At a time when there is more concern than ever about the marginalisation of the arts in schools, we came together as arts organisations to encourage local young people to undertake arts subjects at GSCE and beyond, sharing the exciting, rewarding and incredibly wide ranging career pathways that can be accessed through studying the arts.

As part of this event, Pallant House Gallery’s Learning team, with the support of staff across the organisation, welcomed over 60 students between years 9 and 12 who took part in 360 participations in different activities. The morning of talks, interviews and workshops, show cased the wide range of careers that exist within the visual arts, going beyond traditional ideas such as being an artist, sculptor or painter. For example, students learned about conservation and how it plays a crucial role in preserving Pallant House Gallery’s collection, using real world examples like the restoration project of the Gallery’s recent Christopher Wood acquisition. They also learned about careers in architecture, including the process of becoming a RIBA qualified architect. Students looked at the work of inspirational architects, as well as touching on related careers in landscape architecture and interior design.

Media production was explored with Solent University as a dynamic field, emphasizing how creativity drives various aspects of film, television, and digital content creation. Additionally, young artists had the chance to hear from artist educator Laura Buckle, who shared her journey of pursuing art as a career, revealing the creative and practical challenges she faces as well as how her work is shaped by being environmentally sustainable. Chichester College joined us to share all the amazing arts courses they offer young people living locally.

The involvement of Pallant House Gallery staff added another layer to the event, offering students a glimpse of their work lives, how they got into their current position and what they enjoy most about working in the gallery and museum sector. This aspect of the day really helped demystify career paths in the cultural sector, illustrating that they are varied and rarely linear.

Feedback from students highlighted the impact of the event and that before attending the workshops, they had very little knowledge of careers in the creative industries. The sessions helped them better understand potential career paths that align with their interests. One student said:

“I didn’t really know what careers I could have in the arts before, but now I have an idea of what I could be good at and enjoy”.

Teachers reported students not only visibly enjoyed the event but also walked away with a broadened perspective on career possibilities they hadn’t previously considered:

“Really interesting and informative. Students enjoyed it and had views broadened and learned of new possibilities. Thank you”.

Learning Co-ordinator Holly Riddle reflected “Knowing that we are helping to inspire young people by providing them with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about their future career choices in the arts feels incredibly important”.

Whilst this event was taking place at the Gallery, students could also attend a parallel event being held at Chichester Festival Theatre that held a creative careers fair in the theatre foyer and talks and workshops throughout the day, with an emphasis on the performing arts industry.

Following the success of the events, we look forward to running them again in 2026 with new cohorts of students, ready to find out how they can develop their passion for the arts into a career.

For more information about creative projects to support young people accessing the arts, visit https://www.creativecountywestsussex.org.uk/