The Department of Art and Design launches its biannual professional development series Aug. 29 from 5:30-8 p.m. in Brick City 1, Room 312.

The series, “Professional Practice for the Studio Artist,” runs every Thursday during the fall semester from Aug. 29-Dec. 5, 2024.

According to Professor Sarah Williams, series organizer and graduate coordinator for the MFA in Visual Studies program, the series is designed to meet the unique needs of emerging artists by providing them with the tools and insights they need for career success.

“Ultimately, the professional development series aims to prepare students for life beyond academia, providing a solid foundation on which to build their careers,” Williams said.

Giving students career guidance

As coordinator of the series, Williams said she believes she has “an ethical obligation” to communicate to her students “the theoretical and practical aspects of succeeding as practicing artists beyond the academic setting.”

Accordingly, guest lecturers will provide insights into the skills necessary for a sustainable career as a visual artist, Williams added. Students will hear from a variety of experts, including business advisors, industry professionals and practicing artists.

Lecture topics include time management and goal setting, financial literacy, preparing artworks for exhibition and understanding contracts.

The series has already helped Missouri State art and design students find satisfying career paths, according to Williams.

“With the competitive nature of careers in higher education, it’s noteworthy that recent graduates like Teddy Osei (2023) and Erin Sedra (2024) have secured assistant professorships at four-year universities,” she said.

Brick City 1 is located at 327 W. Mill St., Springfield, Missouri. Call (417) 837-2330 for more information.

Fall 2024 Guest Lecturers and Topics

Aug. 29

Bryce Lafferty — “Artist Residency Programs”

Sept. 5

Michael Frizell — “Artist Grants”

Sept. 12

Jessica Fuentes — “Communities, Co-ops and Artist Run Spaces”

Sept. 19

Caleb Taylor — “Studio/Work Inventory Systems, Organization and Mailing Lists”

Sept. 26

Jonathan Hopson and Debra Barrera — “Working with Galleries as an Artist”

Oct. 3

Loring Taoka — “Preparing for Exhibition: Handling, Packing, Shipping and Installing Work”

Oct. 17

Megan Krom — “The Interview Process”

Oct. 24

James Thurman — “Working in Academia as a Practicing Artist”

Oct. 31

Charles Gray — “Self Promotion and Social Media”

Nov. 7

Heidi Herrman Bacon — “Freelance and Commission Work”

Nov. 14

Lance Coffman — “Partnerships, Corporations, Business Organizations and LLCs”

Nov. 21

Missouri State University Financial Services — “Personal Finance, Investment and Planning for Retirement”

Dec. 5

Richard Russell — “The Importance of Legal Documents for Artists”

Learn more about MSU’s art and design programs

News written by Sam Barnette and edited by the Reynolds College Communications Team.

Barnette is a writer for the Department of Art and Design. She holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Missouri State’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film and is working toward an MS in Data Science and Analytic Storytelling at Truman State University.