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Federal Career Guide

Creative Arts

Overview

Creative professionals help federal agencies communicate, educate and engage with the public. They use skills in design, photography, videography, visual storytelling, interpretation, writing and content creation to make government information accessible, accurate and impactful. 

Creative arts careers can be found across the federal government. Professionals in these roles create exhibits and educational materials, produce videos and digital content, design graphics and publications, manage websites and social media, document important events and help agencies share their missions with the public. Whether supporting a national park, public health campaign, museum or military organization, creative professionals play an important role in connecting people with government services, programs and history.

What You Might Work On

In the federal government, professionals in this field often: 

  • Create written, visual and multimedia content for public audiences  
  • Design graphics, exhibits, publications and digital communications materials  
  • Produce photography, video and audiovisual content that supports agency missions  
  • Translate complex information into engaging, accessible stories and experiences  
  • Develop educational and interpretive materials that help people connect with government programs, places and history 

Is This a Good Fit?

While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you: 

  • Enjoy creating visual, written or multimedia content  
  • Have an eye for design, storytelling or user experience  
  • Like balancing creativity with project goals and audience needs  
  • Enjoy learning about history, culture, science or public issues and sharing them with others  
  • Want to use your creative skills to support education, preservation or public engagement 
  • Are interested in preserving, interpreting and sharing historical or cultural resources 

Job Series Codes

What are job series codes? 
In the federal government, most jobs are grouped into “job series” based on the type of work. Each series has a four-digit code (for example, 1010, Exhibits Specialist). 

How to use them: 
You can use job series codes to narrow your search on USAJOBS. Start with a keyword (like “program analyst”), then add a series code for more targeted results. Here are a few examples to get you started — there are hundreds of job series codes across the federal government! 

CodeSeries / category nameCommon keywordsWhat you’ll do
1084Visual InformationGraphic design; digital media; photographyCreate visual content, graphics, exhibits and multimedia products
1071Audiovisual ProductionVideo production; multimedia; videographyProduce and edit video, audio and other multimedia content
1010Exhibits SpecialistMuseum exhibits; exhibit design; visitor experienceDesign, develop and maintain exhibits that help visitors engage with history, science, art and culture
1015Museum CuratorCollections management; museums; cultural heritagePreserve, research and interpret museum collections and cultural resources for public audiences
1001General Arts and InformationMuseum studies; interpretation; arts administrationSupport educational, cultural and creative programs across government

Where You Could Work

The federal government is big — so where do you start? 

One approach is to focus on a type of role. Another is to focus on a mission area, or the kind of impact you want to have (i.e., in public health, education, transportation or elsewhere).

Keep in mind: mission areas often span multiple agencies, so you may find relevant roles in places you wouldn’t expect! 

Professionals in this field work across many federal agencies depending on mission area, including: 

  • Museums, art and cultural heritage: Smithsonian Institution and National Gallery of Art
  • Parks, history and visitor experiences: National Park Service 
  • Libraries, archives and preservation: Library of Congress and National Archives and Records Administration 
  • Science, space and environmental education: National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
  • Public health education and outreach: Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  • International cultural exchange and public diplomacy: Department of State 
  • Military history, heritage and exhibits: Department of Defense and military museums 
  • Arts and cultural programs: National Endowment for the Arts

Sample Positions

Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement (1001) 

Employer / agencySmithsonian Institution
Location(s)Washington, D.C.; telework eligible
Mission contextThe Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, sharing art, history, culture, science and knowledge with audiences across the country.

In this role, you may: 

  • Lead national partnerships with museums and cultural organizations to expand access to Smithsonian programs, exhibitions and educational resources  
  • Develop public programs, community engagement initiatives and learning opportunities that connect audiences with Smithsonian stories and collections 

Preservation Technician (1001)

Employer / agencyNational Archives and Records Administration
Location(s)Spanish Lake, Missouri; telework eligible
Mission contextThe National Archives and Records Administration preserves and provides access to government records that document the rights, actions and history of the United States.

In this role, you may: 

  • Preserve, treat and assess archival records to help extend their usable life and prevent loss of information  
  • Support digitization and reformatting efforts that make archival materials easier to access and preserve for the future 

Top 10 agencies for this Field 

Top 10 Most Common Jobs in this Field

Positions Currently Open on USAJOBS

Browse current federal job openings on USAJOBS and explore opportunities across agencies and career fields. Use the filters to find positions that match your skills, review requirements, and understand how to apply.

Filters

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