INDUSTRY WK 4: Interviewing an industry professional
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 8
Interviewing industry professionals is an important way to learn in the creative industries because it helps artists understand how things really work. It gives insight into how artists make their work, make decisions, work with others, and build their careers. Interviews also show what it’s actually like to work in the industry day to day. In this way, they become a way of sharing knowledge and learning from real experience.
Conducting a meaningful interview requires preparation and thoughtful design. Poor interviews often occur when questions are vague, overly long, or focused on information that could easily be found through prior research. Effective interviews instead rely on open-ended questions that invite reflection, explanation, and storytelling. This approach encourages deeper discussion about creative process, challenges, and motivations rather than simple factual responses.
Another key aspect of interviewing is research. Before interviewing an artist, it is important to investigate their background, artistic practice, exhibitions, and publications. This preparation allows the interviewer to ask informed questions that demonstrate engagement with the artist's work. It also helps the conversation move beyond basic biography toward discussion of ideas, influences, and professional experiences. In the creative industries, strong interviews combine preparation, curiosity, and active listening.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia Artist Voice Series provides examples of how professional artist interviews can communicate artistic practice and ideas to audiences. These case studies demonstrate how structured conversations allow artists to reflect on their work while making contemporary art accessible to wider audiences.
The interview with Augusta Vinall Richardson presents the artist discussing her work in the context of the Primavera 2025: Young Australian Artists exhibition. The video format combines the artist's spoken explanation with visual documentation of her work. This structure is effective because it allows viewers to connect the artist's ideas directly with the artworks being discussed. Richardson reflects on the materials, themes, and conceptual concerns that inform her practice, helping the audience understand how her work developed.
From an interview point of view, the questions are clearly planned to get the artist to talk about how she works, not just the final result. The interviewer gives her time to think and explain her ideas. This shows an important part of a good interview, letting the artist speak in their own words and go deeper into their process.
The conversation between Karla Dickens and Megan Cope demonstrates another effective interview format: dialogue between artists. Instead of a traditional interviewer and interviewee relationship, this discussion becomes a peer conversation where both artists share perspectives about their practices and experiences.
Dickens and Cope discuss themes connected to identity, culture, and social issues within their work, revealing how personal histories and broader political contexts influence their practices. The conversation feels open and natural, rather than scripted, which makes it more genuine. It also shows how important it is to create a comfortable space and to really listen, as each person builds on what the other is saying.
References:
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia 2020, Artist Voice: Karla Dickens and Megan Cope, online video, YouTube, viewed 4 March 2026, <https://youtu.be/FujdJvX4WXM>. (Video 2)
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia 2025, Augusta Vinall Richardson – Primavera, online video, YouTube, viewed 4 March 2026, <https://youtu.be/RXbCdF0ma4o>. (Video 1)
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia 2026, MCA Artist Voice Series, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, viewed 4 March 2026, <https://www.mca.com.au/stories-and-ideas/mca-artist-voice-series/>. (Figure 2)
The Pictorial List 2026, Interviews, The Pictorial List, viewed 4 March 2026, <https://www.thepictorial-list.com/interviews>. (Figure 1)
