Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts

Jobs and Skills WA: Arts courses

Serious about a career in the arts? Build on your existing technical, creative and conceptual skills with this course offering a focus on skills development for career opportunities in arts administration, arts organisations and related industries. 

With this course, you'll be able to build on your existing technical, creative and conceptual skills in a professional studio environment; in media including drawing, life drawing, painting, digital / photomedia, printmaking, installation art, sculpture, public art, ceramics, digital art, glasswork, jewellery and textiles to enhance your portfolio.

This qualification offers a strong focus on skills development for career opportunities in arts administration, arts organisations and related industries. 

Units include art theory and history and arts management; critical thinking and problem solving; and the development of a body of original creative work.  You'll be job ready to work in government, commercial, private or community arts-based contexts in roles such as curator, arts officer, gallery coordinator, artist assistant, gallery technician or arts administrator. 

Note: This course is best suited for people who already have some background or experience in this field. If you're unsure, please seek advice from the training provider to see whether this course is the right choice for you.

Completion of this nationally recognised and accredited qualification may provide credit towards a relevant higher level qualification or university degree, should you wish to pursue further study in this field.

Industry: Creative Industries
National course code: CUA60720 | WA State ID: BGV3

Choose a WA TAFE college that delivers this course

To find out more about doing this course at a WA TAFE college, select one of the TAFEs listed below to read their course descriptions. You'll also be able to see at which TAFE campus/es the course is delivered.

If you would like further information such as when the course is available and how to enrol, and details of course fees, or if you have questions about how the course is delivered, please follow the Find out more link to go to the TAFE's website where you will find full course details and contact information so that you can speak to the TAFE directly.

Time to get crafty!

Year long course - commences in January 2024

Our Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts offers a strong focus on skills development for career opportunities in arts administration, arts organisations and related industries.

You will be able to build on your existing technical, creative and conceptual skills in a professional studio environment.

This course is also a great opportunity to enhance your portfolio in media including:

  • Drawing,
  • Life drawing,
  • Painting,
  • Digital/photomedia,
  • Printmaking,
  • Installation art,
  • Sculpture,
  • Public art,
  • Ceramics,
  • Digital art,
  • Glasswork,
  • Jewellery and textiles.

Prepare for professional practice as a contemporary artist or designer

During this course you'll explore, practice and demonstrate what it is to be a creative practitioner and gain the skills and knowledge required to be self-sufficient upon graduation.

This course brings together lecturers and students from disciplines in:

  • visual art
  • jewellery 
  • product design

and is designed for artists and designers who are seeking to refine skills and knowledge in an holistic studio environment.

You'll develop your own project proposals in one of these three specialisations and work closely with our lecturers and technicians to explore your ideas and bring your visions to life. At the end of the Advanced Diploma of Visual Art you are invited to participate in a graduation exhibition which is renowned nationally for showcasing some of the WA’s best emerging artists and designers.

You will study in our purpose-built art and design facilities and have access to broad range of industry standard equipment and materials. North Metropolitan TAFE’s reputation for producing outstanding graduates is built on over 100 years of high-quality Art and Design training in Western Australia.

As a visual artist or designer, you may choose to develop your own independent practice, seek employment opportunities within specific creative industries or explore other opportunities, such as internships or residencies, that will further focus and extend your creative practice. Visual artists and designers possess transferable ‘creative skills’ that can be applied within a variety of professional contexts and that allow for interdisciplinary collaborations across existing and emerging industries. Career opportunities for artists and designers exist across a broad range of arts, government and commercial organisations.

This course is only offered in semester one of each year.


The information presented on the course lists within this website is provided to the Department of Training and Workforce Development by the WA TAFE colleges and private training providers, and is offered as a guide only. It is updated regularly, however some changes to details may occur in between updates. You should always contact the TAFE or private training provider directly to confirm details and/or ask questions.