National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0

5 - Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

This broad category comprises specialized middle management occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport, as well as professional, technical, support and other occupations concerned with art and culture (including the performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries and museums), recreation and sports.

53 - Occupations in art, culture and sport

This major group comprises occupations in art, culture and sport. These occupations come with Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) identified as TEER 3. Occupations classified in TEER 3, as those included in this group with a 3 as the second digit of their code, typically require completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or completion of an apprenticeship training program of less than two years; or more than six months of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or the accumulation of several years of experience in a related occupation found in TEER 4, when applicable (TEER 4 includes occupations with a 4 as a second digit in their code).

531 - Occupations in art and culture

This sub-major group comprises occupations in art and culture, including occupations related to museums and art galleries; photographers and support occupations in arts and culture; and occupations in creative and performing arts

5312 - Occupations in creative and performing art

This minor group comprises occupations in creative and performing art, including dancers; actors, comedians and circus performers; painters, sculptors and other visual artists; theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers; artisans and craftspersons; patternmakers of textile, leather and fur products. They are employed by radio and television stations, broadcast departments, and film, television and recording studios; advertising and record production companies; ballet, dance and opera companies; orchestras, bands, choirs, concert halls, theatres, lounges and night clubs; television, theatre, film and other production companies; textile, leather and fur products manufacturers; artisan guilds; and dance, acting and art schools; or they may be self-employed.

53120 - Dancers

Dancers are employed by ballet and dance companies, television and film productions and nightclubs and similar establishments. This unit group also includes dance teachers who are usually employed by dance academies and dance schools.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • ballet dancer
  • ballet teacher
  • ballroom dancing teacher
  • dance instructor
  • dancer
  • folkloric dancer
  • interpretative dancer
  • tap dancer

  All examples

• Inclusion(s)

  • performance movement teacher

• Exclusion(s)

  • Choreographer (See 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations)
  • Other performers (See 55109 Other performers)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Dancers

  • Practise and rehearse dance routines under direction or instruction to achieve desired interpretation and presentation
  • Perform dances as soloists or as members of groups before live audiences or for film or television
  • Train and exercise to maintain the required levels of ability and fitness
  • May choreograph their own performances.

  Dance teachers

  • Teach dance technique and artistic interpretation to amateur and professional individuals and groups
  • Teach the techniques, cultural origins and symbolic meanings of Aboriginal, ethnic and folkloric dances
  • Teach recreational dancing lessons such as ballroom dancing
  • Prepare dance students for specific auditions and performances.

  Dancers may specialize in specific types of dance such as ballet, ballroom, folk, jazz or modern.

• Employment requirements

  • A university degree or college diploma in dance
    or
    Graduation from a private dance school or academy may be required.
  • Talent and ability, as demonstrated during an audition, are important hiring criteria.
  • Dance teachers usually require experience as dancers.
  • Membership in a guild or union related to the occupation or type of performance may be required.

53121 - Actors, comedians and circus performers

Actors, comedians and circus performers perform roles and circus skills in circuses, motion picture, television, theatre and radio productions to entertain a variety of audiences. They are employed by motion picture, television, circuses, theatre and other production companies. This unit group includes acting teachers employed by private acting schools.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • acrobat
  • acting teacher - private or studio
  • actor/actress
  • circus performer
  • clown
  • comedian
  • drama teacher - private or studio
  • narrator

  All examples

• Inclusion(s)

  • standardized patient

• Exclusion(s)

  • Announcers and other broadcasters (See 52114 Announcers and other broadcasters)
  • Dancers (See 53120 Dancers)
  • Drama professor - university (See 41200 University professors and lecturers)
  • Musicians and singers (See 51122 Musicians and singers)
  • Other performers (See 55109 Other performers)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Actors and comedians

  • Study and rehearse lines, gestures and expressions to interpret a role
  • Portray roles in video or motion picture productions, television shows, theatre productions, radio dramas, commercials and other productions or perform the narration
  • Sing or dance as required by specific roles
  • Perform comedy acts in nightclubs alone or as members of comedy troupes
  • Improvise a role.

  Acting teachers

  • Train students in interpretation of scripts, speech, movement, and dramatic theory
  • Prepare acting students for specific auditions and performances.

  Circus performers

  • Perform a variety of acts intended to amaze, thrill, and engage audiences
  • Conceptualize and choreograph original performances
  • Study and perform acrobatic and aerial skills required by specific circus shows.
  • May participate in the development of a director or ringmaster's vision

• Employment requirements

  • Demonstrated ability, based on an audition or previous acting or circus roles, is an important hiring criteria.
  • Circus performers and acrobats may require a period of study at a circus school.
  • Acting programs are offered at universities, colleges and private acting schools.
  • Acting teachers usually require experience as actors.
  • Membership in a guild or union may be required.

53122 - Painters, sculptors and other visual artists

Painters, sculptors and other visual artists create original paintings, drawings, sculptures, engravings and other artistic works. They are usually self-employed. This unit group also includes art instructors and teachers, who are usually employed by art schools.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • art teacher (except primary, secondary and post-secondary education)
  • artist
  • artistic painter
  • portrait painter
  • sculptor
  • silkscreen artist
  • watercolourist

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Art teacher - elementary school (See 41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers)
  • Art teacher - secondary school (See 41220 Secondary school teachers)
  • Artisans and craftspersons (See 53124 Artisans and craftspersons)
  • Fine arts professor - university (See 41200 University professors and lecturers)
  • Fine arts teacher - college level (See 41210 College and other vocational instructors)
  • Graphic designers and illustrators (See 52120 Graphic designers and illustrators)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Painters

  • Create drawings, paintings and other artwork using oils, pastels, watercolours, charcoal, ink and other media.

  Sculptors

  • Create sculptures, statues and other three-dimensional artwork by shaping, carving and working with materials such as clay, ice, paper, stone, wood or metal.

  Art instructors and teachers

  • Teach students the techniques and methods of drawing, painting, sculpting and other forms of artistic expression.

• Employment requirements

  • Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of the safe use of materials, tools and equipment are required. Art programs are offered at universities, colleges and private art schools.
  • A college diploma in fine arts techniques may be required.
  • Art instructors and teachers may be required to have a university degree or college diploma in a field related to art.

53123 - Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers

Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers conceptualize and produce designs for film, television, theatre and video productions, garments and textiles, displays and exhibits, and for other creative items such as jewellery and trophies. Theatre designers are employed by performing arts and broadcasting companies and by festivals; fashion designers are employed by clothing and textile companies or may be self-employed; and exhibit designers are employed by museums. Other creative designers in this unit group are employed by manufacturing establishments or may be self-employed.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • clothing designer
  • costume designer
  • couturier - haute couture
  • fabric designer
  • fashion designer
  • fur designer
  • jewellery designer
  • lighting designer
  • museum exhibit designer
  • shoe designer
  • trophy designer

  All examples

• Inclusion(s)

  • facilities designer
  • fashion coordinator
  • fashion stylist

• Exclusion(s)

  • Diorama maker - museums and art galleries (See 53100 Registrars, restorers, interpreters and other occupations related to museum and art galleries)
  • Graphic designers and illustrators (See 52120 Graphic designers and illustrators)
  • Industrial designers (See 22211 Industrial designers)
  • Interior designers and interior decorators (See 52121 Interior designers and interior decorators)
  • Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products (See 53125 Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products)
  • Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners (See 64200 Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Theatre designers

  • Design and create settings, scenic environments, properties, costumes and lighting for theatre, film and video productions, operas and ballets.

  Fashion designers

  • Design and create clothing and accessories for men, women and children.

  Exhibit designers

  • Plan and develop permanent and temporary or moveable exhibits and displays for museum exhibitions, trade shows, conventions and other exhibitions.

  Theatre designers may specialize in costume, lighting or set design; fashion designers may specialize in men's, women's or children's apparel or in different lines such as sportswear, footwear or formal wear.

• Employment requirements

  • A university degree in fine arts or visual arts with specialization in theatre design, clothing design or exhibit design
    or
    completion of a college or art school program in theatre design, clothing design or exhibit design is required.
  • Creative ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, is required.
  • Use of computer-aided design (CAD) software may be required.

• Additional information

  • Designers may advance to supervisory and management positions.

53124 - Artisans and craftspersons

Artisans and craftspersons use manual and artistic skills to design and make ornamental objects, pottery, stained glass, jewellery, rugs, blankets, other handicrafts and artistic floral arrangements. Makers of musical instruments are also included in this unit group. Most craftspersons are self-employed. Artistic floral arrangers are usually employed in florist shops and floral departments of retail establishments, or may be self-employed. Craft instructors are also included in this unit group and are employed by artisan guilds, colleges, private studios and recreational organizations.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • artistic floral arranger
  • carver
  • craft instructor (except education)
  • craftsperson
  • glass blower
  • lace weaver - arts and crafts
  • leather worker
  • metal arts worker
  • potter
  • screen printing artisan
  • silversmith
  • stained glass artist
  • stringed instrument maker
  • totem pole carver
  • weaver - arts and crafts

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Cabinetmakers (See 72311 Cabinetmakers)
  • Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations (See 62202 Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations)
  • Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (See 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists)
  • Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations (See 94131 Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Carvers

  • Use hand tools and woodworking machines to produce carvings from wood, stone and other materials and to carve ornamental designs into wooden furniture and other objects.

  Glass blowers

  • Design and create glass objects using blowpipes and artisan's hand tools and equipment.

  Metal arts workers

  • Design metal jewellery, utensils, implements, wall hangings and other objects and create them from gold, silver, copper, pewter and other metals.

  Potters

  • Design ornamental and ceramic functional earthenware pieces and create them using clay, moulds, potter's wheels and other equipment, glazing materials and kilns.

  Stained glass artists

  • Design stained glass windows, lampshades and other objects and cut, paint, fire and assemble pieces of stained glass to create such products.

  Instrument makers

  • Construct instruments by applying their knowledge of wood, ebonite, metal properties and other materials and instrument design using hand and power tools.

  Weavers

  • Use hands or loom to interlace strips of flexible material such as wool, cotton, silk, grasses, bark and rawhide to make baskets, wreaths, wall hangings, clothing, rugs, blankets and other objects.

  Craft instructors

  • Prepare craftmaking lessons, gather the required working materials and demonstrate and teach craftmaking techniques.

  Artistic floral arrangers

  • Design bouquets, corsages, sprays, wreaths and other floral arrangements and select natural and artificial flowers, foliage and decorative accessories to create arrangements or other floral items to suit customers' requirements.

• Employment requirements

  • Skills are often learned through apprenticeship with a master craftsperson.
  • Training programs are offered by artisan guilds, colleges and private studios.
  • Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of safe handling of material, tools and equipment are required.
  • A college diploma in fine craft techniques may be required.

53125 - Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products

Patternmakers in textile, leather and fur products create master patterns for the production of garments, footwear and other textile, leather or fur products. They are employed by pattern manufacturers, textile, leather or fur products manufacturers, or they may be self-employed.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • dress patternmaker
  • embroidery patternmaker
  • fur garment patternmaker
  • garment patternmaker
  • leather products patternmaker
  • shoe patternmaker
  • textile products patternmaker

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (See 92015 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Examine sketches, samples of articles and specifications of designs to determine number, size and shape of pattern parts and assess the amount of cloth required to make a product
  • Draw, lay out and cut master patterns of products
  • Outline parts of patterns on paper and mark patterns to indicate details such as the placement of pockets and pleats on garments, decorative stitching on shoe parts or eyelets on canvas products
  • Create pattern size variations from master patterns using computer or drafting instruments, or forward patterns to computer operator to create pattern size variations
  • Lay out master patterns on fabric and cut sample patterns
  • Mark size, identification, style and sewing instructions on sample patterns.

• Employment requirements

  • Completion of secondary school is required.
  • College courses in design and patternmaking
    or
    One to two years of on-the-job training are required.
  • Courses in computer-assisted patternmaking may be required.

• Additional information

  • Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.