ArtEZ alumni continue to develop their careers after graduation

What do the careers of ArtEZ alumni look like four to eight years after graduation? A follow-up survey by the Kunsten-Monitor shows that many alumni work in the field they trained for. They also continue to develop professionally and are generally positive about their work and education.

Performance: Laura van der Werf, photo: Bart Grietens

Four to eight years after graduation, more than nine in ten ArtEZ alumni surveyed are in employment. Many alumni work in the field they trained for.

Alumni often work across different professional fields. They combine different roles, and entrepreneurship is an important part of their professional practice. A substantial proportion work as self-employed professionals or freelancers. This reflects the arts sector, where project-based work and working for different clients are common, and people often combine different types of work.

The alumni surveyed are generally positive about their current work. A large majority say they are able to make good use of their skills, and almost three quarters are satisfied with their current position. Alumni who are employed within their field are also relatively likely to have a permanent contract.

The average gross monthly income of ArtEZ alumni working within their field is lower than the average for the arts sector as a whole. For ArtEZ alumni working outside their field, the average income is slightly higher. These figures refer to income from their main job. The survey does not show what causes these differences in income.

For many alumni, learning does not stop after graduation. More than a third continue with further education, while almost half take courses or training. Developing their knowledge and skills is the main reason for doing so. Alumni also continue to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

AI has also become part of the professional practice of many alumni, for example for tasks involving text, creative work and information. ArtEZ alumni report changes to their work as a result of AI slightly less often than the average for the arts sector. Daily use of AI is also slightly lower.

Several years after graduation, the alumni surveyed also look back positively on their education. Two thirds say they would choose the same programme at ArtEZ again. This proportion is slightly higher than the average for the arts sector.

The follow-up survey by the Kunsten-Monitor looks at the career development of ArtEZ alumni four to eight years after graduation. For this survey, 489 alumni from the graduating cohorts of 2016/17 to 2020/21 were approached. Around 177 alumni took part. The number of respondents varies by question. When interpreting the results, it is therefore important to take into account the number of alumni who participated in the survey.