Careers

Lola was telling me all the things she might like to be when she grows up.

She threw in the career choice of an ‘artist’.

I suggested that she had better get training because in ten years time no doubt one will need a three year degree and a license to practice art.

I said if hairdressers and paddle pop people needs licenses, why not artists?

She asked what’s in it for the government to do such a thing?

I said:

1. Increased revenues from the license fees and fines for non-licensed artists etc.
2. Increased employment for all the unemployed artists (i.e. all of them) – they can be teachers
3. Possibly (and this is a stretch) better art
4. More employment in the bureaucracy and therefore lower unemployment in general
5. Its all just part of the nanny state which gives the government control over our every day lives
6. More entrepreneurial artists hell bent on earning income and repaying their HECS debt, and also less likely to be unionized and left leaning

She wondered if there would be an exclusion for kindy kids, or would there be police raids on schools looking for unlicensed artists?