if i go to college for art and dance , is is more likely i will have to have non paying internships , with a side job to get money ?

Dear Lindsey;
A good paying job may depend on several factors: location and competition in the field for where you live, type of position you take, etc. - is it freelance work, as a consultant, what is the salary for the position you are applying? When you go to school for art, you have many career options to consider: illustration, advertising, teaching, design - is it for merchandising? the environment? computer graphics? advertising field? gallery & fine art? graphic design? Your first consideration might be: What do I want to do with my life? Make a lot of money? Serve others? Express myself through the visual and/or performing arts? Once you have a college education in either field, you have a lot more awareness of career options, a new skill level and that can help you better define where you want to go within the field. If you want to dance, there is a shorter career life because your body will eventually give out and not be able to do what is required. You can then teach dance or go into another field late in life but unless you make it big, there will definitely be a lot of side jobs to pay the rent. When I was dancing for 10 years I was living pay check to pay check and doing many side, temporary jobs to pay the rent but I loved the preforming so for me it was worth it. I have pursued art but only on the side with a full-time job maying the bills. Now that I am retired I am able to pursue my fine art daily. I weaved my creative skills into my job so I was fulfilled on a lesser level to still express myself with my art. Ask yourself, would it be worth it? How badly do I need to perform? The important thing is the passion for what you want to do and the commitment to stick with it when times are tough financially. Internships usually do not pay - especially in those fields. They can create networking opportunities that could lead to something else but those are few. Good luck - wishing you a creative and rewarding life.

Hi Lindsey:

I admire your realism. Yes, it is difficult to find well paying jobs in the arts. Some artists and dancers make it big, but most of us need to have "day jobs" while we pursue our passions. One job you might consider is teaching art, I'm an artist and a retired art teacher. I love art, I love making art, and I loved sharing my passion for art, my skills, and my knowledge with kids. As an art teacher I made a decent living with health benefits, school vacations off, and I had 2 months off in the summer to do my art and to take art classes, travel, and so on. For me, it was a great "day job". Check it out! Talk to your art teachers and your school's career counselor. One website you might look at is the NAEA (The National Art Education Association) they have lots of information about teaching art.