Whether you want to work in a museum, gallery or auction house, here’s the definitive guide to landing your first job in the art world

Working in the arts is an exciting and rewarding career path for anyone creative. From pop-up exhibitions to glitzy evening auctions, there’s truly something for everyone. 

However, with the advent of widespread redundancies across art institutions, those that work in the arts find themselves in a quandary. Thousands of students have graduated in the middle of a global recession and it has become increasingly difficult to find a job, but not all is lost!

Whether you recently watched The Price of Everything and realised your true calling as an art dealer, or you’re just here for the a e s t h e t i c, here are some tips for landing your first job in the arts:

• Education - although there are a multitude of pathways into the arts sector, you can’t really go wrong with a BA in History of Art. This is kind of a no brainer, but I’m going to put it in here anyway. Essay writing and learning how to analyse artworks will equip you with the fundamental skills needed to work in a museum, gallery or auction house.

  You’ll find that a lot of curators & specialists studied History of Art at undergraduate level. Humanities such as English lit, History and Modern Languages are also great alternatives.

  The art world is competitive so if you can afford to do a masters, I definitely would recommend. Maybe try specialising in a specific art period that interests you. That being said, a masters is by no means essential.

  
  

• Experience - interning at a museum or gallery will provide you with relevant experience and also give you a chance to find out whether this is something you’ll actually enjoy. During my BA I interned a lot and it helped me to figure out that I wanted to do this art thing full time.

  Aim to get as much experience as you can before you graduate. This doesn’t have to be limited to the most famous museums or galleries, some of the best in the industry started their careers at smaller institutions! Try your local library or heritage site, it’s likely that they’ll be happy to have some extra help.

  PSA: entry level is not lucrative. For the record, paying interns is big dick energy and I’m proud to work for a company that does. However, many galleries etc will expect you to work for free (shoutout to all the unpaid interns whose backs must be tired from SUPPORTING this industry), with the promise of exposure. A lot of people need to work part-time elsewhere in order to do this, which is not okay and something that the art world needs to address, but until it does, please be prepared for this.

• CV & LinkedIn - no typos! Jk you are human and will be forgiven for this. Keep your CV layout clean and simple and list your experience starting with the most recent first. Always make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and try using a nice yet professional photo. It doesn’t have to be a headshot that screams #girlboss but it needs to give off a strong hire me vibe.

• Languages - with the ever increasing globalisation of the art market, fluency in a foreign language such as French, German, Italian, Russian or Mandarin will make you a competitive applicant. Who wouldn’t want to hire somebody that can talk about Duchamp in two languages?

  Maybe try taking a language as an elective during uni or sign up for an evening class. If all else fails, there’s always Duo Lingo 🦉 

• Know Your Shit - this one’s important. Go to as many exhibitions, private views, daytime auctions and symposiums as you can. Luckily a lot of these are free! Read up on the art world, be sure to keep up with art news through publications such as artsy, the art newspaper and artnet. The ideal candidate is well versed in art history and the art market (I’ve said art like 100 times lmao). They know their Schiele from their Klimt, their Dubuffet from their Basquiat, but they also know what sold at Basel. Industry knowledge is essential. 

• Network - if your dad is David Zwirner/invented Toaster Strudel, congrats! Please ignore everything you’ve just read, you don’t need this, like at all. If on the off chance your dad is neither of the people mentioned above, you’re probably going to need to network. 12 times out of 10 the word network invokes feelings of fear, nausea and anxiety, which is totally understandable. Networking in the traditional sense can often feel contrived, but it really doesn’t have to. Forming genuine friendships can be a form of networking, so why not give it a try? Challenge yourself to attend an art event that interests you and spark up a conversation with someone new!

• Dealing With Rejection/Ghosting - for those of you who have graduated during the pandemic, you’ve probably heard a few no’s during your job hunt, and that’s completely okay. Rejection emails feel like hell but you have to remember that this is possibly the most difficult time in recent history to land a job of any kind. Searching for a job during a global crisis is like searching for a good guy on a dating app, it’s HARD. The trick is to power through. This is purely a numbers game, so keep applying! Send your CV to anyone that will look at it. Call them up. Email again. Check in! And remember that a rejection is in no way a reflection of your own self worth. You will land that dream job, I promise. Times are tough, but hey, so are you.

  
  
  

• Lastly, here are some great websites to help you search for creative jobs:

  
  

  1. Arts Council Jobs 

  2. The Dots

  3. Creative Access

  4. The Art Gorgeous

  5. University of Leicester Museum Jobs 

  6. your uni career service :)

So there you have it, a definitive guide to landing your first job in the arts. Best of luck and if you have any questions or tips of your own, leave a comment below!