The influence of higher schools of art on the trajectories of the artistic success of their graduates : case study from Poland

Higher education of artists at schools of art is burdened with tension between shaping of the artists’ creativity and preparation of specialists with sometimes unique skills required on the labour market (Bogacz-Wojtanowska, 2019). It is highlighted that higher schools of art should find a method to reconcile both ways and approaches to the concept of education since a graduate - in addition to choosing an artistic path, should be equipped with knowledge, social skills and competences allowing for working in enterprises or public and non-governmental organisations. Moreover, in many countries, the growing focus on the economic dimensions of the effects of education, in particular remuneration of graduates as a measure of success, undermines the directions of development of creative art education (Last, 2017). At the same time, the development of creative education is important for the trajectory of artistic success - it provides the skills required on creative markets and the so-called knowledge-based economy (Tuckett, 2017). The changing conditions on the labour market affect artists more than many other employees and alter the paths of their professional and artistic careers. Instead of long-term employment, we have more and more project work, maintaining many jobs, professional versatility, and diversifying of job portfolios. A typical artistic career is characterised by the diverseness of work organisation, including original creative work, broader application of skills, team work, changing the place of residence because of work, etc. (Menger, 2006; Throsby, Zednik, 2011). The research problem we are undertaking concerns the role and influence of higher schools of art on the artistic success of their graduates. We would like to learn how the paths of artistic success of graduates of art schools are shaped, as well as to identify how they, as well as those who manage these schools, perceive the school’s role in the shaping of these paths. The paper has been prepared on the basis of studies conducted between 2016 and 2018 in 15 (out of the 19 existing) higher schools of art in Poland. It was assumed that studied universities would form a single case study, as part of which mixed, qualitative scientific methods would be used. We have conducted: Individual interviews with two groups of the stakeholders of higher schools of art: graduates (28 in-depth interviews, implemented in 2016); people in charge of higher schools of art (10 in-depth interviews in 2016); Focus interviews with the management staff (rectors, chancellors) of higher schools of art in Poland, conducted in 2016 and 2017