Articles of the Month

Culture is like a patchwork quilt

Culture is a subtle mixture of tradition and innovation that weaves together the history of a people. It's the rebirth of the past, a celebration of the present and a vision for the future. Culture is much more than a collection of common beliefs and practices. It's the sharing of the same vocabulary and a feeling of belonging. We see it everywhere, because culture is omnipresent in all societies and, depending on the point of view, the types of jobs in culture-related fields are just as varied as culture itself. Consequently, this article will not focus on artists and creators but rather on the people who strive to conserve, popularize and propagate culture.

More specifically, we will be talking about people who work in libraries, archives, museums, art galleries and other cultural organizations. Most of the time, these professionals work in schools or for the government, but they can also be self-employed. Let's take a closer look at what they do...

Librarians develop, organize and maintain library collections and provide advisory services for users. They perform manual and on-line reference searches, arrange inter-library loans and supervise technicians, assistants and clerks. They may specialize in particular collections or work in information management areas, such as maintaining Web sites or providing training in Internet resources.

Archivists acquire, research and store historical documents, photographs, maps, audio-visual and other materials. They ensure the preservation and storage of these materials and develop classification systems so that users can gain access to them.

Conservators restore and conserve paintings, photographs, sculptures, furniture, pottery and other works of art and antiquity. They provide consultation services to museums, art galleries and individuals, and supervise conservation technicians and other museum technicians. They may specialize in a particular conservation field.

Curators recommend the acquisition of paintings, photographs, sculptures, documents and other museum and gallery artifacts. They research the origin and history of artifacts, develop the storyline and theme of displays and exhibits, and supervise curatorial assistants and other museum technicians. They may specialize in particular collections.

Finally, managers in publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and other performing arts plan and direct the operations of newspapers, publishing firms, radio and television stations, and film, theatre, record and video production companies.

All these workers usually have a university degree. Many recent entrants have an undergraduate university degree. Librarians need a master's degree in library science. Archivists usually require a master's degree in archival studies, library science or history. Conservators need a master's degree in art conservation or a college diploma in conservation technology and several years' experience in conservation work. Curators must have a bachelor's or master's degree in museology, art history or a field related to their area of work. Managers in publishing, motion pictures and other performing arts have a university degree or college diploma in communications, journalism, broadcasting or another arts discipline.

In Canada, 18,000 people were employed in these professions in 1998, a decrease of 1.1% from 1988. Some 23% of them worked part time, compared to an average of 19% for all occupations, and 2% were self-employed, well below the average of 17% for all occupations. Furthermore, 80% were women, a much higher number than the 45% average for all occupations. The unemployment rate in these professions was 3.5% on average between 1996 and 1998, in comparison with a national average of 6.0%. This rate is among the lowest for occupations in the art, culture, recreation and sports sectors.

The average income is among the lowest for professional occupations, but is comparable to that for other occupations in the art, culture, recreation and sports sectors. More specifically, the overall average income for all age categories is $40,879, within a range of $22,674 to $53,275.

That said, it should be noted that the chances of finding employment in these occupations are currently considered fairly good. Over the next five years, the outlook is expected to improve, as a very high retirement rate in these occupations is expected to increase the number of job openings more rapidly than the number of qualified job seekers. Finally, we should mention that government spending restraint in the cultural sector is expected to decrease employment opportunities in public libraries and art galleries. It is in the private sector that the future lies for professionals wanting to work in the various fields related to culture. In fact, more and more jobs will become available in maintaining corporate archives and corporate memory systems and using the Internet for information searches, as well as in the entertainment, recreation, publishing and printing industries.

All the statistics mentioned in this article come from the Job Futures program developed by HRSD and can be consulted in detail directly on the following Web site: http://www.jobfutures.ca.

This article has been provided by Youth Café - A Service Canada Access Centre located in downtown Montreal that offers youth the necessary tools for a full and active social participation, all in one place.

The Café's mission is to offer better access to information, services, programs and ressources from most federal departments as well as the Youth Employment Strategy.

We ecourage you to visit Youth Café next time you are in Montreal or visit a Service Canada Access Centre near you.