What Degree Do You Need to Become an Art Gallery Director?
Directors run the day-to-day operations of art galleries and hold several different roles. For example, one day you might work with a curator to catalog recent art acquisitions. The next day you may develop a fundraising event for your gallery. Being an art gallery director requires a blend of business, marketing and art skills. Most positions require a formal education plus years of training and advancement.
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Educational Requirements
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Many jobs, especially those at larger art houses or museums, require a candidate with a master's degree or even an doctorate, although small art galleries may accept a candidate with a bachelor's degree. Acceptable fields of study include liberal arts and art history, archaeology and natural history. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends earning two graduate degrees; one in a related general subject, such as museum studies, plus a specialized degree to get an edge over the competition.
Additional Courses
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Directors have other duties beyond curating art. A director plans public events, catalogs art, manages the website and works with the art gallery's other employees. Taking courses in business management, accounting, fundraising, marketing and public relations will all help benefit your career. Since many directors must work with computers and software -- such as maintaining a database of art pieces -- taking courses in computer science will also benefit your career and improve your resume.
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Ongoing Education
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Many museum and art associations hold conferences and meetings that you can attend to further your education while working as an art curator or director. These conferences will discuss different aspects of art, as well as fundraising, techniques on selling pieces and other fundamentals of the art world.
Advancement
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Most art directors start out as art curators for a small art gallery or larger museum. You may start out in an internship and work your way up to a full-time position as a curator. During the internship you'll learn to work with different artists and how to evaluate pieces and catalog art. From an art curator position you can advance into a director position at a gallery.
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References
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