The Arts Division’s dedication to student success has created pathways to careers students may never have imagined. Professionals in arts disciplines know there is always a way to make a living doing what you love, and the award-winning faculty and alumni from UC Santa Cruz are here to prove it.
Find Your Path!, an annual event hosted by the Arts Division brings together professionals from a variety of fields for a two-day seminar that helps students learn about potential pathways to success.
On April 8 – 9, 2025, both online and in person at the Digital Arts Research Center (DARC), Room 108, students are invited to presentations and networking sessions that will guide them on how to pursue a successful career.
“Find Your Path! helps students with the skills, knowledge and guidance to chart a career path in the Arts,” says Esthela Bañuelos, Assistant Dean for Student Success and Chief of Staff, who organized the event with support from Student Success Project Coordinator Ashleigh Abe. Bañuelos adds that “students can make invaluable connections, and some may develop connections that continue beyond this two day event.”
This is one of many ways the faculty and staff have dedicated themselves to creating viable paths to success for the student body. Major’s such as Creative Technologies and Games & Playable Media offer unique experiences for the ever evolving world of art and arts careers. Combined with programs like ArtsBridge and the Arts Research Institute, students are prepared for a life after college where they can be successful pursuing what they love.
Consuelo Alba, co-founder and executive director of the Watsonville Film Festival; image courtesy of the artist
The first day of Find Your Path! will present keynote speaker Consuelo Alba, the co-founder and executive director of the Watsonville Film Festival, who has a long history of working with graduates of UC Santa Cruz. Alba is also on the Board of Directors for the Arts Council Santa Cruz County and an award-winning filmmaker.
After Alba’s talk she and Bañuelos will host a Q&A for students to learn more careers in the Arts. Other presentations will cover developing your resume, cover letter, portfolio and more.
Michael Flora, executive director of Indexical; image courtesy of the artist
On the second day students may engage in a panel of career experts. One of them, Michael Masaru Flora, a former Arts Division staff person, is now the executive director of Indexical, a non-profit arts organization focused on experimentation in music. “I just want students to feel inspired,” he says.
Flora joined Indexical, which was founded by UC Santa Cruz graduate students, in 2021. The organization puts a spotlight on students, often to perform or intern. One of its current curators, Allen Riley, is currently a Ph.D. student in the Department of Film and Digital Media.
Flora will be joined by Russell Rodriguez, a Professor and founder of the Mariachi band at UC Santa Cruz, and Jill Maclean, the Director of the Young Conservatory at the American Conservatory Theater .
There will be a total of four panel discussions covering museums, the entertainment industry, performance, and creative technologies. Other guests include Kara Frame, the video producer of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts and Marla Novo, the deputy director Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, and Matthew Prescott, television editor and UC Santa Cruz Arts Division alumnus whose career got started due to connections made at UC Santa Cruz via an internship at Blumhouse Productions.
Find Your Path! is a free event, and students can register on the events page. The Arts Division is here to ensure that students’ dreams become a reality, and the harmful stereotype that those in the arts can’t find a job is proven untrue. The arts are here to stay, and an arts degree opens career opportunities where people can make their passions a reality.
April 8, 2025 — 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
April 9, 2025 – 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Digital Arts Research Center (DARC)
Room 108
453 Kerr Road
Santa Cruz, Calif. 95064
