There are many goals for the Advanced Arts Education Program at Gallery 37 Center for the arts. One of those goals is to expose young people to the variety of opportunities that await them after high school. AAEP hosts several events and discussions throughout the school year. Colleges come and present their institutions and look at portfolios. There are also workshops on financial aid. And there are workshops on career opportunities after school.
On Tuesday, October 6th, Gallery 37 / AAEP hosted a panel discussion on artists in the workplace. The AP photography group, along with students from the other programs, spent the afternoon at the Chicago Cultural Center hearing testimonies from several Chicago-based working artists. Among the panelists were Sharon Gopfert from UIC, copywriter and creative director Wendy Lalli, graphic designer Susan Marx, and William Raffeld from UIC.
The panel discussion had three main objectives:
1. To showcase the variety of careers in the arts
2. To illustrate various paths taken to achieving successful careers in the arts
3. To give teens a brief overview of the connections between the participants, their careers and their overlapping skill sets.
Here are some testimonies from the students in AP photography:
Amanda Marco: "I liked hearing everyone's different stories about how they got to where they are today."
Erika Marquez: "I liked how one of the panelists was a former student at Gallery 37. It was cool to see that he had just finished college and was already professionaly working in the arts."
Dolly Rivera: "The panelists were open and honest about college. They each offered their different perspectives on the art world."
Andrew Vega: "The panelists were asked if they regretted anything in their lives. They responded that they didn't regret anything that they'd done, only things that they hadn't done. It was very motivating to hear that."
