More people working in visual arts and design roles
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The visual art and design industry incorporates craft skills such as weaving and textiles
People in visual arts and design jobs can work in a range of areas:
- producing artwork such as prints, carvings, paintings, textiles, weaving and pottery
- cartoon art and illustration
- signwriting
- creating art or design for books or magazines
- creating images or animation for film or television.
They can also work in a range of industries such as:
- performing arts
- film, television and media
- writing and publishing
- advertising and marketing.
Since 2001 there has been an increase in the number of people working in visual arts and design jobs, according to the New Zealand Census.
Number of people employed in different areas of the visual arts and design industry since 2001| Occupation | Number of people in 2001 | Number of people in 2006 |
| Visual artists (sculptors, painters, screen printers, craftspeople and related artists) | 3,255 | 4,380 |
| Graphic designers, illustrators and signwriters | 5,553 | 7,226 |
Source: Department of Labour: Jobs and Tertiary Education Indicator 2008
The number of people training in design growing
The growing number of graphic designers means competition for jobs is high
Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of people training and working as designers, which includes:
- graphic designers
- animators
- screen printers
- signwriters.
A number of factors have contributed to this increase, including:
- the growth of the New Zealand film industry
- an increase in the number of design courses offered in the country
- continuing web-based technological developments requiring people with specific graphic and web design skills.
Due to the high level of design graduates coming out of the universities, competition for places is often high. Many prospective employers consider it essential for designers to have specialist knowledge or some experience with design-based computer software.
The Internet drives increase in number of visual artists
People working in the visual arts and design industry have more opportunities to market themselves directly through Internet auction websites
The number of people working as visual artists has also risen. This includes:
- carvers
- weavers
- painters
- sculptors
- craft specialists.
The main influence has been the Internet, which allows artists to market themselves to potential buyers in New Zealand and overseas. For example, auction websites like Ebay and TradeMe allow artists to cut out the middleman by selling their works directly to the public.
This allows untrained or less well-known artists to make a living and build a profile for themselves.
Contemporary New Zealand art growing in popularity
An increase in New Zealand of art design stores has seen the rise of many more ethnic artists and designers producing and selling their works
New Zealand contemporary art, craft and design with strong Pasifika or Maori elements has become popular. Where once this genre was sold mainly to tourists, more New Zealanders are purchasing these products.
This has been due to factors such as:
- an increasing acceptance and recognition of New Zealand ethnic art and design as something that helps define our cultural identity
- contemporary art, craft and design being sold at more affordable prices than fine art
- an increase of New Zealand art design stores, websites and blogs, making these artworks known to the public.
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Sources used to write this report
