The first five graduates from the new Bachelor of Creative Practice at TAFE NSW Hunter Street will be showcasing their artwork at Watt Space Gallery Northumberland House from 15-26 June 2022.

According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook, the number of Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals in Australia has grown strongly over the past 5 years and is expected to grow to 15,600 by 2025[1].

Commencing in Semester 1 2021, the hands-on Bachelor of Creative Practice in Visual Arts was developed with industry to provide budding artists with the practical and theoretical skills needed to forge a career in the thriving creative arts industry.

Emu Plains local Jacqueline Taylor worked in childcare for 10 years before resigning to undertake the Diploma of Visual Arts at TAFE NSW Nepean in 2019. She’s since worked her way through the Advanced Diploma of Arts up to the new Bachelor of Creative Practice at TAFE NSW Hunter Street.

“I decided to pursue visual arts in 2019, as I was always creating new activities for the children to engage with and making different resources for them to explore. I enjoy teaching the children about art and introducing new mediums,” Jacqueline said.

“After studying the Diploma, I was informed about the new Bachelor of Creative Practice and that if I completed the Advanced Diploma, the Bachelor could be completed in a year and a half. TAFE NSW provided a path for me to undertake a university degree, with more face-to-face learning.”

TAFE NSW Teacher of Visual Arts Andy Devine said the degree was developed to support the thriving arts community in Newcastle and provides students with a solid foundation for a career in the industry. 

“The Bachelor of Creative Practice gives students the skills they need to land a job and successfully navigate their career – whether that’s in-house, as a freelancer or applying for commissions and grants,” Mr Devine said.

“Students hone their creative skills across a range of disciplines including drawing, painting, printmaking and mixed media, while also developing their entrepreneurship and business skills so they can set themselves up for success.

“The degree combines online learning with practical training at TAFE NSW Hunter Street’s state-of-the-art creative studio – so students can study when it suits them.” 

Jacqueline said that though travelling for study was hard, TAFE NSW has introduced her to a variety of new mediums and processes and taught her how to market herself and build a career and business within the arts industry.

“Undertaking the Bachelor of Creative Practice at TAFE NSW Hunter Street Newcastle has been hard due to the workload and travel time, but overall satisfying.”

“Early mornings on the train and late nights arriving home provided me with the opportunity to study during my journey. I have discovered things about myself I did not know, developing my sense of identity as an emerging artist, and an understanding that being an artist is an avenue I can pursue into the future.”

To learn more about the Bachelor of Creative Practice at TAFE NSW, head to www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.   

Media contact: Alice Dalley, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, alice.dalley1@tafensw.edu.au, mobile 0402 528 210.