Washington DC Animation Careers - A Profile of the Art Scene, Top Employers, & Animation Schools/Programs

Washington DC Art Scene

The Washington DC art scene is one of the most progressive in the nation. Although it’s only the 24th largest city in the U.S., the district is packed with galleries, studios, and art centers that encourage the production of all types of art. This includes film, animation, and digital art.

Washington DC is home to DC Film, the district's office of motion picture and television development. This organization attracts a variety of film productions, making film one of the most active areas of the district’s art scene. Films such as In the Line of Fire, The American President, National Treasure, and Legally Blonde 2 have been filmed here as well as hundreds of independent films. Productions big and small encourage growth in all areas of film production, including animation.

Washington DC is also home to some of the country’s most celebrated art museums. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is here along with the National Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and Corcoran Gallery of Art at Corcoran College of Art + Design.

Washington DC Animation Schools and Programs

To become an animator in Washington DC, you’ll need talent and training. The area is home to several schools with quality animation programs. You can earn a degree in fine art with a concentration in animation, digital studies with an animation track, multimedia and animation studies, or visual effects & animation, to name a few. Some of the best programs and courses are offered at:

• Corcoran College of Art + Design
• Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts, DC Campus
• Georgetown University
• Howard University
• The Art Institute of Washington, VA (Dulles, VA is around 26 mils from Washington) 

More Animation related programs to consider:  

Aspiring advertising and technology animators can enroll in a computer science with a focus in animation program or advertising with a focus in animation. Check the school’s engineering, communications, computer science or media studies department for offerings.

Washington DC Animation Employers

Washington DC animators work in education, technology, advertising, and film and video production. Aspiring animators may find employment at the following Washington DC area companies:

• D2 productions
• Eyedeas
• Flipbook Productions
• O’Keefe Communications
• Screenscope
• Vogt Productions
• Construct Visual
• PCM Animation Studios, Silver Spring MD (7 miles from Washington DC)
• Pixeldust Studios, Bethesda MD (8 mles)

To locate more animation studios in Washington DC, visit the DC Film website or Productionhub.com.

Animation Careers at a Glance

Animation is the fastest growing field in the art world. Aspiring animators will soon enter a field that’s expected to offer a 14 percent hike in job growth over the next seven years.  Salaries are something to celebrate as well. Washington DC animators earned an average of $59,580 in 2006. Today they average around $62,100, which is one of the highest average salaries in the industry.

For more information about the animation industry in the U.S., visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov.