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Art Therapist

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Art therapists use art to help people of any age, who are experiencing physical, mental, emotional and social difficulties. They work with individuals or groups of clients in a safe, non-threatening environment. They do not judge the artistic standard of their clients’ work.

The Work

You could be:

Pay

Art therapists within the NHS Agenda for Change start on Band 6, £39,912 to £48,635 a year. With experience this rises to Band 7, £48,788 to £56,747 a year. Principal art therapists are at Band 8a, £60,126 to £64,906 a year and Band 8b, £70,986 to £75,937 a year. The current pay scales are from April 2024.

Outside the NHS your income would vary according to whether you were freelance or employed.

Conditions

Workforce Employment Status

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Useful Subjects

Getting In

This is a small profession and entry is competitive. Most art therapists work in the NHS but some work for local authority social work departments or voluntary organisations. This is also an expanding area in mainstream education and is developing in the museums and galleries sector. Other art therapists work freelance and are paid fees rather than a regular salary. Work is often based on fixed-term projects.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Employment

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Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland
2024
2058
2.7 %
RISE
2029
2114
  United Kingdom
2024
22196
5.5 %
RISE
2029
23422

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What Does it Take?

You should have:

Training

Getting On

More Information

Competition for posts is strong but it is possible for UK-trained art therapists to practise in some overseas countries.

Video

Courtesy of NHS Health Careers

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT)
Tel: 020 7686 4216
E-mail: hello@baat.org
Website: http://www.baat.org/
Twitter: @baat_org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebaat/

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Tel: 0300 500 6184
E-mail: education@hcpc-uk.org
Website: http://www.hcpc-uk.org/
Twitter: @The_HCPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hcpcuk

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the UK-wide regulatory body responsible for setting and maintaining standards of professional training, performance and conduct in the following health care professions: Arts Therapists; Audiologist; Biomedical Scientist; Chiropodist and Podiatrist; Clinical Scientist; Dietician; Dramatherapist; Occupational Therapist; Operating Department Practitioner; Orthoptist; Paramedic; Physiotherapist; Practitioner Psychologist; Prosthetist and Orthotist; Radiographer; Speech and Language Therapist. (The HCPC may regulate other healthcare professions in the future.) The HCPC website contains a register of all approved courses in the above professions.

NHS Scotland Careers
Website: http://www.careers.nhs.scot
Website (2): https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk/
Twitter: @NHSScotCareers

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Career Area

Health and Medicine

Career Sectors

Alternative Medicine

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