Artistic direction is a key role that leaves the mark of its style and imprint on the project or organization. To become an artistic director, experience, culture, and personality are your greatest assets. Knowledge of the artistic and cultural world, an accumulation of ambitious projects, and a professional network are also an important part of the training and career path. Programs can vary, at university or at a school, IESA is one of the leading schools in France in this field.

What Path to Become an Art Director?

Becoming an art director in the world of performing arts, film, and culture can happen in many ways. There is not just one profile but several, with sometimes atypical curricula and life paths.

Art directors come from different worlds or professions: artists as well as managers. The most direct programs related to the profession are those in cultural management.

The path may or may not be linear:

  • first university cycle followed by a specialization in culture and the arts
  • 100% art-focused studies and experience
  • studies and professional experience in a field other than culture, followed by a return to studies (link to "career change")
  • moving from a technical or organizational position to artistic direction over the course of one’s career
  • etc.
Art director training

Initial Education Studies

In initial education, the types of studies leading to artistic direction can vary and be complemented by a specialization depending on how tastes evolve and on the student’s choices, or conversely one can start directly in the field. For an artistic direction position, it remains nevertheless necessary to earn a 5-year higher education degree.

First Cycle, 3 Years of Higher Education

Studies outside the specialty:

  • University bachelor’s degrees generally in the humanities: literature, philosophy, history, languages, anthropology, sociology, etc.
  • Literary preparatory classes.

But sometimes some come from programs geared toward communication, management and marketing professions:

Bachelor’s degrees in information-communication, marketing, business, management, etc.

All students who have successfully completed a first cycle and can demonstrate their general knowledge in the field of arts and culture can apply to IESA programs to shape their education.

Directly related studies:

  • University bachelor’s degree in cultural studies or careers in culture and the arts
  • Bachelor’s degree in art history
  • Bachelor’s degree in performing arts
  • National School of Fine Arts, École du Louvre,
  • Drama school
  • Conservatory training
  • Art and graphic design schools
  • Bachelor Cultural and Creative Industries at IESA

Second cycle Bac+4/5: Masters (university and school-based)

A Bac+5 level is essential to hold a management role. The Master years are when you acquire professional skills as well as experience, either through an end-of-study internship or through work-study.

University Masters in cultural project and institution management are accessible through the national platform Monmaster.gouv.

In initial training at IESA, students can choose between different approaches:

In continuing education, professionals can complete their training and experience through the Professional Master in Cultural Project Management to ensure high-level skills in organization and administration, required for the role of artistic director.

Work-Study: A Fast Track to Becoming an Art Director

Artistic direction of an organization is a role accessible after several years of experience, generally 5 years, the time needed to make your mark, prove yourself, and build a rich résumé that shows a real sense of responsibility.

Thanks to work-study, this experience begins during their studies because students already split their time with a professional activity. They are integrated into an organization for which they carry out real assignments. Thus, they begin to build a network and create their image and reputation whatever their host organization. In a small organization they prove their ability to do a lot with little and to be autonomous, and in a larger or more prestigious organization they can more easily make themselves known and take advantage of the doorway that work-study provides.

At IESA, work-study is possible from the 3rd year of the bachelor.

Careers and opportunities in artistic direction

In addition to working with the head of the organization who manages the administrative side, the artistic director can work with other professionals in this specialty.

Sometimes the general artistic director position does not exist, and the role is split among different managers.

These roles directly related to artistic direction help build a path leading to the position of Director:

  • Programming Manager: the programming manager is responsible for choosing the artistic line of a radio station, a concert hall, a music festival, or a performing arts or film venue.
  • Programmer: they handle the coherent scheduling of artists, works or events.
  • Production Manager: They are in charge of implementing the projects selected by the artistic direction and/or programming.

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