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What Are the Different Types of Creative Career Opportunities?

Nicole Etolen
Nicole Etolen

The term “creative career opportunities” usually brings to mind careers in artistic fields, such as music, visual arts, and writing. While these are excellent fields for artistic minds, they can be very difficult to break into, as they are highly competitive professions. Other opportunities to exercise creativity exist in nearly every field, from advertising to medicine. While many of these jobs are rewarding on their own, creative people striving to gain public attention for their art can also use these opportunities as ways to pay their bills until they succeed in their goals.

Visual artists, such as painters and sculptors, often strive to succeed in a career that allows them to use their artistic talents to make original creations that can be displayed in galleries, but for every artist who succeeds in this goal, there are hundreds or thousands more who never have a single piece seen by the public. Visual artists can use their talents to find rewarding creative career opportunities in fields such as advertising, web design, or video game design. Opportunities for sculptors include designing and making furniture, designing sets for movies, television shows or theatrical productions, and creating scale models for advertising and production assistance. Many artists choose to teach classes to children or adults, inspiring others to use their creativity.

A visual artist, such as a painter, is one possible creative career.
A visual artist, such as a painter, is one possible creative career.

Musicians with undergraduate degrees in music can also find plenty of creative career opportunities. While a select few may become widely recognized recording artists, the majority work behind the scenes. They may create music for radio and television commercials, compose orchestras, or play music in local bands or ensembles. Others may work even further in the background by becoming sound technicians. Musicians can also help others develop their talent by teaching students, either privately or as music teachers in a schools.

Musicians may find creative career opportunities as recording artists.
Musicians may find creative career opportunities as recording artists.

Writers have a broad range of creative career opportunities, as just about every field includes at least a few positions that require writing talent. For example, in the field of medicine or in the other sciences, researchers often need someone to take the results of their studies and develop a publishable paper explaining the entire process and results in a way that the public can understand. Writers can also work in the more obvious fields, such as public relations and print media, but even these fields are highly competitive. Many writers choose to become freelancers, offering their services on a contractual basis to many different companies and organizations.

A sculptor might create original artwork or teach others the craft.
A sculptor might create original artwork or teach others the craft.

Creative career opportunities also exist for those who do not specialize in a particular medium but possess overall imaginative personalities. Many inventors started out with little more than an idea for making something useful, and went on to work with other talented individuals to make their visions realities. The ability to look at a topic or situation in a new way is highly valued in many industries, from business to nursing, making creativity a pertinent job skill that opens up a myriad of opportunities.

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    • A visual artist, such as a painter, is one possible creative career.
      By: dred2010
      A visual artist, such as a painter, is one possible creative career.
    • Musicians may find creative career opportunities as recording artists.
      By: stockyimages
      Musicians may find creative career opportunities as recording artists.
    • A sculptor might create original artwork or teach others the craft.
      By: marcovarro
      A sculptor might create original artwork or teach others the craft.
    • Creative careers can be competitive, but include work in fields that require writing and other artistic talents, such as publishing, music, film and television.
      By: mizar_21984
      Creative careers can be competitive, but include work in fields that require writing and other artistic talents, such as publishing, music, film and television.
    • Commercial artists might create art that is displayed in area businesses.
      By: Hemeroskopion
      Commercial artists might create art that is displayed in area businesses.