The role of the academies of arts for employment

Imagine a world without any music, film, dance, literature or any of the countless other mediums art exists through. 

According to The Arts and Academic Achievement paper by Lois Hetland and Ellen Winner, “The arts are a fundamentally important part of culture, and an education without them is an impoverished education, leading to an impoverished society.”

Truer words have not been spoken. But the reach of the arts extends to the individual too. For practitioners, its impact range from self-expression and creativity to the building of confidence and individual identities. 

While STEM (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees have been held in high regard in recent years, topping several lists of the world’s best majors, an education in the arts can lead to similarly outstanding outcomes. Hands-on and collaborative, plus increasingly digital, these subjects develop key 21st century skills. They foster critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us — all of which are top skills employers look for when hiring candidates. 

If you plan to walk the same paths as Keith Haring, Louise Bourgeois and Ai Wei Wei, here are four institutions offering dynamic arts programmes: 

Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara

A family of artists awaits at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara. Source: Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara

If you’re inspired by art and want to be part of a family of artists, then the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara should be top on your list. Located in the beautiful, picturesque region of Tuscany, the academy has been the bridge connecting the arts to the territory to which it belongs, developing links with sculpture workshops and important European clients.

Here, you’ll receive a 360° preparation on how to be an artist as you immerse yourself in practical and technical training. This is offered in various subjects — such as Painting,  Sculpture, Cinema, Design, Scenography, Comics, and Art Graphics — and through dynamic collaborations with art galleries, temporary installations, theatres, cinemas and in the teaching sector. Historically, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara has a strong tradition in Sculpture but it is just as recognised and impactful in Graphics, Decoration and Painting.

It’s hard to find a more stimulating base than the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara to bring its rich lessons to life. The main campus is located inside the princely Malaspina Castle, the sculpture workshops are held at Padula Park and the historic spaces of the Monterosso site  are where students get the chance to analyse new technologies and interventions with robots and 3D scanners.

In the next academic year, the courses of Didactics of Art, Design, Comics and Cinematography will be offered — enriching its vast repository of current programmes. Let yourself be inspired by art and territory — to begin your journey in the arts, register by Sept. 21, 2021 to become part of this great artistic and educational family.

Royal Academy of Arts

Royal Academy of Arts is Britain’s longest established art school. Source: Royal Academy of Arts

Championing art and artists for over 250 years, the Royal Academy of Arts is Britain’s longest established art school. Every year, students benefit from the academy’s annual Summer Exhibition — the largest open-submission art exhibition in the world — where world-class exhibitions of art from around the world are on display. 

Developed jointly by the RA and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, the academy offers an Executive Master in Cultural Leadership programme. This programme provides students with insights into arts business and management, along with critical perspectives in arts and culture; art law; research methods; personal leadership; technology and innovation; collecting and collections management; and exhibitions and events. 

“A unique and fascinating programme; grab every opportunity to learn more and get to know all the different aspects of what it takes to be a cultural leader,” shares EMCL student Nathalie.

From lectures by leading international architects and multidisciplinary panel events, to poetry readings and immersive musical experiences, the Architecture Programme is where architecture intersects with the visual arts. The academy is equipped with specialist facilities for artists working in a wide variety of processes, including casting, ceramics, woodwork, 2D and 3D printmaking, photography, and time based media.

Lund University

Lund University is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. Source: Lund University

Founded in 1666, Lund University has been around for over 350 years, educating students and creating new knowledge. Lund currently has nine faculties and is one of Scandinavia’s largest institutions for research and education, with around 44, 000 students and more than 8,000 staff. Today, the university is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities.

The university’s Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts educates future artists, musicians, music teachers and actors in an environment that is characterised by high visibility. How is this achieved? Through exhibitions, concerts and performances and with extensive networks in the surrounding art, theatre and music life. 

The faculty educates and conducts research in art, theatre, music and music education at the Academy of Music, Theatre Academy and Malmö Art Academy. It offers bachelor’s and master’s level programmes as well as doctoral education and independent courses.

Malmö Art Academy students move freely between various forms of artistic expression or specialise in a particular form. Their programme not only develops their art but also their professional skills. They also have their own studio around the clock, plus access to many world-leading research environments including two of Europe’s largest research facilities: MAX IV and ESS.

Paris College of Arts

PCA is an international college with US degree-granting authority and accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Source: Paris College of Arts

The Paris College of Art is more than a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas, methods and professional experience. It is an international college with US degree-granting authority and accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Here, students gain critical awareness through hands-on research and discussion essential to professional maturation and individual growth.

The college offers undergraduate, graduate, and study abroad programmes as well as Certificate and Summer Programmes, among others.

At the undergraduate level, PCA provides American degree programmes in art and design including Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in: Communication Design; Fashion Design; Fine Arts; Interior Design; and Photography. Alternatively, students can opt for the three-year Global BFA in Film Art, a joint programme with Emerson College. You’ll start each programme with the Foundation Year, which can be followed in person or online.

At the postgraduate level, students can choose between the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees. Areas of specialisation include Design for Social Impact; Drawing; Fashion Film and Photography; Interior Design; Photography and Image-making; and Transdisciplinary New Media. 

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International