Career ServicesCAA Career Services at the Annual Conference is the most effective job market in the visual arts and art scholarship. Career Services is composed of:
Information for Job Seekers
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| Institutional Member | Nonmember | |
| 30-day job posting | $260 | $445 |
| 60-day job posting | $365 | $600 |
| 90-day job posting | $465 | $755 |
| 120-day job posting | $570 | $885 |
| 150-day job posting | $675 | $1040 |
| CAA considers part-time, adjunct, or contingent faculty positions to be part-time positions. They are not full-time tenure track or full-time non-tenure track positions. | ||
| Part-Time 30-day job posting | $175 | $300 |
| Part-Time 60-day job posting | $245 | $400 |
| Part-Time 90-day job posting | $310 | $505 |
| Part-Time 120-day job posting | $385 | $595 |
| Part-Time 150-day job posting | $450 | $695 |
| Part-Time - ten 30-day job posting | $875 | |
| 30-day Internship job posting | $260 | $445 |
Interview Hall: Booths and Tables
Wednesday, February 10–Friday, February 12, 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
Saturday, February 13, 9:00 AM–NOON
Riverside Center, East Tower, Purple Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
The Interview Hall offers two formats for interviews: interview booths and interview tables. The interview booths are ideal for prearranged interviews. Each booth is semiprivate and encourages a calm, focused interview environment. Staff at the check-in table will escort interviewees to booths. The interview tables are ideal for employers who have not prescheduled interviews. Job seekers can drop off résumés and portfolios informally and meet prospective employers at tables; interviews may also be conducted.
Reserve your booth or table now!
Table rentals must be paid in advance by credit card: MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, or Discover.
Booth and Table Reservations can be made online after Monday, October 12, 2010.
Deadline: January 22, 2010
Booth Rental Rates
| Institutional Member | Nonmember | |||
| First Booth | Additional Booths | First Booth | Additional Booths | |
| Early Rate, Deadline: December 11, 2009 | $280 | $200 | $330 | $250 |
| Advance Rate, Deadline: January 22, 2010 | $300 | $220 | $350 | $270 |
| Regular Rate | $325 | $240 | $375 | $290 |
Table Rental Rates
| Institutional Member | Nonmember | |||
| First Table | Additional Tables | First Table | Additional Tables | |
| Early Rate, Deadline: December 11, 2009 | $230 | $155 | $280 | $205 |
| Advance Rate, Deadline: January 22, 2010 | $250 | $175 | $300 | $225 |
| Regular Rate | $275 | $195 | $325 | $245 |
Onsite Booth and Table Rental
Tables may be rented onsite at the Interviewer Center, subject to availability, starting on Wednesday, February 10, and must be paid in full by MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover credit card. No table or booth cancellations will be accepted or refunds offered.
Interviewer Center
Wednesday, February 10, 8:30 AM–7:00 PM; Thursday, February 11, 8:30 AM–8:00 PM; Friday, February 12, 8:30 AM–3:00 PM
Riverside Center, East Tower, Purple Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
The Interviewer Center provides services for employers. You need not be a CAA member to be an interviewer at the conference, nor must you register for the conference. On arrival at the conference, please visit the Interviewer Center to receive your 2010 CAA Interviewer ID card. This card will give you access to the Interview Hall and to the center’s computers. During the conference you may use these computers to post last-minute job listings, update current job listings, mark listings with the Career Services icon 
to let candidates know you are interviewing onsite, search and view résumés, communicate with job seekers, schedule interviews, and rent tables and booths.
Professional Development Workshops
Workshops on job hunting, portfolio and résumé preparation, and other professional-development topics are offered on Thursday, February 11, and Friday, February 12, on the Bronze Level, West Tower, Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Enrolling in a Workshop
Space is limited! Enroll now!
Workshop enrollment is by preregistration only. No onsite enrollment is offered. You need not register for the conference to enroll in a workshop. Deadline: January 22, 2010.
Thursday, February 11
The Syllabus: Mapping Out Your Semester
9:30–11:30 AM
Presenter: Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University
Soldier Field, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
SOLD OUT
The syllabus is a contract with the student. It should clearly state what is expected of the student and the professor’s requirements for the course. In addition, various accrediting bodies and associations have their own requirements that may need to be addressed. Learn what should go into a syllabus and how to break down the course content into individual class sessions. The components of an effective lesson plan, and how to use it as an successful teaching document, will also be discussed. Issues to be addressed include how much can actually be accomplished in a single class period, what homework and/or preparations are needed for the next class session, classroom management issues, and strategies for success. A well-constructed syllabus can be a valuable teaching tool and an aid to the faculty member regarding student grade disputes. This course is invaluable for graduate TAs, recent MFA graduates who have just landed their first teaching positions, and anyone who would like a refresher on the finer points of setting up the term’s classes.
Job Hunt 101: Essential Steps in Securing a Job in the Arts
9:30–11:30 AM
Presenter: David M. Sokol, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois, Chicago
Buckingham, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 100 participants.
Learn the essentials of a successful job hunt in the arts. This workshop is scheduled at the beginning of the conference because it offers good preparation for Career Services, guiding you through professional practices of the job search, including interview etiquette, preparation of materials, and other essential information to prepare you for your next job opportunity, especially a first job in the arts. This is the time to ask the questions you have always wondered about concerning the ins and outs of looking for a job in the arts.
Advice for New Instructors
2:30–4:00 PM
Presenter: Mika Cho, California State University, Los Angeles
Buckingham, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 75 participants.
As with any new position, beginning and/or inexperienced instructors in higher education will find challenges to be both exhilarating and perhaps initially overwhelming. Negotiating matters such as pedagogical performance, the collegial support system, student evaluations, professional development, and the retention and tenure process can all prove daunting. Issues to be presented and discussed include the following: constructing an effective syllabus; interaction with students, colleagues, and administrators; the importance of university policy on ownership of instructional and professional materials; plagiarism, student disabilities, grievances, and sexual harassment; and grading and student evaluation.
Friday, February 12
Open Forum Discussion on Professional Development Curriculum in Fine Art Programs
9:30–11:00 AM
Presenter: Jackie Battenfield, Columbia University
Soldier Field, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 45 participants.
With the current economic slump, students and parents increasingly assess the value of an art education based on how well prepared its graduates are to develop a professional life. More institutions have incorporated professional-practices and career-development information in their fine-art curriculums. This session is an invitation to share information and resources and discuss diverse approaches to the subject. It is open to faculty already teaching professional-development classes, or those interested in adding them to their curriculum. It is an opportunity for the community of educators interested in these issues to plan for future discussions via internet and regional meetings.
Grant Writing for Artists
9:30 AM–NOON
Presenter: Barbara Bernstein, Resident Artist of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
Buckingham, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 50 participants.
This workshop demystifies the process of grant writing for both individual artists and collaborative projects. In a step-by-step approach, it covers the complete cycle of grant writing, including preparative research, interaction with funders, budget development, writing proposals, and assessment of the process.
ArtTable: Career Advisory Roundtable
12:30–2:00 PM
Presenter: Geri Thomas, Thomas and Associates, Inc.
Riverside Center, East Tower, Purple Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Registration not necessary; free and open to the public.
Female college and graduate students in Arts Administration, Museum Studies, and Art History programs are invited to participate in discussions regarding careers in the arts, hosted by ArtTable members from different spectrums of the visual arts professions. Students and emerging professionals looking for more information or to register for this event, please click here.
Staying on Track with the Tenure Track
2:00–4:00 PM
Presenter: Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University
Soldier Field, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 40 participants.
Now that barely 30 percent of teaching positions are held by tenured and tenure-track faculty, a successful probationary period (pretenure) is even more important. Since the academic world is fluid (because of frequent changes of administrators and university policies), tenure-track faculty need to develop sound strategies to make the most of the probationary period. The workshop covers the documentation of one’s activities, gaining an understanding of terms like regional, national, and international recognition, developing nationwide relationships in preparation for the tenure review, and identifying nonadversarial ways of getting clarification of job expectations. Some institutions are great at identifying their criteria for promotion, yet others lag behind due to frequent changes in leadership and shifting thresholds for tenure. This session is useful for both studio faculty and art historians who hold tenure-track positions. Those who are seeking a tenure-track position will find it interesting as well.
Marketing Yourself to Market Your Art
2:00–4:30 PM
Presenter: Susan Schear, ArtIsIn
Buckingham, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
$45
Limited to 50 participants.
Are you comfortable “getting out there” to meet and speak about your work? How might you engage someone in conversation? What types of questions might you ask? How might you share, or inform people about, your work? What marketing strategies have been most successful for you? How much time do you allocate to marketing yourself and your art? Planning and goal setting, knowing your target market, being aware of the external environment, realizing your strengths, being open to potential affinity opportunities, and considering all the different strategies for marketing, are significantly beneficial to your marketing success. Please join us during this interactive session as we address the basics of marketing, and discuss maximizing goals and implementing strategies that result in positive outcomes. Come prepared to share during your ideas, expertise and, recommendations that have worked for you!
Mentoring Sessions
Thursday, February 11, and Friday, February 12
Picasso and Columbian, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Mentoring sessions are free of charge and available only to current CAA individual members. All sessions are by appointment only and will be scheduled for Thursday, February 11, and Friday, February 12, 8:00 AM–NOON and 1:00–5:00 PM. Advance enrollment only; no onsite enrollment.
To reserve a mentoring session, please download this form and return via fax or mail.
Deadline: January 11, 2010. You will be notified of your appointment date and time by email. You may enroll in one twenty-minute one-on-one session. Choose either Artists’ Portfolio Review or Career Development Mentoring. CAA will make every effort to accommodate all applicants; however, space is limited.
Artists’ Portfolio Review
Present your work for review by a professional curator, critic, or educator in an individual consultation. Discuss issues and ask questions about portfolio formats, visual sequencing, the artist’s statement, and professional advancement through the artist portfolio with an expert in the field. For CDs and DVDs, please bring your own laptop and/or printouts.
Career Development Mentoring
Artists, art historians, museum professionals, media specialists, designers, and art educators at all career stages are eligible for a one-on-one consultation with a professional in a specific field. Get candid advice on how to conduct a thorough job search, present work, and prepare for interviews, as well as other career-advancement topics. Bring your résumé or CV for critique.
Professional Development
Roundtable Discussions
Thursday, February 11, 12:30–2:00 PM
Riverside Center, East Tower, Purple Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Join your colleagues in informal discussions about the challenges, opportunities, and issues that affect your career. Roundtable leaders will address a wide range of topics that relate to career choices, professional life, and work strategies. Share your ideas, concerns, solutions, and experiences with emerging professionals and midcareer to advanced colleagues in small, open discussion groups. Topics include: Driving from Adjunct to Full-Time Teaching: Making Your Part-Time Experiences Work for You; Professional Networking for Artists and Art Historians; The Search and the Fit; and more.
Student and
Emerging Professionals Lounge
Open daily throughout the conference
Wrigley, West Tower, Bronze Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Open to all conference attendees.
Sponsored annually by the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee, the SEP Lounge is a space devoted to you. It is a place where you can meet up with your friends, network to make new friends, find information about CAA and the SEPC, relax and enjoy exceptional company. Join us, the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee of CAA, in our SEP Lounge Thursday through Saturday
Information Table
Registration, East Tower, Gold Level, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Thursday, February 11, and Friday, February 12, 12:30–2:00 PM
An information table sponsored by the CAA’s Student and Emerging Professionals Committee will be located in the registration area, for students, emerging professionals, and those new to the conference. Volunteers will be available on Thursday and Friday from 12:30–2:00 PM, and they will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding SEPC sponsored events, how to navigate the conference, or if you are curious about the services available to you through CAA. Flyers and announcements will be available for you to pick up at all times during the conference.
Conference Survival Guide
The Conference Survival Guide for the 2010 Annual Conference was published in mid-December as a downloadable Word file. Written by CAA’s Student and Emerging Professionals Committee, the guide offers guidance to students, emerging professionals, and others attending their first conference for traveling to Chicago and navigating conference activities. Suggestions include:
- options for travel funding
- budget travel ideas and lodging information
- dining and transportation suggestions
- effective strategies for successful participation in the conference
- suggestions for networking during the four-d
- city resources and sightseeing recommendations
Career Strategies for
Professionals in the Visual Arts
This year’s brown bag conversations and activities focus on the challenges that emerging art professionals face in the early stages of their careers. These discussion-based events are singular opportunities to attain candid insight into aspects of working in the arts. Established art professionals from a variety of disciplines will offer their unique perspectives on navigating your career search, interviewing and other concerns relevant to you. Bring your lunch and join the mid-day conversations and drop by later for a more casual discussion following-up on the issues raised earlier that day. Take advantage of these opportunities to gain insider information, network with experts in your field, and have your specific questions answered! Feel free to just come by; you do not need to register in advance.
SEPC Meet and Greet
Hannah’s Bretzel, basement of Illinois Center
Thursday, February 11, 8:00–9:00 AM
Inviting all students, emerging professionals and friends! Start the first morning of the conference by joining members of the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee at a communal table at Hannah’s Bretzel, a coffee shop near the SEP lounge. SEPC members will grab a cup of coffee together and would be happy to talk about the role of students and emerging professionals at the annual conference, and any other questions you might have. CAA Board Members have been known to drop in and enjoy the morning with us as well!
Interviewing Strategies: Interview Techniques and Perfecting your Elevator Speech
Thursday, February 11, 9:15–10:15 AM
The morning panel will be an honest and frank discussion on interviewing techniques. Gauging and adapting to the cues of the interviewer, appropriate levels of intellectual detail, and how to keep your “elevator speech” crisp will be discussed among other topics.
Mock Interview Session
Thursday, February 11, 1:00–4:00 PM
Moderators: Daniel Larkin, Friends of Materials for the Arts; Niku Kashef, California State University at Northridge
In the afternoon, conference attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for a 30 minute mock interview with a professional at the conference. As Aristotle once remarked, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Practicing your elevator speech and keeping your listening skills sharp during a face to face session is a valuable experience. To sign up for an interview, please call Daniel Larkin on 646-246-5497. Please note interviews will be scheduled on a first-come first served basis.
Speed Mentoring: Roundtable Discussions
Friday, February 12, 9:00–10:00 AM
Moderators: Mark Harris, University of Cincinnati; Temma Balducci, Arkansas State University
If you are interested in some fast-paced mentoring encounters please join us for this speed-dating-style advising session where you can to have personal discussions with 8 or more established professionals in under an hour. We will have a group of experienced art historians, artists, curators, editors, etc. at individual tables ready for one-on-one conversations about your career and work issues. This is a great opportunity to get tailored advice on your professional needs from a range of specialists in record time. If you have issues concerning research, publications or exhibitions, or need advice on tenure or adjunct status try out this accelerated mentoring session.
Open Forum: Pedagogy
Friday, February 12, 1:00–2:00 PM
Moderators: Julia Sienkewicz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Hilary Batzel, independent artist
This moderated yet open discussion will be led by young professors (to be announced) who will speak briefly about some basic issues new professors face in dealing with pedagogy, after which the floor will be open for you to speak more about your concerns, questions, and comments. The topics brought about through the conversation will be collected and will contribute to the development of a new session on the new professor and teaching concerns. This is a wonderful opportunity to let the SEP committee know what you need to see in our programming in regards to your experience in teaching. Come enjoy a candid discussion in a comfortable and open environment.
