Overview of Arts and Entertainment
Careers in Arts and Entertainment use a variety of methods to produce creative content that tell stories, share information, and amuse or move audiences.
Get details on the salary and job security of these Arts and Entertainment careers:
Get Career Ready for Arts and Entertainment
Find out what it takes to land a career in Arts and Entertainment
Earn a Degree
To work in Arts and Entertainment it is recommended to have a strong background in artistic imagination, connecting with an audience, technical skills, collaboration, and the ability to receive criticism. Majors, minors, and degree information can be found in the George Mason Catalog.
Proactively seek ways to develop your talents through master classes, audition classes, and entrepreneurship-based courses. Find opportunities by talking to your instructors and classmates or follow artists and organizations that inspire you. Here are a few organizations with helpful resources for artists:
For Game Design, consider adding Engine specific certificates such as Unity Certified Associate Game Developer or Unreal Engine 5 Developer/Blueprint Certification. For Technical/Art Skills an Autodesk Certified Professional (Maya) can increase your marketability.
Gain Experiences
Employers are expecting candidates to have at least six to twelve months of related experience to be competitive for full-time positions. Gain experience while you are a student at George Mason.
Here are the types of experiences most valued by Arts and Entertainment employers, and where to find them:
Jobs/Internships
- ArtBound Initiative
- Backstage
- College Art Association
- Creatively
- Entertainers Worldwide Jobs
- Entertainment Careers
- Gamasutra
- GameDevMap
- Grackle HQ
- New York Foundation for the Arts
- Mandy Jobs in TV and Film
- Playbill
- Production Hub
- Show Biz Jobs
- Smashing Magazine
- Behance
- Design Careers
- The Creative Loft
- Hitmarker
- SoundsProfitable
- Podcasting Jobs
- Microsoft
- George Mason Exhibitions
Freelance (typically paid)
Volunteer
- George Mason Cable Network
- City of Fairfax Theatre Company
- VolunteerMatch for organizations in the area
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships include a structured training plan, with a focus on mastering specific skills an employer needs within their organization. Seasonal apprenticeships are commonly offered at performing arts venues like Studio Theatre.
Market Your Skills
It is important for you to be able to clearly communicate the knowledge, skills, and experiences you have gained in and outside of the classroom.
Below are top ways to showcase your qualifications to Arts and Entertainment employers:
Demos and Videos
Portfolios
Resumes
- Undergraduate-level Arts resume sample (docx)
- Undergraduate-level Video Game Designer resume sample (docx)
- Graduate-level Arts Management resume sample (docx)
Interview
Interviewing well is key to standing out with employers in the arts, entertainment, and creative industries—and the best way to build confidence is through practice. Use InterviewPrep, George Mason’s free virtual mock interview tool, to explore industry-specific interview questions and sharpen your responses at your own pace.
- Register for an account at InterviewPrep using your George Mason email.
- Once you're logged in, use the following code to access a curated interview set for this career area: [cnaV2pkB3aEw]
Career Ready
Career ready George Mason grads have gone on to work for Arts and Entertainment employers, such as:
|
M.C. Dean |
ITCON Services |
Link Strategic Partners |
|
Crescendo Studios |
Bank of America |
City of Fairfax |
Join the Arts and Entertainment community
Get involved with academic and professional Arts and Entertainment societies to grow your network while you're a student.
George Mason Student Organizations
- Delta Kappa Alpha
- Game Analysis Design Interest Group (GADIG)
- Green Machine
- Printmakers
- Illustrators at George Mason
- The Voice of GMUK
- Visiting Filmmakers at George Mason
- GameMason
- Esports
- Photography Group
Funding, Research, and Service Organizations
- Americans for the Arts
- Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund)
- Humanities DC / CultureCapital
Professional Associations
Music
- American Choral Directors Association
- American Federation of Musicians
- International Society for the Performing Arts
- National Association for Music Education
Theatre, Film and Television
- Actors' Equity Association
- Educational Theatre Association
- Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
- Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
- Theatre Communications Group
- United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)
- Women in Film and Television (Washington, D.C.)
Visual Art and Game Design