How to Become an Art Gallery Curator

Private, public and university-based art galleries and museums hire curators to oversee gallery management. Art gallery curators, sometimes referred to as gallery or museum directors, perform a wide range of functions that include, but are not limited to, budget management, grant writing, public relations, employee training, permanent art collection maintenance and exhibit installation. Some art gallery curators employed by universities are considered members of the faculty and teach the university's arts management curriculum.

Instructions

1. Enroll in an undergraduate arts management program. Complete the college core curriculum and arts management coursework, which includes art history, fund raising, marketing and facility management. Some colleges offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts Management and others offer an Arts Management minor or certificate. Although all program types prepare you for a career as an art gallery curator, a Bachelor's degree program requires you to complete a greater number of in-depth arts management courses that could give you a competitive edge when applying for jobs.

2. Enroll in a graduate-level Arts Management program if you already have an undergraduate degree in another field. A graduate-level Arts Management programs will offer some coursework similar to that of an undergraduate Arts Management program, minus the core curriculum; graduate students, however, take more advanced courses that address issues such as arts public policy, board of directors management and art consulting.

3. Complete at least one internship. Undergraduate and graduate arts management programs of study require hands-on learning experiences for completion. Some arts management programs provide you with art gallery curator internship leads, and others require you to search for such opportunities on your own. You can also apply for competitive curator internships, such as those offered by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., to complete during your internship semesters. Pursing additional internship opportunities during your summer vacations or semesters off could increase your marketability as an art gallery curator.

4. Apply for art gallery curator positions. Use your campus career services office for professional assistance with job database searches and resume writing. Join art foundations and arts professional associations to access information about networking events, conferences and jobs listings. Send your resume to art galleries and museums that advertise job openings. You can also network with your professors and past internship supervisors to find out about upcoming job openings in those institutions.

References

• George Mason University: Arts Management
• National Gallery of Art: 2012--2013 Graduate Internships
• Museum of Modern Art: Internships
• Drexel University: Entertainment and Arts Management Curriculum
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Archivists, Curators, and Museum Technicians
• New York Foundation for the Arts: Jobs in the Arts

Resources

• University of Northern Michigan: Art and Design Jobs
• Smithsonian Institute: Internship Opportunities
• Arts Management Network