Survey of Educational and Cultural Influences in Occupations

Abstract

This study endeavored to determine if persons were influenced by their art education , early creative experiences and participation with other visual art activities in the selection of their chosen profession and noted when and where they received their training. After reviewing studies that identified creative occupations and economic influences of creative industries in North Carolina, as well as additional states, relations between skills that were taught in art education and specific occupations were noted. These relationships will be used to provide advocacy to visual art educators who want to communicate the importance of visual arts education to administrators, policy makers and parents. Participants were employed in Cabarrus, Cleveland and Gaston counties in North Carolina. Potential participants who were engaged in occupations identified in the North Carolina Department of Commerce definition of creative enterprises were randomly chosen to respond to a survey. The participants self-selected to respond to a questionnaire that was distributed by e-mail, standard mail, hand delivered or by telephone survey. The questions were designed to elicit data determining previous art education, creative experiences and present and previous occupations. Following the collection of data, information was organized by spreadsheet. The researcher engaged in descriptive and interpretive analysis.