RISD’s Career Services Office (CSO) provides an incredible service to our community in presenting a variety of programs focused on professional development issues, including seminars, panel discussions, departmental presentations, portfolio review days and conferences. The programs are free of charge and open to RISD undergraduate and graduate students and alumni.

Thanks to the office for sending in this recap of last week’s ArtSmart Conference!

On November 1, over 200 students and alumni attended this year’s ArtSmart Conference, presented by RISD Career Services Office. Discussions were lively and engaging and covered topics ranging from grants, residencies and exhibition opportunities to artists in the community, working in the arts and MFA decisions. Keynote speaker and MacArthur Foundation fellow Anna Schuleit [RISD ‘98, Painting] dazzled the audience with an extraordinary presentation about her projects and creative process, while 34 other panelists, including 17 alumni, provided insights, resources and advice from the professional fine arts world. It was an affirming day for emerging artists, and, as one attendee exclaimed after the event, “Now it’s time to sort through all of the notes and put it all to work!”