Pandemic-Driven Shifts in Career Ambitions: Exploring the Rise of Mental Health Awareness among Visual Art Students

This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced career trajectories and mental health awareness among final-year visual art students at the Academy of Visual Arts (AVA) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU).A mixed-methods approach was adopted, involving a retrospective analysis of annual survey data (2021–2023) combined with qualitative reflections. Percentages of student interest in varied creative career pathways, including art therapy, were compared.Among 122, 110, and 96 final-year students surveyed in 2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively, interest in art therapy declined from 21.6% (in 2021) to 13.6% (in 2023), yet remained above pre-pandemic estimates. Overall, the results show a continuing preference for roles offering independence and flexibility, with freelance careers and entrepreneurship retaining moderate appeal.Despite a decrease in direct aspirations for art therapy, mental health awareness remains an enduring theme among visual art students. These findings highlight the need for curricular reforms integrating art-based mental health advocacy, entrepreneurial skills, and technological proficiencies to equip graduates for a post-pandemic creative ecosystem.