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I was lucky enough to be able to attend the ‘Moving Up’ conference last week hosted by the Museums Association for people in the first five years of their careers. As a Museums Studies post-graduate who works in the wider arts sector I found the conference useful for all those working and wanting a career in the arts and/ or culture.

Concerns that were aired were- the difficulty in getting into the sector, lack of progression opportunities, low wages and the fact that so many positions are on short-term or even voluntary contracts. It is thought that the recession will affect this even further with many people reluctant to move jobs in the current financial climate.

Whilst this may seem negative, the fact that the Museums Association is running this kind of conference, which attracts mainly junior and mid-level staff shows that they are taking the issues seriously. Workshops on topics such as how to manage your career, how to have a work life balance and professional development are invaluable to people who are just starting out on the shaky career ladder which is the arts and heritage sector. The biggest thing that I took away from ‘Moving Up’ was the need to love what you do and I think that it is that passion which fuels our sector. It is the opportunity to inspire creativity and make a difference, rather then the potential to earn mega- bucks which attract people to pursue careers in our ever competitive and challenging sector.

I would be interested in finding out if anybody has any tips or advice about progressing and moving up in the Arts Sector? Or from anyone who has taken a pay cut to pursue a career in the Arts.