be good at communicating, taking criticism, explaining your ideas, working in groups, analysis, design theory and presenting to others. The course tend to be more practical and related to actual jobs than other degrees, we often had design brief given to us from actual brand agencies who were working on similar projects, which means you build up a great portfolio that relates to real life jobs.

Yep. I went to a prominent Art College/Uni to do my degree. I've never been laughed out of interview.

I think like any course it is what you do with it afterwards that is important I have four friends who did art courses ( I am a scientist) one runs a successful auction house, one is a fashion designer and has been running get own label for 10 years, the next works in painting restoration travelling the world's famous museums doing jobs and the last is now a successful professional artist, but spent years cleaning houses and cooking for people till the art paid.
What they all have in common us that they are driven and committed to their chooses course and gave worked very hard to get where they are now.

I live in scotland myself and all four of the art schools here are considered excellent with Glasgow and Edinburgh rated as two of the best in the UK. Dundee is also great and Gray's is also great but small compared to the others. Glasgow is the best known and has that fabulous macintosh building.

Mother of hell beasts, I appreciate your honesty on this. I have certainly experianced the sneering myself when mentioning dc ambitions to some people one saying "isn't art school just where the middle classes send their kids who weren't smart enough to get into uni to do a real degree" and I am sure many more think the same but are too polite to say.

I know they most likely don't really know anything about art schools or what such a degree entails but the lazy art student is a well worn sterotype. On the other hand most art students are unlikely to want to be scientists or in the military, I would imagine that like of work requires quite a different person.

I have never known anyone sneer at an art degree and frankly anyone who does is, regardless of how 'well educated' they are, a total twat.

I know a quite a few art school graduates.

Dundee- 2 art teachers, 1 art in the community type business and 1 making a very good living related directly to their degree.

GSA- 1 teacher, 1 lecturer and 1 running their own boutique shop. Oh and 1 chef!

Everyone I know that went to art school worked far harder than people I knew on traditional courses.

I can see huge similarities to music Schools here as well.
Totally agree with anandale

The good thing is until degree level you can keep your options open so if you decided a more academic rather than practical route you could still follow this path.

seriousquestions you're welcome. Yes, I agree about a different kind of person, also I went into my field very young (went to university and did my PhD much, much younger than is the norm) and have worked and lived abroad pretty much ever since, so my experiences will be biased and probably not representative IYSWIM. I'm sorry, really not making much sense today!