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Past and present students of the VCA discuss the merits of art school. (ABC RN: Fiona Pepper)
With university fees set to rise, and job prospects in the arts sector remaining bleak, many aspiring creative types are faced with a dilemma: is going to art school worth it?
Under changes proposed in the budget, student fees will rise 7.5 per cent by 2021, while changes to HELP repayment thresholds mean students will have to start paying their loans back when they earn just $42,000 per year.
Many Australian actors, visual artists and musicians, even those with tertiary qualifications, already find they need they need a day job to financially survive.
But arts schools are still around, and still attracting students.
This year the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is celebrating its 150th birthday. In the midst of the celebrations, we asked students and lecturers why you might still decide to enrol.
Louis Smith, student
Louis is in his second year at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, studying classical guitar. He says music is his passion, and he doesn't see any other career opportunities.
"For me it's always been really obvious that I wanted to pursue music because it is my passion that I have nurtured over the years," he says.
"I think people often talk about how you're going to get money and support yourself, and yes, you have to think about those things.
"The thing that doesn't really get recognised is the amount of cultural wealth that people in creative fields bring to Australia. That can't be measured in material wealth."
Margot Fenley, lecturer
Margot, a VCA acting graduate, is the head of the college's music theatre course, and admits she worries about her students' career outcomes on graduation.
"It's undoubtedly hugely difficult to be an artist in Australia," she says.
"The reality of what the world is like compared to what the world of the VCA is like, is really different.
"We need to be careful not to train more people than is realistic in the industry ... [and to have them trained] not only in their skills but also trained to know who they are artistically."
Louisa Wall, recent graduate
Louisa is a theatre maker and stand-up comedian who graduated from the VCA's acting course late last year. Against the odds, she's confident she can forge a career in the performing arts.
"There's nothing else I could do that I would enjoy," she says.
"I had a couple of other options, but I literally don't want to do anything else, and so that's a risk I'm willing to take.
"It's one of those industries where it's like, who's going to last? Who's going to stick it out for the longest? If you're determined then you can absolutely make a career out of it.
"It's incredible to come out of the VCA because you still have the VCA community and you're still definitely a part of that."
Patricia Piccinini, visual artist and professor
Patricia is an internationally renowned visual artist, a high-profile alumna of the VCA, and a professor at the school. The value of art school, she says, is that it's a safe environment to experiment artistically.
"Art school gives you a time where you can focus on your own practice, where you can try things out in a safe environment and you can learn all kinds of different ideas," she says.
"Mostly you're learning from your peers, and it's a way to connect to your peers— your peers are going to be the most important people in your career because together you can build a community.
"I do worry about my students. That's one of my roles at the VCA, to think about how we can develop culture and how can we help students develop a sustainable practice.
"It's great when people are interested in you when you're a bright young thing, but what do you do when people aren't interested in you?
"It's very important to realise that this is a long game. It's not the first five years; it's actually 30 years."
Topics: education, university-and-further-education, arts-and-entertainment, music-education, art-and-design, careers, melbourne-3000
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