The Arts

It is astounding how many careers there are in the area of the Arts! This exciting field offers everything from being an actor to lighting director, sound technician, or even an artist or dancer. The opportunities are incredible and extensive. There are many Web sites that can show students what these fields are, how much the positions pay and what kind of training is needed.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://stats.bls.gov/home.htm 
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers a variety of information. From their home page, students can navigate to "Career Information for Kids." This web site provides information and a separate category for Music and Arts. Under "Music and Arts" there are sections describing "What the Job is Like", "How Do You Get Ready", "How Much Does This Job Pay", "How Many Jobs Are There", "What About the Future", and "Where Can You Find More Information." This easy to read web site is a great place to start.

Very Special Arts (VSA) of Florida
http://www.vsafl.org/
Very Special Arts of Florida (VSAFL) was founded in 1981 by the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of State. It is housed at the University of South Florida and incorporates an extensive network of program sites and partnerships. VSAFL is a member of VSA Arts, an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. See the following pages for information on

VSA Arts General Resources
http://www.vsarts.org/x518.xml
This section contains resources on arts, education, and disability, as well as development and activities of VSA Arts|

VSA Arts Resources for Educators and Parents
http://www.vsarts.org/x572.xml
This section provides useful information on the relationship of arts, education, and disabilities, especially for children with disabilities via programmatic resources that have proved invaluable to educators and parents alike.

VSA Arts Resources for Artists
http://www.vsarts.org/x621.xml
This section numerous publications for aspiring artists with disabilities and professionals.

Putting Creativity to Work: Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities
http://www,vsafl.org/New/Get_Involved/Careers_in_arts/Putting_Creativity/Putting_Creativity.html 
This new publication provides information on careers in the visual, performing or literary arts as well as information describing more than 110 arts-related careers.

Vocational Information Center
http://www.khake.com/index.html
The Vocational Information Center Web site is an education directory that provides links to online resources for career exploration, technical education, workforce development, technical schools and related vocational learning resources. It includes information on Barriers and Disabilities, Career Planning, Career Descriptions in areas such as Graphic Design, Landscape Design, Performing Arts, Photography and Film, and Visual Arts. Teachers will also find online activities and lesson plans, worksheets for career development, and career and technical education standards. Click on any of these topics to see an additional comprehensive list of incredible careers and Web sites!

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/
The Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition, compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides information on hundreds of different types of jobs. By clicking on "Ways to use the Occupational Outlook Handbook," students will find a listing of all occupations in alphabetical order. By selecting a letter, students will find just about anything in their interest area. For example, clicking on "A", students you will find "Actors, Producers and Directors." Then they can find information on "Nature of the Work," "Training and other Qualifications," "Employment," "Job Outlook," "Earnings," and other great information.

Careers in the Performing Arts
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/perf_arts.htm
This web page contains a variety of performing arts careers that may be of interest. It offers articles from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, but also provides career tests, connections to schools, and tips on getting a job with Disney at http://www.disneyauditions.com.