The arts and cultural sector needs innovative arts administrators who can pair their creativity and passion with analytical, business, and technological skills to support diverse and sustainable arts organizations. From local galleries, chamber groups and community theaters to renowned symphony orchestras, established museums and Broadway, opportunities exist in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors.
Finding Internships
Arts administration internships can be found in most any type of arts organization, and are common in theater companies and museums. Well-established internship programs, such as those at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s offer a wider range of opportunities and often provide a stipend, and are very competitive. These are usually offered only during the summer. Smaller museums, galleries and auction houses may have more flexible requirements, and may offer internship opportunities throughout the academic year.
Finding Jobs
Employers in these fields hire as the need arises, known as “just-in-time” hiring. Most jobs are found through networking, so don’t neglect this aspect of the job search.
Many of the entry-level job openings in the larger organizations will be administrative in nature. Some organizations such as Harvard’s Dumbarton Oaks have paid postgrad internships/fellowships open to candidates with a bachelor’s degree. However, the majority of curatorial fellowships require a Master’s or PhD degree.
Graduate and Professional Programs
It’s not necessary to have an advanced degree to obtain entry level positions in this field and it will be helpful to have several years of work experience on your resume before applying to grad school. If you’re interested in arts administration, you may want to consider an MBA with a nonprofit track, or a graduate arts administration program. For museum curatorial work, conservation/restoration, or serving in an upper-level administrative capacity, the typical degree is a Ph.D.; check the American Alliance of Museums for a listing of graduate programs, both domestic and international. For galleries and auction houses, advanced degrees in art history, business, or both are useful.
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