Careers in Culture

Live Performing Arts

Welcome

A career in live performing arts is a rewarding one with many opportunities and challenges. Using interactive tools, this site will lead you to discover:

• Whether a career in live performing arts is right for you
• The skills you need to pursue a career in live performing arts
• The multiple opportunities available in live performing arts
• Tools and tips for getting your ideal job

If you have an interest in performing a career in live performing arts could be for you.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• 
  What You Need To Know

• Starting With You

• Challenges and Opportunities

• What's Happening Today

• Focus On Tomorrow

• 
  What You Need To Do

• What Live Performing Arts People Do

• Career Routes

• Work Search Strategies

• Glossary
   

• Credits

• Want More Information?

 

Printable version

The Spotlight's On: Careers Live Performing Arts A classroom ready printable booklet. You will find quizzes on a student's aptitudes and knowledge of the sector; articles and testimonials on career options and paths; and work search strategies including sample résumés and interview questions. CHRC Member $7.49 CADNon-member $9.99 CAD   Learn more Sample Pages

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Introduction

Is it your dream to find a career in the performing arts, whether on stage, backstage, marketing performances or creating original productions? Then a world of opportunity awaits you. Opera, musicals, theatre and dance – people around the globe continue to flock to the unique experience of a live performance, to be entertained, inspired, and to find meaning through performance. If you love live performing arts, and develop other specialties such as design, computers or business, then you have a wealth of career options. Of course, the old values of hard work and determination are just as relevant as ever.

The Spotlight’s On: Careers in the Live Performing Arts is part of a series of online resources to help you research, plan and achieve your cultural career goals. These have been developed by the Cultural Human Resources Council, a national not for profit organization that represents artists and arts organizations across Canada. Explore CHRC’s website to learn more about other careers in culture.

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Website Organization

Section 1 – What You Need to Know

In the first section, “What You Need to Know”, we:

• Look at the various opportunities available in live performing arts careers.
• Help you determine if a career in the live performing arts might be in your future.
• Examine some of the things successful live performing arts workers have in common.
• Explore the future of live performing arts and learning.

Section 2 – What You Need to Do

In the second section, “What You Need to Do”, we:

• Explore the various educational paths you should follow in order to make yourself marketable in the competitive live performing arts field.
• Show you how to market yourself by creating great cover letters, effective résumés, and performing well in interviews.
• Provide you with a list of helpful links, so that when you are ready to pursue your exciting new career, you will have all the tools at your disposal.

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Storytelling Careers

You’ll find hundreds of occupations in this part of the cultural sector. Here are a few examples: