Australian Artists, Starving and Well-Nourished: What Can We Learn from the Prototypical Protean Career?

Recent literature documents the demise of the traditional linear career and the rise of a new ‘protean’, ‘boundaryless’, ‘portfolio’ career, typified by do-it-yourself career management with a focus on security in ongoing employability rather than security in ongoing employment. This paper presents an overview of the key attributes of the new career, and argues that it is not an entirely new phenomenon. Individuals with careers in the well-established fields of fine and performing arts often fit into the ‘new careerist’ model, and as such they are an ideal group to target for future research into this new pattern of career. Employment/ career data for professional fine artists, performing artists and musicians in Australia is presented to support this claim. A discussion of the career meta-competencies and career/ life management skills essential to navigate the 21st century world of boundaryless work is presented, with specific reference to the professional artist in Australia, and recommendations for future research are made.