By Ann Webb

The Counselling Foundation of Canada provided a two-year grant in 2010 to the Canadian Art Foundation (CAF) to support the development of a new career-related website, canadianartschool.ca. The Canadian Art Foundation is a charitable organization that supports the visual arts in Canada with a mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of the field by providing an informative, provocative and lively forum for audiences to engage with artists and their works. Canadian Art magazine and canadianartschool.ca are two of CAF’s cornerstone initiatives. Canadianartschool.ca was launched in January 2011 as a means of supporting those who are interested in pursuing a career in visual arts or those currently in the art and design field seeking to enhance their career training and professional development.

Canadianartschool.ca features content targeted to teachers, students and parents that would certainly also be of help to career service professionals. This comprehensive site includes career profiles and guidance on art education and cultural careers with much of this material focusing on practical, “how-to” topics relating to art school and building a successful career. Users can also get advice from experts in the field on making the most of their art-school experience. For instance, tips and tricks are offered on getting a start in the art world, from internships to portfolios to networking. The website likewise has teacher resources including four curriculum guides and videos about various art and design topics (from graphic design to painting to photography and new media), and short videos featuring artists, curators, writers and other Canadians who are leaders in the cultural field. The site also includes a comprehensive directory of art schools across Canada from universities with art programs to dedicated post-secondary art colleges to continuing education institutions.

The Canadian Art Foundation is very pleased to offer this new website that will provide much-needed guidance about art and design career-related matters. This website will prove to be an invaluable resource for those who are interested in a career in art and design, those involved in the field seeking to enhance their careers, and career practitioners who have clients looking for a way to find their place in the exciting world of visual arts.

 

Ann Webb is the Executive Director of the Canadian Art Foundation. Please visit canadianart.ca to familiarize yourself with its content and check back regularly as new material is updated on an ongoing basis.

Last Updated on Thursday, 26 July 2012 10:16