How to Become an Art Broker
Learn all you can about art., Decide what kind of art you'd like to specialize in., Apply for an internship at an art gallery, auction house, or museum by sending out your resume to organizations you feel will be a good fit for your area of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn all you can about art.
The best way to do this is to get a degree in Art History, which allows you to learn about the development of art throughout the ages and the different styles and artist movements.
This will also give you the opportunity to find out on which period and style you'd like to focus. -
Step 2: Decide what kind of art you'd like to specialize in.
Popular periods and movements include the Old Masters of the Golden Age, Renaissance art, the impressionists, as well as medieval art, contemporary art and Asian art.
Choose a specialty that you enjoy rather than one you think will be lucrative.
The art market is volatile and it's almost impossible to predict trends. , If you completed an Art History degree, enquire at your college whether they offer placement help.
An internship will give you experience in the business of art, including assessing the value of pieces, understanding how to acquire and sell them, and even the financial and management aspects of running an art dealership. , If you have interned, they might offer you a position.
Positions at art galleries may include sales assistant, senior art consultant, preparator (the person in charge of preparing exhibitions) and registrar (the person in charge of documenting acquisitions, sales, and loans to other galleries).
The number of positions will depend on the size of the gallery, but it's important to realize that some of the most successful galleries are run as a small business with only one or two people filling all the different roles. , Who your sellers are depends on your area of expertise.
For example, if you specialize in contemporary art, your sellers will most likely be artists, but if you specialize in Russian icons, your sellers are most likely to be foreign art dealers and auction houses.
Your buyers will, in general, be art lovers with a certain amount of expendable cash, corporations looking to invest in art to increase their equity, and museums.
You can meet these parties by attending openings of art exhibitions, serving on boards at local, national and international organizations, and playing a prominent role in the organization of any showing at your own gallery.
Maintain a current knowledge of the art world, especially your area of expertise.
You can gain more esteem in the art world by writing about your specialization, either as articles in trade magazines or newspapers, or as entire non-fiction works aimed at the art lovers market. , Attending art shows is crucial to enhance your knowledge of the current marketplace and expand your network of dealers, artists and buyers. -
Step 3: Apply for an internship at an art gallery
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Step 4: auction house
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Step 5: or museum by sending out your resume to organizations you feel will be a good fit for your area of interest.
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Step 6: Apply for a job at an art gallery.
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Step 7: Expand your network of sellers and buyers of art.
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Step 8: Regularly visit art shows such as the Los Angeles Art Show
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Step 9: the ADAA Art Show in NYC
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Step 10: and the Venice Biennale.
Detailed Guide
The best way to do this is to get a degree in Art History, which allows you to learn about the development of art throughout the ages and the different styles and artist movements.
This will also give you the opportunity to find out on which period and style you'd like to focus.
Popular periods and movements include the Old Masters of the Golden Age, Renaissance art, the impressionists, as well as medieval art, contemporary art and Asian art.
Choose a specialty that you enjoy rather than one you think will be lucrative.
The art market is volatile and it's almost impossible to predict trends. , If you completed an Art History degree, enquire at your college whether they offer placement help.
An internship will give you experience in the business of art, including assessing the value of pieces, understanding how to acquire and sell them, and even the financial and management aspects of running an art dealership. , If you have interned, they might offer you a position.
Positions at art galleries may include sales assistant, senior art consultant, preparator (the person in charge of preparing exhibitions) and registrar (the person in charge of documenting acquisitions, sales, and loans to other galleries).
The number of positions will depend on the size of the gallery, but it's important to realize that some of the most successful galleries are run as a small business with only one or two people filling all the different roles. , Who your sellers are depends on your area of expertise.
For example, if you specialize in contemporary art, your sellers will most likely be artists, but if you specialize in Russian icons, your sellers are most likely to be foreign art dealers and auction houses.
Your buyers will, in general, be art lovers with a certain amount of expendable cash, corporations looking to invest in art to increase their equity, and museums.
You can meet these parties by attending openings of art exhibitions, serving on boards at local, national and international organizations, and playing a prominent role in the organization of any showing at your own gallery.
Maintain a current knowledge of the art world, especially your area of expertise.
You can gain more esteem in the art world by writing about your specialization, either as articles in trade magazines or newspapers, or as entire non-fiction works aimed at the art lovers market. , Attending art shows is crucial to enhance your knowledge of the current marketplace and expand your network of dealers, artists and buyers.
About the Author
James Castillo
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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