What is art management?

Every year, thousands of works of art are exchanged at auctions or during exhibitions in galleries around the world. With a market worth 8 billion euros worldwide, including 560 million in France, the art sector is booming. Negotiations, productions, project development and protection of interests, whether for public or private institutions, art management is an exciting, vast and formative field. Between methods, techniques and opportunities, zoom in on a demanding profession with numerous career opportunities.

 

All about art management

What is it about?  Art management is a branch of management that focuses on the management of art and culture and its development. It can therefore concern organisations such as museums, galleries that wish to promote their offer or artists or patrons and associations wishing to integrate a development strategy into their actions. Art management encompasses many different activities: appraisal of art objects, production of cultural events, exhibitions and even fashion shows. Design, production, communication and promotion are all part of art management, in which the art manager is the central player. The art manager is in charge of the promotion of his or her client, the administrative aspect, negotiations, image development, press appearances, etc. This versatility of tasks allows artists to concentrate on pure creation while having complete confidence in the manager. It should be noted that artistic managers often work in conjunction with journalists and press officers to promote their clients' image as best they can. They also act as intermediaries and accompany them in their careers.

As a trustworthy person with a large network, an artistic manager also intervenes in the signing of contracts in order to always protect their interests. But what qualities and training are needed to enter this selective and rapidly expanding world?

 

How to work in art management?

Varied, rigorous, immersive and demanding, art management recruits new profiles every year. To be able to work in this field, you must first have a certain taste for art, luxury and design. In addition to a solid general culture, it is very important to follow a targeted training that provides the necessary skills.

The MSc Global Luxury Brand Management by Sup de Luxe is ideal for acquiring an in-depth knowledge of this field. Intellectual property, contract negotiation, but also development of managerial skills, management methods and techniques in the artistic and cultural field, social media management and digital marketing, this programme focuses on creative management and the creative team, which is very important for a player to stand out.

 

What are the other art careers?

While the job of art manager is central, there are a number of other jobs that require specific training and have highly sought-after expertise. In fact, in the field of arts and culture management, there are key professions such as:

  •  Art gallery and museum manager

  • Auctioneer

  • Project manager in cultural heritage development

  • Creative director

  • Designer

  • Press officer