A job as a cultural worker after the pandemic?

June is here again. For many, this is when summer begins, but for students, this month is best known as “exam season.” For me, it’s a special exam period, because I’m preparing for my very last exam at the university. And I have to say, it’s quite something when you finally see the end of a six-year journey in higher education coming into view. With a master’s in cultural education and soon a master’s in art studies as well, I’ll soon begin my search for a job in the (Brussels) cultural sector. Over the past few years, I’ve felt an ever-growing urge to break into the culture and arts field. And although I’m tackling the final stretch of my program with plenty of motivation, doubts pop up every now and then that break my concentration. This isn’t just because I have to take my final exam under unusual circumstances—read: virtually—due to the global COVID-19 crisis, but mainly because I realize that I’ll soon have to enter the job market in the wake of this pandemic. What will the job prospects be like in the cultural sector for recent graduates like me?

The realization that I’ll have to enter the job market in the wake of this pandemic, after the exam period, is causing me to have doubts

Like many other sectors, the culture and arts sector was also severely affected by the consequences of the pandemic. In mid-March, our country went into lockdown, and cultural centers, concert halls, and museums, among others, were forced to close their doors for several months to prevent the spread of the virus. Events were canceled or postponed, and exhibitions were shut down. This not only threw a wrench in the plans of artists and performers, but also left cultural organizations and institutions facing a financial crisis. The fear that not all cultural initiatives will reopen their doors in the future seems very real. And that worries me, because a sector that has been bled dry also means fewer jobs. Although cultural life can resume on a limited basis starting July 1, organizers face many challenges. For example, they must seek out financial resources to stay afloat during this period, implement practical measures to ensure visitor safety, and strengthen their connections with their target audience. Will there even be a place for recent graduates at organizations facing such challenges? My fear that employers will prefer experienced workers in the field is now even greater than usual.

The fear that not all cultural initiatives will reopen their doors in the future seems realistic. A sector that has been bled dry also means fewer jobs.

From the many conversations I’ve had with classmates on this topic, I’ve come to realize that I’m not the only one who sometimes worries about being able to smoothly enter the job market in the cultural sector. As a result, several evenings at the bar have been spent searching for answers to the question, “How can we make our profiles as new graduates as attractive as possible to employers in the sector?” It’s no surprise that this issue is close to our hearts. After all, our future is at stake here.

I therefore sincerely hope that cultural institutions and organizations will continue to invest in recent graduates in the cultural sector even in the aftermath of the pandemic.

When I look around me, I see a very dynamic generation with a passion for culture and a hunger for interesting projects, new initiatives, and a thriving professional career. I therefore sincerely hope that cultural institutions and organizations will continue to invest in recent graduates in the cultural sector even in the aftermath of the pandemic. Hopefully, they will recognize that young thinkers and doers can offer indispensable added value when it comes to future challenges such as innovation and digitization. We are ready.

Bjorne Baeten
Art History Student, VUB