By: Pauline Dulang, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in art and design to grow 4% while employment in media and communication will grow 14% from 2020 to 2030.
Katherine Sullivan is a 25-year-old photographer and entrepreneur.
Alongside her business partner, Karissa Moreland, she is the co-owner of K&K Photo and Film, a wedding photography and videography business based in Omaha.
Instead of the cut-throat competition you’d find in major cities, Sullivan said. Omaha creates a welcoming atmosphere for growing creatives such as herself. In her eyes, the creative markets of New York and Los Angeles tend to be oversaturated, making it difficult to take successful strides in the industry.
Creative Director of nonprofit Chariots4Hope, Bryce Bedinger, said most creative jobs in Omaha are listed and disguised under marketing and communication titles.
“After 2020, people are realizing that they need a good digital presence,” said Bedinger. “Not just a digital presence, but a good one. A lot of companies are dipping their toe in the water by not just having a marketer, but having a creative director. [These are] people who can edit in every Adobe creative platform. They can’t just use Canva, they have to edit in Photoshop, shoot a video with a real camera that they know how to operate and edit in Premiere [Pro].”
People focus on the “right-out-of-college” positions, Bedinger said. Like any other dream job, Bedinger believes a “dream” creative occupation is one that you must work toward and create. “You may have to start off designing a company’s brochure and from there, you slowly implement new techniques and make the position your own.”
“There’s plenty of work to go around,” Sullivan said. “That’s the great thing about Omaha. The creative community is awesome,” she said.
The challenge Omaha faces is its lacking of photo-op establishments. To Sullivan, it’s also about the initiative. It’s the challenge in creating those spaces is what causes her to grow in her craft.
“I feel comfortable and confident going anywhere because I’ve had to work in really hard situations and adjust,” said Sullivan. “There can be opportunities anywhere you look,” she said.
