Category: Arts

Looking beyond the arts and sciences divide with interdisciplinary work

Posted on by Careers Service

Elena graduated from Bristol in 2022 with a degree in English Literature and is now a Communications Consultant at Bright Carbon.

We caught up with Elena about looking beyond the arts and sciences divide with interdisciplinary work.

“It can feel as though there‘s a massive gap between an arts career and a science career, and once you pick a side, you’re stranded there.

The popularity of Sylvia Plath’s fig tree analogy shows just how many people feel like the choices they make close off all other potential futures. I definitely felt this when I was choosing my degree.

There was a sense of finality – that this was my specialism and other routes were now closed. After a lot of back and forth and deliberation, I chose ‘arts’ and studied Art Foundation and then English Literature at University – and I thought that was the end of that for other subjects.

“But, once I started my job search, I realised pretty quickly that the door to other disciplines never really closes.”

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Faculty of Arts Careers Series 2024: top 5 takeaways

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Hello! I’m Ella, a final year English Literature student and Career Peer Support Assistant. Here’s a round up of some of the takeaways from the Faculty of Arts Careers Series, which invited 41 University of Bristol alumni and industry experts to share their experiences and tips, and ran through February 2024.

Regardless of which industry you end up in, these 5 insights are transferable across sectors came up again and again…

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How extracurricular activities helped me graduate into the music industry

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David Simkins is a 2023 MA Music with Innovation graduate with a developing career in music and media.

Between working at a local record label alongside his studies, conducting student orchestras and scoring soundtracks for media projects, (including two feature films and a short film), being mentored by the Head of Marketing at Sony Music’s Columbia Records and interning at SoundCloud, David (pictured right) has been busy in the past 4 years!

Drawing on his experience with soundtracks, tech, and client management, David is pursuing a music career in creative sync and marketing while working to improve industry transparency, education, and inclusivity, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community.

We caught up with David about how his extracurricular activities throughout his degree helped him get to where he is:

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Why Attend the Faculty of Arts Careers Series?

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Are you interested in hearing from alumni from all over the world who have built interesting and fulfilling careers after graduating from Bristol?

Graphic which a photo of some cloud overlaid by text reading 'Faculty of Arts Careers Series'

Would you like to hear from Faculty of Arts alumni who now work in diverse roles such as a communications manager for Women’s Aid, a podcast producer for the BBC, and an advisor working in the European Parliament?

If so, attend our Faculty of Arts Careers Series 2024, spanning four weeks from 6 to 29 February.

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How the PLUS Award ignited my career journey: A humanities and arts student’s perspective

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Are you a humanities or arts student without a clear idea of your career path?  

I was in this position 2 years ago. Although I still haven’t gotten it all figured out, the Bristol PLUS Award was a huge help in kick-starting my career.  

Let me talk you through how I went from not having a clue what I wanted to do, to having a great job in a sector I love – all thanks to the PLUS Award. 

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Top tips for getting into the arts sector

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The arts sector offers an incredible range of exciting and diverse career options. However, navigating it and figuring out how to get onto your chosen career path can be unclear.

The creative industries don’t tend to mass recruit so you might have to think a bit differently about how you find and approach opportunities.  

A paintbrush covered in red paint surrounding by a circular splatter pattern on a white background.

Understanding what kinds of experience and qualifications you need in order to pursue your desired career is an important first step.

Many industries expect to see a portfolio or are looking for specialist skills. Our sector guides are a great place to start when looking to kick-start a career in the arts.

These helpful guides have tailored information and advice about industries such as the performing arts, digital media, and heritage.

Finding work opportunities

Finding opportunities in the arts can be more difficult than in STEM. Less opportunities are widely advertised in the arts industries, particularly in very competitive sectors such as film and television.

Making speculative applications is therefore a great way to target your energies towards the companies and the roles that you would like. Even if your application is not successful, speculative applications can be a great way to get on a company’s radar and make connections which may help you in the future.  

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How to get into: Media – film, TV, and radio

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Hi! My name is Ella and I am a second-year English student and Career Peer Support Assistant at the Careers Service.

In February I attended the “Careers in media: film, TV and radio” panel event, as part of the Faculty of Arts Careers Series.

The Alumni panel included:

  • Ceci Golding: Producer at the BBC
  • Kaia Rose: Multimedia Content Lead at Connect4Climate
  • Owain Astles: Freelance Film Director
  • Rosalind Arnell: Senior Music Producer at Classic FM

Film, TV, and radio are thriving sectors renowned for their popularity and competitiveness. The media industry has seen a shift post-pandemic, with the increase in streaming services creating a huge quantity of new and flexible opportunities.

Someone holding a clapperboard, used in film making

The media sector contributed 111 billion pounds to the UK economy pre-pandemic. The South West, in particular Bristol, is a thriving media hub which employs around 50,000 people in a wide variety of roles.

Here are my top 6 takeaways from the Q&A panel:

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How to get a career in media and journalism

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Journalism and the media play a crucial role within society – observing and reporting on current events, facts, and ideas to inform people about the world and how it operates.

On 1 November 2022, three professional alumni speakers, Aasmah Mir, Mel Rodrigues and David Afikuyomi, shared their experiences at our ‘How to get into Media and Journalism Event’ for Social Science and Law students.

With varied backgrounds in TV production, presenting, and academic article distribution, they offered valuable insights on how to utilise your passions and be successful in this competitive and evolving industry.

Here are 8 of our top takeaways from the event:

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Why Attend the Faculty of Arts Careers Series?

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February is a special month for those studying in the Faculty of Arts, as the Careers Service and Faculty collaborate to host the annual Faculty of Arts Careers Series, spanning four weeks from 1 to 25 February 2022.

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