Professional

Wikipedia is the source text. So, grain of salt and all that...

Definition:

"A professional is a worker required to possess a large body of knowledge derived from extensive academic study (usually tertiary), with the training almost always formalized. "

So far, so good. I'm a professional!

"Professionals are at least to a degree self-regulating, in that they control the training and evaluation processes that admit new persons to the field, and in judging whether the work done by their members is up to standard. This differs from other kinds of work where regulation (if considered necessary) is imposed by the state, or where official quality standards are often lacking. Professions have some historical links to guilds in these regards."

Ok. How much is it going to cost me to join the guild?

"Professionals usually exercise autonomy in the workplace, and are expected to utilize their independent judgement and professional ethics in carrying out their responsibilities. This holds true even if they are employees instead of working on their own. Typically a professional provides a service (in exchange for payment or salary), in accordance with established protocols for licensing, ethics, procedures, standards of service and training / certification."

Who is the decider of the established protocols? I don't know how it will all pan out, but I am nearly certain that certifications and regulations are coming and this may be a good time to join Americans for the Arts. I think you can get a Teaching Artist discount on the membership because it is obvious to everyone that most Teaching Artists probably don't make enough money to afford to join a national organization that represents our interests. There's an irony there and it makes me sad to point it out. Anyway, it never hurts to ask. Your employer might also be willing to hook you up with a membership.