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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

Art speakers offer advice

Students gathered in Whittenberger Auditorium Wednesday to be enlightened by three speakers with career backgrounds in the arts. Hosted by the Union Board Performing Arts Committee, the forum showcased Ellen Shantz, vice president of marketing and communication for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; Jim Robinson, Asian art museum curator in Indianapolis; and Helen Wells, a talent agent based in Indianapolis.\nJunior Katherine Klick, director of the Union Board Performing Arts Committee, played a major role in organizing the event.\n"We wanted to give students the opportunity for some practical knowledge on how to go into a career in the arts because there aren't a lot of classes on campus that deal with this specifically," Klick said.\nThe speakers offered diverse experiences in the arts concerning their respective fields to the audience. Then each of them answered questions.\n"All of us here have (succeeded)," said Shantz. "We're sort of a true life example, so we present some reality, but I hope we also inspire people to want to join this profession."\nShantz addressed the stereotype of glamour in the arts and offered advice.\n"Don't get into this business unless you have to," she said. "It's a lot of sacrifice, and it's not much glamour. If you're really dedicated, it's a wonderful career. If you're not, it's an awful lot of work."\nShantz also offered advice, speaking about a career choice she described as "circuitous," as well as the importance of networking and the turn-over rate of jobs.\n"It's really not a very direct career path," she said. "It's a lot of get up and go."\nRobinson had his own reasons for coming to the forum.\n"I guess I'm not here to really teach anything," he said. "I hope to perhaps clarify what a museum curator does and interest someone in the field."\nRobinson listed the selection and purchasing of art while remaining within budget among the responsibilities of a curator. He talked about being careful of fakes and following trends. He said that each curator defines the job differently.\n"I've often said I've never worked a day in my life, because I've done what I wanted to do," Robinson said.\nWells also shared her experience with the arts and spoke about breaking into the field.\n"I'd like to tell (the students) how its hard to get into this business and how persistent they have to be to succeed…they have to learn what they're right for."\nSeveral students that attended the artists forum expressed the desire to become more informed.\n"I hope to find out more about pursuing careers in the arts,"freshman Virginia Vasquez said. "And I guess I hope to find out about careers that I didn't know existed in the arts." \nKlick said that instead of bringing in one speaker from New York as was previously budgeted, her committee chose to bring in several more localized speakers. \n"(We considered) who might want to come and who the students might want to hear from," said she.

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