What distinguishes an emerging artist from a professional artist?
Professional Artist
A professional artist is someone who:
- has specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
- is recognized as a professional by her or his peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
- is committed to devoting more of their time to artistic creativity, if possible financially
- has a history of public presentation or publication
Definition from Canada Council for the Arts
Emgerging Artist
An emerging artist is defined as one who:
- is enrolled in, or has specialized training in the arts (university graduation or equivalent), self-training, or training in a culturally-specific tradition)
- is in the early stages of their career, usually within the first few years of pursuing a career in their field
- has a small history of presentation or publication
- is looking for support and resources to build confidence in their practice
- is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, when possible financially; and
- self-identifies as emerging
This definition has been inspired by a number of sources, including CARFAC BC's video, Artists Talk: What is an Emerging Artist?