Careers driven by creativity
Open a world of possibilities with a creative arts degree
January 9, 2026
With a creative arts degree, students develop the skills and knowledge needed to turn their artistic passions into an impactful career.
Choosing a career path doesn’t have to mean putting your creativity in a box in favour of more traditional academic courses.
Students pursuing a degree in the creative arts at the University of Wollongong (UOW) are immersed in the creative and cultural sector, and challenged to think deeply about the changing world and the role of the arts within it.
Learning from professional artists, published authors, respected playwrights, renowned actors, musicians, designers and reputed academics, graduates leave UOW with specialist expertise that is sought after in any industry.
Creative Writing
Creative writers shape local, national and global cultures. With a deep understanding of the mechanics of effective writing, ethical writing practices, textual analysis and more, students who major in creative writing go on to become writers, editors, public servants, publishers, copywriters, librarians, teachers, and media producers. For others, their creativity has taken them in many directions, including community engagement and activism, and people and culture management.
Numerous UOW creative writing alumni have found success as published authors, poets, journalists and playwrights, including Maxine Beneba Clarke [The Hate Race, Foreign Soil], Hayley Scrivenor [Dirt Town, Girl Falling], Emma Darragh [Thanks for Having Me], Patrick Lenton [In Spite of You], Van Badham [QAnon and On] and Disapol Savetsila [Australian Graffiti].
Writer, actor and disability advocate Hannah Diviney says the release of her first book, I’ll Let Myself In, “was the realisation of a childhood dream – something I wouldn't have been able to do if my self-belief in my writing hadn't been reignited at uni."
Music
A major in music with a minor in audio and music production provides a versatile, hands-on degree, integrating studies in music theory, performance, composition, audio production, and sound recording.
Some of the musicians who honed their skills at UOW include award-winning folk artist Felicity Dowd; Luke Carra and Ant Beard of Caravana Sun; Keith Anderson, Jacob Ingram and Bailey Stevenson of Fripps & Fripps; and Jono Tooke of Cry Club (which also features UOW theatre graduate Heather Riley).
As well as finding success as musicians, composers and producers, graduates go on to be sound designers or technicians, or take up management or marketing roles in the music industry. Others bring their passion for music to the next generation as music teachers and music therapists.
After graduating, Jason Martin worked as a broadcast engineer and technical producer at ABC and is now the Lead Audio Engineer at Penguin Random House Australia and New Zealand.
Visual Arts/Visual Arts and Design
Students in the visual arts major explore a wide range of materials and processes through hands-on studio practice, honing their creative, critical and technical skills alongside in-depth studies in art history and theory.
The visual arts and design major is an interdisciplinary program which integrates traditional visual art forms with contemporary visual communication design practices and client-based projects.
Graduates pursue careers as artists, art technicians, teachers, creative directors, critics, curators and gallery directors, illustrators, digital content creators, and graphic, product, publication, advertising, set or web designers.
Notable alumni include artists Christopher Zanko and Tom Duffy; graphic designer and large-scale mural artist Claire Foxton; and lettering artist, small business owner and MasterChef Australia contestant Gillian Dinh.
Kieara Quintal, Assistant Curator of First Nations Art (local and global) at the Art Gallery of NSW, says her degree from UOW “helped build the foundation for everything I do.”
Artist Rachel Burns says, “The creative arts degree created opportunities I never could have imagined for myself. It taught me the importance of taking myself seriously as an artist, of believing that what I was doing was worthwhile. It also gave me a level of professionalism I needed to navigate all aspects of my practice, from making the work to managing the many responsibilities that come with being a working artist.”
Performance and Theatre
The performance and theatre major develops independent and multi-skilled artists, ready to shape the future of the performing arts sector. Through practical training, industry-relevant experience, and studying theory and history, students develop versatile performance and communication skills, and a deep understanding of professional practice standards.
After completing their degree, graduates pursue careers as actors, directors, playwrights, producers, designers, literary managers, dramaturgs, arts education coordinators, theatre and lighting technicians, production managers and more.
Alumni you might recognise from film and television include Stef Dawson [The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and 2], Clare Bowen [Nashville], and award-winning director Bjorn Stewart [All My Friends are Racist, Gold Diggers].
You’ll find countless UOW performance and theatre graduates on stage and working behind the scenes for Australia’s top performance companies, theatre festivals and cultural institutions.
Beyond the theatre, alumni have held a broad range of job titles such as Head of Scripted Production at ABC, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy PR, CEO/Executive Director at Beyond Empathy, and Deputy Picture Editor at Guardian Australia.
Start your journey to your career in the creative industries – Study a creative arts degree at UOW.