Future applicants - what are your feelings about pursuing a graduate degree in the arts in the current climate?

[asmallbean]

Hey y’all. I know the application and acceptance cycle is winding down for Fall 2020 so it seems like there’s been a decline in activity here, but I’m wondering how people are feeling going forward right now.

I’m not strictly a traditional student, I took a couple years off in the middle of undergrad and just graduated with my BFA in 2D studies back in December, at 26 years old. My plan was to take some time off again to continue making work and then start applying to some Painting MFA programs this fall, to start in 2021. 
 

Obviously no one knows what the remote learning vs online instruction situation will look like a year from now, although I can only hope things will have improved somewhat by then. My concern goes beyond that, having seen some of the immediate effects that the virus has had on funding and faculty compensation already. For me, the draw of getting an MFA was partially the option to teach in the future. For those of us who work in traditional mediums, the end game doesn’t involve a ton of other practical career options. Knowing that positions in academia (and specifically the arts) were competitive, dubiously compensated, and limited to begin with, I’m now feeling concerned about the viability of pursuing higher education even more so than before.

I guess I’m just wondering how current and future MFA candidates are approaching this uncertain situation - whether you’re going full speed ahead and hoping for the best, or whether you’re having second thoughts about your plans. To my knowledge, the option to pivot into a different graduate program with a BFA is somewhat limited. The other programs I’m considering are museum studies or library science, but it doesn’t feel like those options are necessarily a whole lot more stable in the current climate anyway. I guess I just want to discuss my concerns with others who are facing similar decisions right now, obviously none of us have all the answers.

[SpillToBuilt]

Going into my second year here. Full speed ahead—not much else one can do in these times. At least the studios are quiet.  

[SocialKonstruct]

I am a returning student finishing up 3 more years of my BFA before going to a MFA program. At this point, I would be full steam ahead because the country is in flux. Plus it's a great and inspirational time to be making lots of art. So yes!...

[Squirrel8296]

So I applied for 2020 and got in at 1 school for the MFA (and in at 1 for an MA in art history). I ultimately turned down both because the MFA program wasn't a good fit (I only applied for that specific program because my undergraduate mentor encouraged me to) and for the art history program I applied for a dual-degree program but didn't get into the second program.

Right now I'm going to take a few years off to try and save up some money and then probably look again and apply. I'm also trying to switch the mediums I focus on so I basically need to build a whole new portfolio. I love art and I love education (my end goal was to teach while also being an artist) but right now I'm also not completely sure how sustainable a path this would be for me either. Basically I just really need some time off from education to figure some stuff out.

[feralgrad]

Some time ago, I saw someone here refer to the higher ed job market as going from "barren to post-apocalyptic." I'm attending an MFA program this fall because I was offered full funding, and I would not be attending otherwise. If my funding gets cut next year, I may choose to leave the program. This is coming from someone in the literary arts, but it doesn't seem like the situation in visual arts is very different. 

If you're interested in teaching, I'd consider getting a teaching certificate and working at the high school level. Even with my MFA, I may take this route as well; I'm not willing to fight tooth-and-nail for tenure track positions/get used and abused in adjunct positions. Teaching high school offers better pay and benefits than an adjunct position, and it's a hell of a lot more stable. That said, I don't mind teenagers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Squirrel8296]

On 8/12/2020 at 2:29 PM, feralgrad said:

Some time ago, I saw someone here refer to the higher ed job market as going from "barren to post-apocalyptic." I'm attending an MFA program this fall because I was offered full funding, and I would not be attending otherwise. If my funding gets cut next year, I may choose to leave the program. This is coming from someone in the literary arts, but it doesn't seem like the situation in visual arts is very different. 

If you're interested in teaching, I'd consider getting a teaching certificate and working at the high school level. Even with my MFA, I may take this route as well; I'm not willing to fight tooth-and-nail for tenure track positions/get used and abused in adjunct positions. Teaching high school offers better pay and benefits than an adjunct position, and it's a hell of a lot more stable. That said, I don't mind teenagers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oh gosh, better you than me. I currently am a manager at a pizza place and I regularly have to supervise 5+ teenagers and honestly that 5 is too many for me. I don't know how anyone can be in a room full of 30 of them and maintain their sanity.

[SocialKonstruct]

COVID-19 is helping my art practice quite a bit and I really have been thriving under this difficult year. I just finished 12 group shows and right now I have a solo show in SLC, Utah. Hopefully I can do art in NYC/LA and teach. Nothing too crazy.

[Highlow]

Art will survive as long as humans survive. Critical thinking skills are essential to any field, so many things picked up in art school can be used elsewhere. I think going to grad school for art is a strangely logical choice, even more so during this mess.

[geeeeebie]

Museum studies is an absolute waste of time + money - I worked in museums with just a BFA and was surrounded by folks with museum studies degrees in lower paid positions. There was absolutely no way they would pay off their debt. 

I think stability/financial security is an illusion at this point, at least in terms of pursuing a degree in the hopes of security. You get the degree because you want to make art for two or three years. I'm just trudging along and hoping for the best! Its all we can do!