Art editors and their editorial staff and freelance art critics, are responsible for the total make-up and presentation of the art section of the paper or periodical in the same manner in which the news editors and their staff cover the news section.
Art journalists, reporters or reviewers write articles covering a wide range of art subjects. They interview well-known stage, television and film personalities, directors, song and musical artists and other entertainment artists. They attend all kinds of concerts, and often accompany film and television teams, sending their reports to their editor by fax, telephone or telex. Sometimes freelance or part-time journalists are used to cover certain events or to interview personalities.
The duties of art editors and their staff thus entail obtaining art news, interviewing newsworthy art personalities, liaison with local and overseas agencies, attending concerts, film and other previews (sometimes accompanied by a photographer) and writing their reports / articles. Many reports have to be written during the evening where the event is taking place or the personality is being interviewed, in order to be on time for the newspaper or magazine.
Satisfying Aspects
- meeting interesting people
- travelling to a variety of places
Demanding aspects
- can be very stressful since you have to work very fast sometimes
- sometimes long working hours
- dealing with difficult people
Requirements
- be interested in all forms of art
- have a broad knowledge of most of the art forms and information about the newest happenings in the art world
- have the ability to communicate easily with artists, entertainment artists and other art personalities
- be able to write well in the language of the newspaper or the magazine
- be able to communicate well in English since overseas personalities are mostly interviewed in English
- be able to handle pressure
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: English
Recommended Subjects: Visual Arts, Music
Training
Degree: A BA degree in the Social Sciences with at least one language and subjects like Art History, Communication Studies, Journalism and Drama can be followed. All South African universities offer BA degrees. The subjects offered differ from university to university.
Diploma:An N.Dip. Journalism can be followed at the, CPUT, DUT, TUT and UJ.
An N.Dip. Public Relations can be followed at CPUT, DUT, NMMU, TUT, UNISA and VUT. These courses each take 3 years to complete. A BTech Language Practice or a BTech Fine Art can also be obtained from various universities / universities of technology, eg NMMU, UJ, UL and UZ. A person with training in the performing or fine arts at a university or university of technology may also consider this career.
Employer
- newspapers and magazines that have an art section
- self-employed, can work as a free-lance journalist for newspapers and magazines
Contact
- contact the above-mentioned universities or universities of technology
- visit the offices of a newspaper or magazine