In addition to the wedding and salon industries, makeup artists in Connecticut have enjoyed the professional opportunities that have resulted from more than 80 movies that have been filmed in the state in the past seven years alone. More than $137 million in tax credits have drawn blockbuster film producers and their stars (including Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas, and Tim Robbins, just to name a few) to Connecticut in the past few years.
“The arts mean business” in Connecticut, says the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts. And by all accounts, their statement is on point. According to a recent economic impact study, the arts and culture industry in Connecticut generates some $653 million in total economic activity every year. And that, of course, is great news for the more than 18,000 professionals who work in this Connecticut industry, including makeup artists.
A recent commitment to television production enterprises has allowed makeup artists to enjoy more permanent jobs and more opportunities. Just a few of the big names in television that are filmed in Connecticut include the Showtime series, “The Big C,” as well as the daytime talk shows, “The Jerry Springer Show” and “The Maury Povich Show.”
How to Become a Makeup Artist in Connecticut
The Connecticut Department of Health, Examining Board for Barbers, Hairdressers, and Cosmeticians licenses barbers, hairdressers, and cosmeticians, but there are no licensing requirements for makeup artists. However, this certainly does not mean that makeup artists in Connecticut do not pursue the training and education necessary to best serve their clients and succeed in their chosen occupation.
To become a makeup artist in Connecticut, your best path to a successful career begins with a formal training program, either through an apprenticeship or a makeup artist school.
A makeup artistry program, which is generally found either through a school of esthetics, a cosmetology institution, or a dedicated makeup school, will provide you with both a theoretical and hands-on education in all aspects of makeup.
Just a few of the areas of study in a makeup artistry program include classes in: evening, bridal, theatrical, 3D, airbrushing, and basic makeup techniques. These programs are most often taught by expert instructors who share their insights on makeup and beauty techniques.
Advanced makeup techniques are also often included in a comprehensive makeup artistry program, as is study in such areas as men’s grooming and tattoo coverage.
Career Opportunities for Makeup Artists in Connecticut
Theater and performance art in Connecticut are extensive, thanks to the abundant theaters and theater groups throughout the state, including venues like:
- Fairfield County Musical Theatre, Cos Cob
- The American Magic-Lantern Theater, East Haddam
- Valley Repertory Company, Enfield
- Hartford Stage, Hartford
- The Bushnell, Hartford
- Oddfellows Playhouse, Middletown
- The Hole in the Wall Theater, New Britain
- Yale Repertory Theater, New Haven
- Theatre Works, New Milford
- Stamford Theatre Works, Stamford
- Theatre Mania Productions, Inc., West Haven
- The Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield
Production companies for television, film, and commercials may also be a fantastic source of professional opportunities for makeup artists in Connecticut:
- Applebox Studio, Wilton
- Blue Sky Studios (Fox Entertainment), Greenwich
- Boyd Production, West Hartford
- Connecticut Public Television, Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Hartford
Makeup artists focusing their careers on special event makeup often find jobs in spas and salons, such as:
- The Beauty Bar, Southington
- Serenity Salon and Day Spa, Wallingford
- Body Shoppe Salon, Seymour
- The Main Switch Beauty Salon, Middletown
- Frederic Fekkai, Greenwich
- Jo-Davi Salon, Trumball
- Beauty Mark Salon & Spa, Broad Brook
- Posh Beauty Bar, Bridgeport