Ruth Bridgstock

1
Human Capital Predictors of Career Success in the
Arts A Regression Tree Approach
Ruth Bridgstock Queensland University of
Technology
2
Artists and the Arts

• self-identified as a professional artist
• received payment for arts work or a grant within
  the last 5 yrs
• sourced through professional arts organisations

3
The Working Lives of Artists
Australia Council (David Throsby), Australian
Bureau of Statistics
A typical artist spends 80 of their work time
at arts work of some type, and yet only earns
two-thirds of their income from these sources
4
New Career Patterns
Traditional linear, hierarchical career
Technological advances, shift to a
post-industrial knowledge economy,
globalisation, deregulation of labour markets,
changing workforce demographics, rise in post
compulsory education
Boundaryless, multidirectional career
Lateral or advancing movements within, between,
and outside organisations, occupations
employment plus educational experiences
and the protean career
5
Substantive research questions
1. How can career success in the arts be
defined? (i.e., an exploration of subjective
career success and how it relates to objective
career success in artists) 2. Which career
development constructs predict career success in
professional artists?
Objective measures of career success arts
earnings, total earnings
Subjective measures of career success artists
own definition 1-5 self-rating
6
Predictors
Career management skills and competencies From
boundaryless career theory the Australian
Blueprint for Career Development (Haines et
al) 1. Career self management 2. Career building
Definition/s of career success (category)
Sociodemographic and contextual variables e.g.,
Length of time working in arts Gender Arts
discipline Work outside arts Support from family
and peers
7
Regression Trees
Earnings From Arts Regression Tree
8
Findings

• 1. Definitions of career success were in the main
  non-traditional patterns of predictors
  different for each tree
• 2. Consistently important predictors
• - Career building skills
• - Support from family and peers
• - Arts discipline
• - Length of time working in arts
• 3. Predictors with changing roles
• - Amount of work outside the arts
• - Definitions of career success
• - Gender