Creative Arts in Australia

What you can expect from undergraduate study in Creative arts

Specialisations you can do
Accompanying, Acting, Animation, Arrangement, Art theory, Art History, Arts management, Ceramics, Choreography, Cinemagraphic make-up, Circus arts, Clothing, Commercial illustration, Community arts, Composition, Conservation of cultural materials, Computer-aided art and design, Conducting, Costume design, Crafts, Dance, Design, Digital composition, Drama, Drawing, Fashion, Fine arts, Glass, Goldsmithing, Graphic design, Illustration, Improvisation, Indigenous art, Industrial photography, Instrumental music, Jazz studies, Jewellery, Multimedia, Museum studies, Musical theatre, Musicology, Opera, Painting, Performance, Performing arts, Photography, Printmaking, Scientific photography, Sculpture, Silversmithing, Sound production, Textiles, Theatre, Theatre crafts, Visual arts, Vocal studies
What you're in for
The expressiveness, the excitement and the glamour of the visual and performing arts have great appeal, especially when you’re young and if you’re talented. This field contains a wonderful array of course options, not only in the visual and performing arts, but also in technical fields associated with artistic production, and others that utilise advanced technology, like multimedia, digital and graphic design.
The recent ‘rebrand’ of creative arts as the ‘creative industries’ in some educational institutions has led to a shift in the profile of the field. Where the arts used to be confined to museums and galleries, there is now talk of the ‘creative economy’ driving all types of business and organisations. This not only reflects the fact that, thanks to the digital medium, more artists now work in corporations, as well as studios. In fact, some figures suggest that around 70 per cent of those qualified in creative arts work outside specialist creative organisations. But it also reflects a new appreciation of the arts as a potential export industry, following the high profile growth in Australia’s popularity as a film production centre, and the internationally-renowned success of many artists, including actors, animators and authors.
So, where do you go to become an animator, graphic designer or photographer, opera singer, or circus performer? Universities are one option. However, universities have not always been the traditional stomping ground of visual and performing art. Some have or have inherited or incorporates specialist colleges of art or performing art, which date back many years now. Whether they are called faculties or affiliates, some of these specialist schools are among the most prestigious faculties in the country, whether for budding visual arts (drawing, pottery, photography), dramatic artists or the musical elite.
But this is also one of the fields in which small, specialist private providers are often the brightest stars in the education galaxy! Some may be difficult to enter but a general rule is that the harder it is to get into, the more chance you will have of pursuing your ambition. Most people in the visual and performing arts industry work in backstage roles ranging from film design and sound production to administration, so there are courses of this nature too. If you’re concerned about a job and a secure future, you might consider something like graphic design which, while artistic in itself, still allows you the chance to work outside the arts in business or private firms.
This is not a field where you’re in lectures all day long; the physical infrastructure, human resources and opportunities to exhibit and perform are going to be vital. Make sure you check out what’s on offer. There should be performances, as well as studio and gallery visits. Some specialist institutions even have their own resident artists and galleries, immersing and nurturing students within a real artistic community.
Entry to some courses in this field is highly competitive and all courses involving performance or production require auditions and/or portfolios that display your work and talents. In many cases applications go direct to the institution rather than through the tertiary admissions centres. If you hope to do dance, make careful inquiries about the institution’s safe dance policy.
If you are interested in this field there is probably nothing else in the world that will do, but do browse through some of the specialisations in humanities and social sciences, and in education and training. It might even be worth having a look at architecture, or built environment.
For more information about careers in this field, check out the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance website, www.alliance.org.au .
On average, how tough is it to get into Creative arts courses? Very Easy
Who does undergraduate courses in Creative arts?
Number of students: 27,321
Percent of students over 25 years: 20%
Percent of students from non-English speaking backgrounds: 19%
Number of international students: 3,293
Percent studying part time: 14%
Percent studying externally: 3%
Percent women: 63%
Tuition costs
Average tuition fees for international students $47,696 per annum
Average tuition fees for domestic fee-paying students $37,309 per annum
Graduates views of the course experience
Teaching quality: 4 stars
Development of generic skills: 1 star
Overall satisfaction: 2 stars
Your prospects
We hope that this won’t deter you, but studying in this area is not a good way to get a job! Some figures suggest that there are only around 7000 actors and dancers, musicians and singers are another 10 000 or so, and visual artists another 10 000 around the country. We think you get the idea. It’s a small field but a very rewarding one for those who work in it. In 2006, nearly 39 per cent of university graduates from this field were looking for work. But if you’re an artistic optimist, look on the bright side, this is a two per cent improvement on the year before. Job prospects might differ between specialisations and perhaps also across different institutions, but probably not by much. Interestingly, university graduates from this field may be less satisfied with their experience overall but are happy with the quality of teaching. Around one-in-three undergraduates goes on to further study.
What salary can I expect?
Graduate starting salary: $34,921
Will I get a job?
Percentage of graduates looking for job who did not find full time work four months after graduation: 39%
Where graduates go when they do get jobs:
Public sector: 14%
Private sector: 61%
Private practice: 3%
Overseas: 10%
Will I need to go on to further study?
How many graduates immediately go on to further study? 32%
How does Creative arts compare with other fields of study?
Click here to compare Creative arts with the other 29 fields of study.
How difficult is it to get into undergraduate courses in Creative arts?
Click here for entry toughness to non-combined courses.
Do institutions differ in how they teach Creative arts?
Yes. The following 120 campuses all provide Creative arts courses. Click on the campus name to find out more about the individual campuses. Click on the University name to see how their Creative arts courses rate and compare.
Adelaide Central School of ArtNorwood
Australian Academy of DesignDocklands
Australian Catholic UniversityBallarat Brisbane Canberra Melbourne NorthSydney Strathfield
Australian Institute of MusicSydney
Australian International Conservatorium of Music Harris Park
Australian National UniversityMain
Avondale CollegeLake Macquarie
Billy Blue SchoolsNorth Sydney
Canberra Institute of TechnologyReid Southside
Central Queensland University Brisbane Bundaberg Gold Coast Mackay Melbourne Rockhampton Sydney
Charles Darwin UniversityAlice Springs Casuarina
Charles Sturt UniversityDistance education Wagga Wagga
Christian Heritage College Main
Curtin University of Technology Bentley Kalgoorlie Margaret River
Deakin University Geelong Melbourne Warrnambool
Edith Cowan University Geraldton Universities Centre Mt Lawley South West
Flinders University Bedford Park
Griffith University Gold Coast Nathan/Mt Gravatt Queensland College of Art QueenslandConservatorium
James Cook UniversityCairns Townsville
JMC Academy Melbourne Sydney
La Trobe University Albury-Wodonga Bendigo Melbourne (Bundoora) Mildura
Macquarie University North Ryde
Melba Conservatorium of Music Melba Conservatorium
Monash University Caulfield Clayton Gippsland Peninsula
Murdoch University Murdoch
National Art School National Art School
National Institute of Dramatic Art Kensington
Open Universities Australia Open Universities Australia
QANTM Australia Brisbane Melbourne
Queensland University of Technology Caboolture Carseldine Gardens Point Kelvin Grove Raffles KvB North Sydney
RMIT University Brunswick City
South Australia TAFE Adelaide Centre for the Arts
Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour Lismore Tweed Gold Coast
Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn Prahran
Tabor College Adelaide
University of Adelaide North Terrace
University of Ballarat Camp St
University of Canberra Canberra
University of Melbourne Parkville Victorian College of the Arts
University of New England Armidale
University of New South Wales College of Fine Arts Kensington
University of Newcastle Callaghan Ourimbah
University of Notre Dame, Australia Fremantle Sydney
University of Queensland Gatton Ipswich St Lucia
University of South Australia City West Magill
University of Southern Queensland Fraser Coast Toowoomba
University of Sydney Camperdown/Darlington Mallett Street Sydney College of the Arts
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
University of Tasmania Hobart Launceston
University of Technology, Sydney City
University of the Sunshine Coast Noosa Centre Sunshine Coast
University of Western Australia Albany Crawley
University of Western Sydney Bankstown Campbelltown Parramatta Penrith
University of Wollongong Wollongong
Victoria TAFE Box Hill Institute of TAFE Gordon Institute of TAFE Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE
Victoria University Footscray Park St Albans Sunbury
Wesley Institute Wesley Institute