Art History & Arts Admin

Not everyone involved in the arts spends all day in the studio with a paintbrush. A good deal of support and administration is required to successfully manage the arts industry.

Arts administrators ensure that artists and performers earn a living and are able to show their work to the general public. This can mean organising festivals or exhibitions, implementing art and cultural policies, and working in the business sector of the arts world.

Art historians study the great contribution that artists have made to human history over the years. They are generally less involved in day-to-day practices and take a more critical, analytical view of artistic achievement.

Education

At present, there is no specific undergraduate arts administration course available in Ireland. People wanting to enter the field might decide to take a general art, business or humanities course where they can specialise in their own area of interest (e.g., art history, music, marketing, public relations), before going on to take a postgraduate qualification in arts administration or management.

Students interested in studying art history at third level have a number of options, including degree courses in Art History and courses where you can also study a second subject such as Architecture, Music, Philosophy, French and many more. The CAO points required are quite high, and in some cases you may need up to 500. The History of Art is also a subject on many general arts courses; the points for these are in the 350 – 450 range. Students taking Fine Art courses will usually study the History of Art as part of the course.

Art history courses cover subjects such as Introduction to European Painting, Art and the Modern World, History of Architecture, Classical Antiquity and Irish Painting. Students generally take core subjects and then specialise in the area in which they are most interested.

After Qualification

Jobs in the art history and arts admin areas tend to be highly sought after, although these are growth areas in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland. You may have to take a different role within an organisation and work your way up to your desired position. Some arts administrators choose to specialise in a particular area, such as marketing or sponsorship.

Professional art historians often go on to further postgraduate study and research in their chosen field of expertise. The critical analysis, general knowledge and research and writing skills gained during an Art History degree are also useful for a wide range of other careers from law to business to the media.

The Work

Arts administrators work for cultural organisations or businesses including galleries, museums, theatres, festival organisers, arts centres, arts councils, disability-focused arts organisations, regional arts boards and local authorities.

An arts administrator’s work varies from person to person but can include arts programme development, research, public relations, public information services, grant and funding allocation, advertising, project management and general/financial administration. In larger organisations, you might concentrate on one aspect of administration, such as marketing, whereas in smaller organisations the job is likely to include everything from booking the caterers to soothing the artists!

The role of the art historian is very specialised, working for universities, galleries or organisations, curating and organising exhibitions, performing further research and study, teaching or lecturing and communicating their knowledge to the public through writing reviews, articles and books.

Personal Qualities & Work Environment

To succeed in arts administration you need good organisational and management skills and the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines. You should be prepared for irregular hours, as much of what constitutes the arts takes place outside the normal nine-to-five routine. That overused recruitment phrase “good oral and written communication” is genuinely applicable to this job. Unsurprisingly, a genuine interest in the arts is mandatory.

Art historians generally work in a gallery, educational or media environment. Useful personal qualities for the role include strong critical and writing skills and dedication to your chosen field.

The Money

Your salary can rise rapidly as you gain experience, but those starting out in the field can expect to earn between €18,000 and €22,000. The job satisfaction however, is often a consolation!

Job Titles

Arts Administrator

Gallery Manager

Agent

Teacher

Critic

Curator

Jargon

Critic: Someone who appraises a work of art (though not necessarily in a negative way)

Cultural Policy: How a government or other authority promotes arts and culture by allocating funding or grants to certain artists or organisations

Performance Art: Where the artist performs an activity so that their behaviour, rather than an object (e.g. painting, sculpture), is the work of art
 
Further Resources

The Arts Council
70 Merrion Square
Dublin 2
Phone: 1850 392492
Web: www.artscouncil.ie

Royal Irish Academy
19 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
Phone: 01 676 2570
Web: www.ria.ie
Email: info@ria.ie

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