Portfolio Career

Since I completed my PGCE in 2017 it is safe to say that I have fallen into the category of someone with a portfolio career. I currently work in three different job roles; at a Higher Educational Institution three days a week, I teach art at ACL Colchester (seasonal) and I work freelance for SPACE Colchester developing and running the Creative Practitioner Support Programme. I also run the Colchester Art Society Social Media pages and edit their newsletter in a voluntary capacity and have am a practising (and exhibiting) artist. 

so, what is a portfolio career? 

“A portfolio career, simply put, is a working style where you have several strings to your career bow – multiple streams of income – often creating a mix of employment, freelancing, and / or consultancy”  

(Stanley, 2020)

Falling into the career category was not particularly a conscious choice. I was offered my first teaching job PGCE in 2017 at ACL the same month I finished the course. This was excited and unexpected. This was also a seasonal art tutor job, meaning the hours where not consistent. However, knowing that I wanted to go and complete my MA Fine Art the job was perfect, as at a maximum it would be one day a week, leaving me plenty of time for my full-time course. The upon finishing my MA in September 2018 I applied for my position at the Higher Educational Institution, advertised at three days a week, it was perfect as I knew I wanted to continue teaching at ACL as and when I could as I enjoy it so much there. Around the same time, I approached SPACE Colchester about running some kind of peer-feedback session for creative graduates (something I had been researching into during my MA) and that too came off the ground, with two sessions being held a month. Before I knew it, I had three different career paths running simultaneously.

That being said, there is a clear cross-over between the three. Teaching, tutoring, facilitating – whatever you want to call it. I enjoy working in these kinds of environments and being part of someone’s educational journey; whether it be accredited or otherwise. I get to meet lots of interesting people and have a lot of interesting conversations.

However, at the forefront of all these choices has been the consideration of them in conjunction with my art practice, would I still have time to have an art practice if I do this?

My weeks tend to vary. Here is what the rest of January looks like so far:

Monday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting, AP

Tuesday: CAS Newsletter development, Blog Writing, Catching up on emails 

Wednesday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting

Thursday: AP, ACL Planning

Friday: HEI, AP

Saturday: CAS Meeting, Art application writing

Sunday: AP, Research

Monday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting, AP

Tuesday: ACL Planning, Blog Writing 

Wednesday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting, Unfamiliars Event 

Thursday: Facilitate the Creative Practitioner Support Programme at SPACE Colchester

Friday: ACL Training 

Saturday: AP, Art application writing

Sunday: -

Monday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting, AP

Tuesday: ACL Teaching 

Wednesday: HEI, CAS Social Media Posting

Thursday: Blog Writing 

Friday: HEI

Saturday: Facilitate the Creative Practitioner Support Programme at SPACE Colchester

Sunday: Art application writing

*HEI = Higher Educational Institution

*CAS = Colchester Art Society

*ACL = Adult Community Learning 

*AP = Art Practice 

I am also currently in the process for writing my application to become an Associate Fellow of Higher Education, so I will need to factor this in at some point this month.

There are definite advantages to working in this way, there is the flexibility which comes with it meaning I can go to my weekly yoga class on a Tuesday morning and get work done in the evening or at the weekend.  

Interestingly, 'what do you do?' has become the most difficult question to answer since starting this portfolio career journey and usually my answer changes depending on who has asked the question. Though maybe I should just reply with ‘I have a portfolio career’ and answer any follow-up questions if they arise.

I do however think that this career option should not be romanticised, as it does come with its setbacks (mostly financial, only one of my jobs is permanent year-round work). Overall, this is something that I can tolerate at the moment. The other issue comes from clashing appointments and the need to prioritise, while I work in this way in order to have time for my art practice, it simultaneously seems to be the thing at the bottom of the pile and the first thing to get neglected when I am busy. Which I now realise is quite ironic.

Time management has become key, by identifying reoccurring events and plotting these throughout the year I am usually able to slot other things around them.

References

Stanley, N. (2020) What To Do When You Want To Do Everything: Is A Portfolio Career Right For You? [online] Available at: https://www.careershifters.org/expert-advice/what-to-do-when-you-want-to-do-everything-is-a-portfolio-career-right-for-you [accessed 07/01/20].