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poets and painters after them. Most people do not have the kind of talent and luck that it takes to be remembered this way. On the other hand, most people do not make this unlikely goal part of their definition of success! Success can be defined simply as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”—and when it comes to careers, one common way of defining success is by the amount of money that the person is paid each year. Today, in many cases, the starving artist is little more than a myth or a stereotype (an oversimplified idea about a particular group of people). Some art careers have a better employment outlook than occupations that are not part of the arts. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDL) reports that employment for animators , who create images and animations for video games, television shows, movies, and other forms of media, will grow by 8 percent from 2016 to 2026. On the other hand, job opportunities for nuclear engineers are expected to increase by only 4 percent during this same time span. Job openings for air traffic controllers are expected to grow by 3 percent. Additionally, some arts professionals earn higher salaries than those in non-arts careers. The USDL lists more than fifty careers that are either directly or indirectly related to the arts—and most of these careers offer the possibility of making a good living. The median annual wage for arts and design professionals is $45,250, which is higher than the median annual wage ($37,690) for all careers. THE ARTS “The arts” consist of a large group of cultural practices and products appreciated for their creative and aesthetic value rather than what they can be used for. Someone buys a painting, for example, because they think it is either unique,

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