Virginia Beach Art Scene
The Virginia Beach art scene has something for everyone. You can spend the day browsing through the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia where “regularly changing exhibitions feature painting, sculpture, photography, glass, video and other visual media from internationally acclaimed artists as well as artists of national and regional renown,” you can go gallery hopping, or you can roam the streets while admiring public art displays, architecture, and creative landscapes.
The Virginia Beach Office of Cultural Affairs is always open to improving the art scene here. The latest project called “Art Under Glass” is an effort to make vacant storefront space in the Town Center of Virginia Beach available for temporary art exhibits by local artists. The project hopes to attract local artists with innovative ideas and work that will “capture the attention of people walking through the streets of Town Center.” Art Under Glass and many other projects are always in the works in the Virginia Beach area.
The art scene here is diverse and welcoming to all. Musicians, dancers, actors, filmmakers, and digital artists are all a part of the scene. They work in all industries and train at schools, art centers, and learning centers of all kinds. This is good news for aspiring animators, especially if you’re looking for a variety of learning environments.
Virginia Beach Animation Schools and Programs
Virginia Beach is home to Regent University. This is the area’s number one school for aspiring animators. Regent’s School of Communication & the Arts offers a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Animation and an undergraduate minor in animation. This program is perfect for animators interested in entering the film and video industry. In addition to animation courses, the 120 credit hour program requires 53 credit hours of cinema-television courses.
Virginia Beach Animation Employers
Virginia Beach animators work in the film industry, education, and advertising. Many live in Virginia Beach and commute to other areas, while others may work as independent contractors from home or for area studios and firms. Just a few area companies include:
- Seventh Point Video
- Davis & Company Advertising
- Costa+Designs
- The Meridian Group
- MotionOne Studios
For more information about area productions, studios, and more, visit the Virginia Film Office at www.film.virginia.org.
Animation Careers at a Glance
As of May 2011, job growth information for Virginia Beach animators had not been reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Across the nation, employment in the animation industry is expected to expand by 14 percent between now and 2018. This makes animation the fastest growing industry in the art world.
For more information about the animation industry in the U.S., visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov.
