Careers for Art Lovers
- Working in a museum can be a rewarding career for an art lover.berlin museum image by Lily Forman from Fotolia.com
For those who appreciate art but don't consider themselves to be skilled in drawing, painting or sculpture, there are career options that can allow them to be a part of the art world, such as antiques dealer, museum curator or art librarian. - Buying and selling antiques is the primary duty of an antiques dealer. Dealers may sell art, furniture, clothing or other items that have stood the test of time. The Princeton Review notes on its website that while no specific undergraduate major is needed to become an antiques dealer, many art-history majors enter the field because of the opportunity it affords them to interact with beautiful works of art. Antiques dealers often start out interning at auction houses and as they gain more experience, may choose to specialize in items from a particular time period or by a specific artist. Antiques dealers may work for an established company or start their own business; median annual salary is $45,000, according to StateUniversity.com, an education and careers website.
- In art museums, curators oversee the display of art works, and they work to acquire items for storage or display. They also research items in their collections and coordinate public education programs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that curators are increasingly involved in fundraising activities, such as writing grant proposals. Many curators will develop an area of specialization, and, according to the BLS, most art museums will require curators to hold a master's degree. Because of the increased focus on fundraising duties, business or marketing coursework is a plus. Experienced curators may be promoted to a director position at a museum. The average annual salary for museum curators was $90,205 in March of 2009, according to the BLS.
- Art librarians organize and provide access to visual-arts information. They work in a variety of institutions including public libraries, college libraries and art museums. Tasks that art librarians complete might include completing a database search for a museum curator or managing a photography collection. Art librarians complement their careers with outside work as writers, editors and scholars. The Art Libraries Society of North America states on its website that most libraries will require candidates to possess a master's degree in library or information science in order to enter the field. An advanced degree in art history is also desirable. The BLS notes that median salaries for librarians working in colleges and universities was $55,180 in May 2008.
