Exploring artistic identity and place in society: perspectives and insights from higher education students in Australia

Abstract

Artists continue to make a significant contribution to contemporary society and to the sector of economic activity broadly referred to as the creative industries. At the same time, the concept of the artist today continues to be influenced by myths, assumptions and stereotypes, such as the need to pursue intense levels of devotion and commitment in order to achieve success; connotations of genius, madness and rebellion still pervade much of the contemporary discourse. While there has been significant growth and recognition of the creative industries sector in academic and policy settings, it offers particular challenges for those studying towards a career in this area, in terms of identity formation and management, as well as in relation to attaining and sustaining viable employment. In order to explore these issues with future creative industries participants, this article reports on the views of a cohort of 120 current higher education students studying creative and performing arts, in terms of their reflections on current and planned identity development, the place of artists in Australian society, and employment issues relevant to a career in the creative industries.