Brainstorming - the winners
So, as I indicated last post, the winning job title, or rather related job-family is:
FIELD: arts / performing arts / music organizations
ROLE(S): communications / publicity / marketing / fundraising ______ (<-- where _________ is the title that would go with the level of seniority: assistant or coordinator or manager or director...)
There is an INSANE IRONY here in that, before I started grad school, this is the career I was "inâ - it was a fledgling career, of course - consisting of two year-long entry-level communications / marketing positions, the first at a software company, the second in university administration. But, just because I feel like Iâm in some bizarre time vortex does not mean Iâm doing something wrong. I mean, avoiding a job that seems like a good fit because Iâm afraid of ending up where I started doesnât make sense to me.
Here are reasons for this choice of job-family above others. Note that I donât have a complete picture of what all these jobs are like as of yet. (And further narrowing down is necessary - theyâre related but different.)Â But, based on my experience and research, I have a certain understanding of what it would be like to do these jobs full-time, and this is why I think they would fit me:
I thrive when I can provide creative / collaborative input to a team / structure that is already in place. (This is in contrast, say, to situations where I am the sole party in charge of conceiving of projects, designing them and carrying them out.)
This job family would ideally allow me to use my writing skills to write in one of the ways that is most satisfying to me: writing shorter texts, writing to persuade, writing to create interest and motivation, writing to capture the imagination.
My "way with peopleâ -Â my interpersonal skills - these would come into play here, but not int the student-teacher, or authority-subordinate way; not in the âhelpingâ way (though Iâm always glad to help when I can)... but rather in the day-to-day interactions required between me and other colleagues, partners, clients, artists, vendors, etc.
Now, for SOME of these jobs - especially fundraising, based on my understanding - more PERSONAL interpersonal skills can come into play. Example: fundraising professionals are sometimes assigned to work with a small number of potential donors - sometimes even one! - if these donors are preparing to grant a major gifts. In these situations, at least half of the work required is âpeople-skillsâ - the fundraiser has to make sure the donor is comfortable, kept in the loop at all times, etc... in essence, the fundraiser becomes a ârelationship-maintainer.â Itâs come as a bit of a surprise to me that I think I might really like this. In the past this might have seemed more like a fluffy, schmoozy sort of role. But, my view has changed on this, and hereâs why:
those of you who know me well know that I really like to be a go-between; I like being able to talk to and understand people from different backgrounds, people with different values, agendas and goals. I think I would find the challenge of connecting potential donors to arts organization challenging and rewarding.
now that I know how arts organizations work and get their funding here in Canada these days, I know that donors are hugely important to sustaining the arts. In a way, itâs like a modified version of the patronage system from before the 19th century (thatâs when âclassicalâ music went âcommercialâ owing to a rising middle class.) The patronage system worked, and it produced some great art! This system actually has some appeal to me. The alternatives for funding the arts are not great right now: if it were left entirely to the public, ticket prices would be astronomical, and only a very small number of artists with a very small selection of offerings would be able to thrive and perform professionally. If it were left up to government - well, letâs just say, government is continually cutting back investment in the arts these days. This is sad, but letâs accept it and move on. Now, Iâm not at all qualified to opine smartly on this, but part of me even wonders if a major investment of government in the arts is a good thing? (Did I just say that?)
Next post, I will consider the downsides to my job-family of choice. I might as well air them out and address them - this will help me move forward.

















