How to Become an Art Dealer

Art dealers can make profound changes in the landscape of art and the lives of artists. Art dealers are the backbone behind great artists and have been integral in unveiling many creative artistic geniuses. Follow these steps if you want to become an art dealer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Research art so you can know what you are talking about when talking art. Many art dealers study art history or are artists themselves whose talent for spotting art is greater than their talent for creation.

2. Find out where local artists congregate. Seek out artists and their work. You can often find artists in universities and community art programs. Sometimes artists are found in the unlikely places; it is your job to seek them out or make your services available to them.

3. View as much art as possible from various artists. Have a discerning eye and figure out what the current market trends are or anticipate what the trends will be. The mark of a great art dealer is knowing what people will want before they want it.

4. Find a space to display your new artists' artwork. Obtain a gallery or rent a space and schedule an art opening, inviting as many people as you know, preferably people who enjoy purchasing and viewing great art.

5. Determine a percentage or method of payment for your services. Depending on who you sell to and how much you sell for you can make a considerable profit from showcasing the art you are dealing, especially from sales to museums or seasoned collectors.

Tips & Warnings

• Many art dealers specialize in a specific period of art so that their tastes and markets are more easily definable and narrowed. This will help in knowing where to go for scouting new art and for finding buyers for your art.
• Become well versed in telling authentic work from plagiarized work or forgery. Document the provenance, or history, of all works you acquire from other dealers in order to avoid dealing in stolen cultural artifacts.
• Develop a personal relationship with your artists (if you are working with living, working artists), as this will help to build trust and more successful displays and sales of their work.
• Do not overcharge for your commission. The typical range for commission is 20% to 50%, depending upon your level of expertise and the reputation of the artist.