In this series I delve into some of the top art careers that people choose to pursue when they come out of art school. I put together these posts because it is all too common for prospective or current art students, and artists to be on the receiving end of questions such as “Can you actually get a job with an art degree? Will you be able to get a mortgage in the future? Can you have a stable income in the industry?”
I know many successful people in the industry with extensive and exciting careers. In part one I covered: Art Professors, Art Teachers, Marketing and PR specialists, and Art Therapists.
Part two looks at some key careers within gallery and museum settings.
Take a look at my side hustle guide for other ideas to make money and Is an art degree worth the investment? for an in depth assessment of the value of studying art.
Art Curator
An art curator is the person working within a gallery, museum or arts venue, or externally as a freelancer, who plans and organizes art exhibitions and creative programs. This might be a one-off event or a season of events under the umbrella of a themed program including lectures, workshops, seminars, exhibitions and events with a supporting publication.
Who does it suit? Not only does someone have to be creative, they often need to be academic, have a level of practical project management prowess, strong networking and communication skills.
What does the job involve? A curator provides the creative narrative, selects the artists to commission or existing artworks to include, and the arrangement of the work in a space. There are a lot of administrative duties; running budgets; organizing the shipping of artwork and general transportation of materials; filling out paperwork (risk assessments, licenses, loan agreements, contracts). Many also must be strong writers and produce proposals for grants and shows. Curators are often the spokesperson for a show or program of events and required to give public facing talks and press interviews.
What qualifications are required? MA, PhD – there is no one-way blueprint to becoming an art curator but most successful curators have at least a master’s degree. Some curators also obtain a museum studies qualification. Experience working within the art industry and in a gallery or museum setting is essential.
How can this work with your art practice? Being a curator, like working in PR, requires strong networking skills. These professional connections can go a long way to helping an artist get a ‘foot in the door’ that can support their own artistic practice as well as their creative career as a curator.
Gallery or Museum Manager
It can really depend on the size of the gallery or museum as to how the role of gallery manager is shaped. Larger museums will have directors, managers, marketing teams, programming teams and lots of workers in between, smaller venues have fewer workers that have much broader job descriptions and responsibilities.
Who does it suit? Organized and strong communicators. Time keeping, multitasking and practical problem-solving skills are essential.
What does the job involve? Managers of creative venues require strong financial and budgeting skills. They oversee or directly handle most of the practical aspects: finances; legal requirements such as health and safety, and public liability; interviewing and hiring recruits; art handling, storage and conservation; managing a team of workers so they are on schedule for shows and other deadlines.
What qualifications are required? A fine art degree and additional training courses such as health and safety, first aid, financial and systems management.
How can this work with your art practice? This is not a part-time job. Being a manager of a venue is a full-time – an all-hours career choice.
Conservation or Restoration Specialist
Art conservation keeps items within a collection such as a painting or an artifact in good condition and aims to prevent any further deterioration or damage. This role is essential within a museum, an auction house or a collection (private or public). Art restoration takes it one step further with an aim to bring an item back to its original condition.
Who does it suit? People with a strong eye for detail and a lot of patience.
What does the job involve? This depends on the type of collection and variety of objects. Some are highly specialized in one area such as paintings or ceramics. Other conservation workers look after a broader collection which may require subcontracting freelance conservation specialists.
What qualifications are required? People get into conservation and restoration careers from a variety of backgrounds. A degree in either fine art, art history, anthropology, chemistry or archaeology is often required. Further courses specific to a particular field and practical experience is essential.
How can this work with your art practice? The learning curve of a conservation or restoration specialist is steep and constant – expect to always develop new skills and understanding of tools, historical techniques as well as modern techniques. These skills can be applied to an artist's creative practice.
Which creative career are you interested in or currently pursuing? Leave your comments below, I love to hear your input!
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