What makes a business student most “hireable” in this age of industry? Is it the assurance that they know foundations in finance? Or that they’ve been trained in the business vernacular? Or is it the acronym “BBA” on their degree? Through my research and personal experience transitioning from the department of studio art to working in marketing, I have found more in common with the two worlds than I anticipated. The University of North Texas graduates all of its business students with a unified foundation to assure their success in the workplace. Students learn the basics of finance, organizational behavior, management, and marketing before moving onto their specific degree. In the College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD), studio art students build a similar business foundation as they learn what it takes to manage their own studio practice as artists, how to “pitch” their artists statements to galleries, and whether or not as entrepreneurs they should go with an LLC or Corporation to protect themselves and their finances. It is my belief that to adapt to the future, universities will need to build on this foundation of commonality to unlock the business industry for fine arts majors in the post-COVID-19 world.

Students who decide to go to school during these uncertain times will be career-focused. Now is the time to advertise new opportunities based in business fields for students graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. A few of the top-grossing BFA jobs according to Payscale.com are; Art or Creative Directors, Marketing Managers, or User Experience Designers (PayScale 2020). Plenty of traditional “business industry” jobs can be tackled head-on by a student with a BFA. For instance, marketing specialists, communication specialists, and assistant project managers are all entry-level jobs that any fine arts major is qualified to handle based on their foundations. 

As part of their foundational learnings, Studio Art majors are now required to take a class in professional practices. This class includes lessons from how to create an engaging resume and business card, how to pitch yourself to galleries, and even the legal side of making your own corporation versus an LLC. When auditing the class to learn more about the topics it covered, I was able to read about the students’ 5-year plan. As expected, almost every student mentioned they wanted to use their art in a professional setting, but the second most common response was that they wanted to own their own business. The logistics of the business varied between students, ranging from craft tabling to studio production, and one student even wanted to start her own non-profit organization to help lower-income art students. A spark of interest in marketing has lit the entrepreneurial flame for many students who have already started selling commissions via social media or other online forums such as Tumblr.com. 

Alternatively, I noticed an antithesis group of students who, although they were artistically talented, had no desire to promote themselves or put forth the effort to sell their work. I met plenty of students in this category as an undergrad in CVAD, and professor James Thurman has seen many pass through his classes. This is causing a growth in the need for art agents, or art managers. If business-minded students can hone their business skills while in their undergrad, a unique networking side-effect could be a growth of art managers graduating from CVAD with clients already lined up. To more easily market these skills on their resume the university should start building certifications as add-on options for degree programs. 

CVAD should highlight their students' creative innovation and business skills by collaborating with the Ryan College of Business to create 12 credit hour Business Certifications for Art Majors. The idea of combining Art and Business/Technological Industries has already taken off locally. The University of Texas at Arlington melds these disciplines with their “Createc Challenge”. Createc’s goal is to “Nurture interdisciplinary collaboration and research, serve as an accelerator for exploration of new knowledge using art and technology, and enable the creation of both virtual, interactive, and material based artistic practice to be shared within museums, schools, businesses, and the general public” (UTA Createc). This challenge encourages business-minded creatives, or creative business students, to collaborate on a project for a prize of $10,000 and start-up resources. It is similar to a “shark tank” scenario, where investors judge entrepreneurs on their prototypes, that rewards the most sustainable and innovative ideas. 

Similarly, Ringling College in Florida is advertising an undergraduate degree in Business of Art and Design. Students learn foundations in five areas before breaking off into individual focuses of Creative Project Management, Marketing and Communications, Entrepreneurship, Business and Brand Strategy, and Producing And Production Management (Ringling College BOAD). Ringling’s tagline “Business of Art and Design is not only about creative business; it’s about making any business creative” strikes the heart on the collaboration between art and business, it's not just useful for artists. BOAD is a great program for young entrepreneurs just as much as it is for young artists. 

In conclusion, the integration of business and art is becoming more important than ever, especially in the post-COVID-19 world. With the rise of technology, creative minds and business acumen are essential for success in any field. Students with a Bachelor of Fine Arts can be just as "hireable" as those with a traditional business degree, with job opportunities including art or creative directors, marketing managers, and user experience designers. To help fine arts students achieve their career goals, universities can provide a foundation of business skills that can be applied to their artistic pursuits, including classes in professional practices and certifications for art majors. By encouraging collaboration between art and business, universities can unlock a world of opportunities for young entrepreneurs and artists alike.