Career Opportunities with a Master’s in Performing Arts

“Performance art is about joy, about making something that’s so full of kind of a wild joy that you really can’t put into words” – Laurie Anderson. 

Creative thinking refers to how well we can tell a story. Performing arts differs due to its way of showing the story rather than telling it. This could be in the form of dance, music, or theatre. Whether its for entertainment, education, or awareness purposes, performing arts is also incredibly relevant in the modern world. For example, Glacier by Moveius; a contemporary ballet performance that highlights the effect of climate change.  

Aside from raw talent, you also need to familiarise yourself with the modern techniques the industry uses to produce and deliver different forms of performing arts. An MA (Special Title) via Creative Arts degree can help you enhance your already-known knowledge of the performance industry and allow you to develop your knowledge through diverse projects.  

Let’s explore some of the doors that a master’s degree in performing arts can open: 

Playwright 

Are you someone with the creative and written ability to bring a story to life? You could be a perfect candidate for a playwright, responsibilities include: 

- Writing and creating the play 

- Writing character lists  

- Working to tight deadlines, excellent time management skills are a must! 

- Having effective communication with publishers, directors, and producers  

- Re-drafting and re-working the performance 

Performance Art Director 

Are you a graduate or an individual looking to gain knowledge in directing and producing? creative and have excellent leadership and communication skills? 

Working your way up to becoming a performing arts director could be an ambitious, well-paced career for you! With responsibilities ranging from overseeing the creation of a performance to managing budgets, and staff, a performing arts director is essentially the behind-the-scenes hero of a theatre performance.  

If you have a degree in English and creative writing or theatre, then a master’s degree in performing arts could be a perfect step for your career journey.  

Dramaturg 

Are you interested in bringing the context to a production? A dramaturg could be the right choice for you. By working with the director to get clarity on the play’s subtext, this helps actors to understand their character’s intentions and how they can channel them to the play’s settings; helping actors and actresses get into the zone of their character. Dramaturgs also work with the set designers to incorporate historical elements into the production’s costumes, props, and music.  

MA (Specialist Title) via Creative Practice degree at Bolton 

At the University of Bolton, the MA (specialist Title) via Creative Practice course gives creative graduates the chance to refine their careers in performing arts. The course gives them the chance to choose either performance or live events design and production modules, allowing them to tailor their master’s degree to the specialism they wish to focus on. Let’s look at some of the course highlights…  

- Develop your unique body of creative practice under the supervision of our experienced teaching team  

- You will receive support to prepare you for creative practice through finding applications, business plans, exhibitions, publications, or small-scale tours  

- You will be able to make use of specialist facilities across the University of Bolton’s Schools of the Arts and Creative Technologies to develop high-quality creative outputs  

Is the University of Bolton the supportive and creative learning environment for you? Visit the MA (Specialist Title) via Creative Practice page to see the full course details. If you wish to speak to a member of our support team, please contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903807.