Overview
Start your creative journey at CNC. This intensive one-year certificate can lead to many visual arts careers — painting, illustration, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, and design. Graduates who pursue further studies often become arts administrators, educators, historians, conservators, curators, and gallerists.
Careers
A career is like a blank canvas. A year of fine-arts education will empower you to recognize and make the most of career pathways available to you.
Some fine arts graduates become artists working in any number of mediums. Full-time artists are usually self-employed and highly entrepreneurial. Many fine arts graduates also work as educators or instructors, either full-time or part-time.
Careers you might choose to pursue after include:
- Painter, Muralist, Illustrator
- Sculptor, ceramicist, printmaker
- Photographer
- Design (graphics, web, UI/UX, industrial, interior, fashion/textile)
- Film/TV production
- Cartoonist
- Arts educator/instructor
- Art critic/reviewer
- Art historian/theorist
- Conservation specialist
- Curator
- Gallery manager/art dealer
Take your second year at Emily Carr
CNC has an official block transfer agreement with Emily Carr University. Students who complete the Fine Arts Certificate with a 3.00 GPA or higher can transfer directly into their second year at Emily Carr in Vancouver.
You also have the option to apply for second-year status in a number of other post-secondary visual art programs throughout the province.
See bccat.ca for details.
What you will learn
Taught by professional artists and educators, you'll refine your creative thinking, problem solving, and technical skills. The program also builds your research and writing abilities while introducing essential professional practices for today's artists, including copyright, contracts, commissions, grant writing, and portfolio development.
Build your artistic foundation and prepare for a vibrant career in the visual arts.
Fine Arts Certificate Courses
This intensive one-year certificate can lead to careers in the visual arts. Prospective students will have studied and practiced fine arts. Taught by professional artists and educators, this program fosters individual development in creative thinking, problem solving, technical skills, and management for the business side of your career: copyright, contracts, commissions, and more.
Required Courses
English Option
Choose one of
Elective Option
*FINE 108 - Making a Living as an Artist
or Any transferable ENGL course excluding ENGL-103 and ENGL-113
*Please refer to existing transfer agreements and consult with advisors at CNC and receiving institution as needed
| COURSE CODE |
COURSE TITLE |
CREDITS |
LENGTH |
Locations & Dates
CNC programs have varying lengths and start dates to meet your needs, and are offered across multiple campuses where possible. Don’t see the campus you’re looking for? Check back with us soon as this page is updated throughout the school year.
| START DATE |
CAMPUS |
DELIVERY |
LENGTH |
| Fall 2026 |
Prince George |
In Class |
1 year |
Entry Requirements
Successful completion of the following:
- High school graduation or equivalent
- English Studies 12, or English First Peoples 12, or ENGL 050, or ENGL 051, or equivalent
Additional program-specific admission requirements
This certificate is not intended as an introduction to basic artistic practice. Prospective students must have demonstrable artistic ability together with foundational arts education (e.g. secondary school courses or private study) and/or prior practice in one or more relevant artistic disciplines.
Need help meeting these requirements? Check out our Academic Upgrading options.
Invest in your future
The estimated cost for this program is $3,425.01. (Supplies extra)
These costs are an estimate. Student fees vary by campus. Check the fee schedule for more details.
Books for this program can be purchased from the bookstore.