Art Market Research Reports & Industry

Analysis
Art is the process or product of intentionally arranging objects in ways that influence
and affect the senses, emotions, and/or intellect. Art includes an extensive scope of
activities, creations, and forms of expression. The art industry consists of art
galleries as well as art auction houses that engage in the sale of limited edition and
original works of art. These companies buy artwork either from the artist or from an
individual owner and then proceed to sell the art to consumers of the product.

In-demand products include sculptures, drawings, photographs, original pictures,

and prints. Popular subjects in the art industry include marine life, wildlife, florals,
landscapes, figures, and animals. Regardless of the subjects, when handling original
artwork several factors must be taken into consideration: authenticity, quality,
condition, and rarity. These characteristics are imperative when assessing the value
of a piece of art.

Dealers may also offer a variety of collectibles, books, artistic supplies, and
additional services. These services may include framing, delivery, and hanging.
Certain companies may offer an appraisal of artwork, and high-end dealers may
assist museum curators and individual collectors in locating certain pieces of art or
developing collections.

Art dealers, galleries, and auction houses compete with many other retailers,
including home décor stores and mass merchandisers. As demand for art products
is propelled by consumer spending and trends in decorating, the profits these
companies accrue rely on the merchandising and marketing strategies they use.
Larger companies dealing in art have an advantage, but smaller companies also
effectively compete in the art market by offering unique products, providing excellent
service to their customers, or focusing on specific local markets.

 people who love drawing

Picture your future in these art careers.
Jon Simmons, Monster contributor
 Create your art career with one of these good jobs.
Jobs for artists are as varied as the color wheel itself. If you love to draw, your passion
could very well sketch out an impressive career path. And you’d be in good company:
Some of the most notorious doodlers in history happened to be our presidents. In
contrast to long-held popular beliefs, doodling actually improves concentration and can
spark creativity, according to recent research.

So sharpen those pencils (or computer skills), and get ready to draw. Using data from
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale, Monster found 10 arts jobs for the doodler
in you.

Animator
What you’d do: Animators develop characters, objects, and environments for various
applications, including video game development, motion graphics for TV and film, and
more.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in computer graphics or multimedia studies is
usually required, as well as 2-D and 3-D animation and design skills.
What you’d make: $49,803 per year

Find animator jobs on Monster.

Art teacher
What you’d do: Encourage future doodlers! Remember art class, where you could finally
let your imagination loose? If you’re an art teacher, you get to create that opportunity for
kids every day.
What you’d need: Public school teachers need a state certification on top of a bachelor's
degree.
What you’d make: $55,490 per year

Find art teacher jobs on Monster.

Cake decorator
What you’d do: Cake decorators whip up everything from elaborate multi-tiered wedding
cakes to more straightforward creations for corporate events, birthdays, and other
celebrations.
What you’d need: Cake decorators usually hone their skills in culinary school.
What you’d make: $25,090 per year

Find cake decorator jobs on Monster.

Fashion designer
What you’d do: There’s lots of clothing—outerwear, underwear, streetwear, everywhere!
—and all of it needs to be designed. Same goes for shoes and accessories. Fashion
designers create wearables with performance, comfort, and style in mind.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in fashion design or merchandising is usually
required, and you should be up on the latest fashion trends, have an acute sense of
detail, and knowledge of apparel construction standards and materials.
What you’d make: $61,444 per year

Find fashion design jobs on Monster.

Graphic designer
What you’d do: Graphic designers create and edit visuals, typically in graphic design
software like Adobe InDesign. You’d most likely work directly for a brand or for a variety
of clients at an agency.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field such as
printmaking is the typical minimum, although a portfolio of your work will likely also be
required. View this sample resume for a graphic designer.
What you’d make: $47,640 per year

Find graphic design jobs on Monster.

Illustrator and technical illustrator

What you’d do: Illustrators get their doodle on every day, creating everything from
sketches and storyboards to glyphs and logos. Technical illustrators (also known as
scientific illustrators) use descriptions of products to create visual counterparts. They
draft charts, schematics, and diagrams that will often appear in technical publications,
textbooks, or user manuals.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s or associate’s degree in illustration will help you land this
job.
What you’d make: $56,305 per year

Find all illustrator jobs and technical illustrator jobs on Monster.

Industrial designer
What you’d do: From cars to home appliances to manufactured goods, industrial
designers are the people behind the designs. Your job is to weigh a bunch of factors like
function, aesthetics, and production cost, and propose designs to project managers.
What you’d need: Along with a portfolio of your best work, industrial designers should
have a related bachelor's degree in fields like graphic design or engineering.
What you’d make: $67,790 per year

Find industrial design jobs on Monster.

Makeup artist
What you’d do: Interested in art and cosmetics? This job’s all about making people look
great, whether it’s on the set of a movie or at a brand. Let’s call it face doodling.
What you’d need: Typically, you’ll need a certificate from a cosmetology program. View
this sample resume for a makeup artist.
What you’d make: $24,300 per year

Find makeup artist jobs on Monster.

Motion graphics designer

What you’d do: Do you like big, explodey stuff and slick 3-D models? Not to be
confused with animators, motion graphics designers create and edit imagery in a live
action shot, which might also contain animation and special effects.
What you’d need: Most hiring managers look for a bachelor’s degree in computer
graphics or film, plus a qualified portfolio of motion graphics work. Besides that, you’ll
want to sharpen your software skills with commonly used programs in the Adobe
creative suite such as After Effects.
What you’d make: $56,580 per year

Find motion graphics designer jobs on Monster.

Painter
What you’d do: Painters come in many shades, including interior and exterior painters,
and in industrial and automotive capacities.
What you’d need: Painting doesn’t require a college degree, so many people pursue it
after high school and get on-the-job training.
What you’d make: $37,570 per year

Find painting jobs on Monster.

Next steps: Help recruiters find you

Ah, the plight of the artist. You could be bursting with talent, but if you're not getting
seen by the right people, your career isn't likely to take off. Could you use some help
with that? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions
of your resume—each tailored to the types of art jobs that interest you. Recruiters
search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you.
Additionally, you can sign up for job alerts so you're notified when new positions
become available. That way, you can be among the first to apply. Don't let your skills go
unnoticed. Let the experts at Monster help you get the exposure you need to land a
great new job.

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There are jobs to do with art and design in many industries,

whether you actually want a career as an artist or designer
yourself or would prefer to look after works by important
artists or help others appreciate art.
Art careers come in all shapes and sizes. There are art industry jobs
creating original works, selling and promoting them, and displaying them
to the public in museums and galleries. There are jobs teaching others
about art and jobs helping people to express themselves through art.

There are also lots of art related jobs outside the world of art. Artistic
vision and design skills are needed in areas such as architecture,
fashion, media, film and theatre. Here we're concentrating on visual art
and design careers, but take a look at the rest of the arts and creative
careers section if you’re interested in other areas such as writing, acting
or music.
Jobs directly to do with art
Fine artist

Fine artists create original works of art. This can be in any medium, such
as paint, wood, metal or textiles. What distinguishes the work of fine
artists from most other careers on this list is that its purpose is purely to
be a work of art, rather than to add visual appeal to something with a
functional purpose (such as making a building, clothing item or webpage
look good). Fine artists make money by selling their work, and many
have another job too to give them a regular, reliable income. You don’t
have to have qualifications in art to be an artist, but a degree in art is a
typical starting point.

Read our artist job description to find out more.

Art gallery curator

Art gallery curators are in charge of the artworks that a gallery owns or
has on loan. Large galleries often divide their collections up into groups,
each with its own curator. Curators are involved in buying or borrowing
artworks, deciding how to display them, writing explanatory materials for
visitors, giving talks to students and the public, keeping records of the
works, working with conservators to ensure that artworks stay in good
condition, overseeing junior staff and potentially carrying out relevant
academic research. You’ll usually need a relevant degree, such as art or
art history.

Read our curator job description to find out more.

Art therapist

Art therapists work with people who are facing problems such as mental
health, addiction, behaviour or communication issues, or who are
recovering from illness or brain injury. Therapists encourage them to use
art as a way to explore and understand their feelings, and find a way to
move forwards with their lives. It’s about using an activity that people
may find easier than talking about their experiences, rather than training
them as artists. Art therapists work in places such as schools, hospitals,
prisons and rehab units, and may develop specialisms such as working
with children or people with autism. To train as an art therapist you’ll
usually need a degree in art and design, or to start out in a career such
as psychology, nursing or social work.
Read our art therapist job description to find out more.
Art teacher

You can teach art at secondary school or a further education college.

Alternatively, if you become a primary school teacher you can teach art
some of the time, but you’ll need to teach other subjects too. A typical
entry route is to do an art degree followed by a teaching qualification.
Alternatively, you could become a primary school teacher by taking a
degree in education – there are some courses that will let you specialise
in art teaching.

Use the TARGETcareers teaching section to find out more about careers

in teaching and how to get into them.
Art lecturer, design lecturer or art history lecturer at a university

University lecturers plan and deliver degree courses to students. They

also carry out their own research or practical projects, which could be
anything from studying the work of a particular artist to looking at ways
that art can help improve social or health issues. For practical art and
design courses, lecturers have often already worked in the industry and
may continue to produce their own work while they teach. Alternatively
you could lecture in art history, teaching students about important art
movements of the past. Again, studying art, design or art history at
university is a typical first step.

Read more about careers as a lecturer on our graduate careers site

TARGETjobs.
Art technician/demonstrator at a university

Art technicians, aka art demonstrators, also work in colleges or

universities and help teach students. Their work is very practical – they
set up the technical equipment needed in an art studio and then help
students to use it, for example guiding them through InDesign, using a
3D printer, screenprinting or traditional photographic processing in a
darkroom. You’ll typically need a relevant qualification – often a degree,
but you may be accepted with a lower level qualification if you have lots
of experience.

Art valuer/auctioneer

Art valuers assess how much an artwork or antique is worth and

therefore how much it should be sold or insured for. They can work for
auction houses, insurance companies or art dealers, and can specialise
in areas such as paintings, jewellery or furniture. The job is often
combined with that of auctioneer, in which case you’ll run auctions too. A
relevant degree such as art history is a typical first step, though you may
be able to get a job as an assistant or porter at an auction house without
one and work your way up.

Read our auctioneer job description to find out more.

Illustrator

Illustrators use their painting or drawing skills to create images for

products such as books, greetings cards, clothing, posters and
animations. They can work with traditional materials to create physical
images, or use relevant software packages. Specialist areas include
scientific and medical illustration, for example for use in textbooks. Most
illustrators are self-employed but there are some permanent jobs
available. Your skill as an illustrator is more important than your
qualifications, but you’ll probably find that a relevant course will increase
your skills. Degrees or HNDs in subjects such as art or illustration are
relevant, and there are specialist postgraduate courses if you wish.

Learn about design degrees, including illustration, then read

our illustrator job description to find out more.
Conservator

Conservators take care of works of art, historical objects or historical

properties. They ensure that these are kept in appropriate conditions to
prevent deterioration, and help restore them to their original condition if
they do deteriorate. Typically conservators work on a series of short-
term contracts for different employers. To become a conservator you can
do a degree in conservation as an undergraduate or a postgraduate.
Some postgraduate courses only accept a limited range of
undergraduate degree subjects; these vary but can include chemistry,
physics, art, art history and archaeology.

Arts admin and fundraising

A range of people working in different jobs are needed to keep large art
galleries and museums running smoothly – for example fundraisers,
marketing and PR staff, managers, admin assistants and education team
members to work with school students or the public. In a smaller venue,
there might be just one or two staff members responsible for everything
from managing the budget to dealing with enquiries from visitors. Some
entry-level jobs don’t require a degree – office admin experience and
volunteering in a museum or gallery will help. For others a degree is
required or helpful – subjects related to art or business are relevant but
not always essential. Alternatively, you could start a career in business
outside the art world and then apply once you have experience.

Read our arts administrator job description to find out more.

Artistic jobs in other industries
Architecture careers

Architects design buildings while landscape architects design outdoor

environments, such as parks or urban spaces. Follow the links to read
more about them about how to start your career.
Art and design jobs in fashion

Fashion designers can design clothes or work in specialisms such as

jewellery, shoe design, bags or accessories. Textile designers design
fabrics, while fashion stylists use their knowledge of emerging trends to
dress models for fashion shoots or help individuals to update their
wardrobes. There are some apprenticeships available, though university
is the typical path, particularly for would-be designers. Find out more
about fashion degrees and the careers they can lead to and how to
succeed at fashion degree interviews.
Jobs to do with art in media, film and theatre

There are lots of jobs in the media, film and theatre that will put your
design skills or eye for beauty to good use. You could work in publishing
or advertising as a web designer, graphic designer or photographer. Art-
related jobs in TV, film or theatre include set designer, costume
designer, make-up artist, lighting technician and lighting
designer/director. In TV and film there are also roles such as camera
operator, cinematographer and film/video editor.

 Find out about design degrees, including what they involve, how to
get onto them and the types of careers they can lead to.
  Learn about art and visual careers in film, including art department
roles, costume, cinematography, camera work, lighting and visual
effects
 Explore theatre set design careers and how to get into them
 Use our article on technical theatre careers to find out about
working as a theatre lighting designer or lighting technician and
how to become one
 Read up on media career options, whether a media career would
suit you and the best degree subjects for careers in media
production, design and photography.
 Use our graduate careers site TARGETjobs to read in more detail
about careers as a set designer for theatre, TV and film, camera
operator, graphic designer, web designer, or photographer.
Search for...

Related articles

Read more 

How I got into movie production

Read more 
How to become an actor

Read more 

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Becoming an actor means committing to an unpredictable

lifestyle. Find out whether this is right for you and how to
become an actor.
Actors perform in theatre productions, TV dramas, radio plays and films.
They can also work in theatre-in-education performances (which take
drama into schools to help students understand a topic or a piece of
literature better), or in training courses to help people learn how to do a
job (for example playing the part of a patient to help train medical
students).

Should I become an actor?

Actors are usually self-employed, which means that they don’t have a
permanent job but instead take different parts with different employers
as and when they are offered them. Most actors spend quite a bit of the
time without acting work and take on temporary jobs (such as working in
a pub or restaurant) to help pay the bills. This situation is likely to
continue throughout their career, so acting isn’t the best option if
financial security or getting on the housing ladder is a high priority for
you.

You also need to be prepared to travel, and to change your plans at

short notice. Most actors can’t afford to be picky about which jobs they
accept, so if you get offered a part in a play in a different part of the
country, or in a touring production, you’ll need to pack your bags and go.
If you’re offered an audition – or even a part – at short notice, you need
to be prepared to ditch your plans with friends or family.

How to become an actor

Most actors get work via an agent, who puts them forward for auditions
for suitable parts and in return is paid a percentage of the actor’s
earnings. It’s harder to get paid acting work if you don’t have an agent,
but getting an agent can itself be a challenge. There are lots of would-be
professional actors and each agent only needs a certain number of
actors on their books and wants a range of ages, genders and
appearances.

A typical route to becoming an actor is to take an acting course at a

drama school, and to try to get an agent during or after this process. A
good drama school will organise showcase performances for its final-
year students and invite agents to come to watch; the more prestigious
the school, the more likely they are to attend. Some students will get an
agent via this process, but not all.

However, not all actors go to drama school. If you have good contacts or
good luck, you may be able to get yourself an agent without going to
drama school, or land your first paid part by yourself and take it from
there.
What are drama schools?
Drama schools specialise in intensive, practical training courses aimed
at training students for a specific career within drama. Many of these are
degrees, which are validated by a university and for which normal
student funding rules apply. There are also bursaries and scholarships
you can apply for if you need help with the costs. Acting degrees are the
most common; some drama schools also offer subjects such as musical
theatre, physical theatre, stage management, directing, set design or
lighting design. You need to know which course you want to do before
you apply.

When to go to drama school, entry requirements and how to get in

Some actors go to university before attending drama school; others
don’t. Most drama schools specify either that you must be over 18 to
start a course, or that you need A levels, Scottish Highers or equivalent
(such as the International Baccalaureate or a BTEC National Diploma). It
doesn’t usually matter what subjects you study at school or university to
get into drama school. However, you’ll need to get through the highly
competitive audition process so it’s a good idea to get lots of acting
experience, whether this is through formal education or in your spare
time.

You could get involved in school productions, student theatre at

university, youth drama groups, amateur drama groups, community
theatre (often connected to a professional theatre) and short courses or
part-time courses aimed at non-professional actors (drama schools and
local theatres are a good place to start looking for these). It’s also worth
auditioning for the National Youth Theatre, which offers training and the
chance to be in shows, or National Youth Music Theatre (if you’re
interested in musical theatre).

Drama schools typically charge an audition fee. Some have schemes to

offer free auditions to applicants who meet certain conditions, such as
low household income or being from a particular area.

Types of drama school courses

Drama school course options include:

 Acting foundation courses. These are introductory courses that last

one academic year or less; they begin to build your acting skills
and help you prepare to audition for an acting degree. They are
popular with students applying to drama school straight from
school or college – you don’t have to take a foundation course but
it can be slightly easier to get a place than to get straight onto an
acting degree.
 Undergraduate (BA) acting degrees. Acting degrees typically last three
years; you can apply straight from school or college, though you
might find it helps to do a foundation course first.
 Masters (MA) acting degrees. Masters degrees in acting are aimed at
students who’ve already been to university to study another subject
first. Typically they cover similar content to a BA in acting but in a
shorter space of time – one year is common, but some are longer.
Choosing a drama school
The Federation of Drama Schools is a group of UK-based drama
schools that have to meet certain conditions in order to be members.
These include minimum standards for the number of teaching hours
provided, the percentage of graduates who get an agent or paid
employment, and whether students are taught by staff who work or have
worked in the area they teach. It includes the UK’s ‘big name’ drama
schools (such as RADA, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and LAMDA)
plus a few others. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you can’t find good
training elsewhere, or that all drama schools in the federation will be
good in practice, but it’s a good starting point.

Other ways to assess whether a drama school will be good for your
career include:

 Look at the biographies of any actors you watch to see if they went
to drama school and if so where they went.
 Investigate whether you have any connections to anyone who has
been to a particular drama school. Your drama teacher, youth
 drama leader and anyone you know through amateur drama are
good places to start.
 Do lots of online research into what the course offers, what its
graduates go on to do and the backgrounds of the teaching staff.
 Attend a short course (such as a summer school programme) at
the school if it runs one and you can afford it.
What’s the difference between an acting degree and a drama
degree?
Acting degrees at drama schools are very practical courses, designed to
train you as an actor. You’ll focus on area such as acting technique,
voice, movement, accent, improvisation and stage combat, both through
practical classes and acting in a number of shows. Expect a full-on
timetable and prep work for evenings and weekends. The end goal is for
students to become professional actors – if you want a different career,
or to explore different career options, you should choose a different
course.

Some acting degrees are taught at universities – in these cases it’s

worth checking the detail carefully, as some can be more similar to a
drama degree (see below).

Drama degrees are taught at universities and their focus is usually a lot
broader than an acting degree at drama school. Typically they combine
the academic study of drama with the chance to participate in practical
workshops and performances. The practical side of the course includes
acting but often also gives the chance to try out different skills such as
script writing, direction, video production, puppetry or dance. Usually
you’ll have considerably fewer hours of teaching time than on a drama
school acting degree.

There’s also the option to do a joint degree in English and drama, which

will allow you to study plenty of great writing, and get a traditional,
academic subject on your CV in case you change your mind about a
career in drama.
David de Winter is a singer, specialising in classical music. He
explains what his job involves, how he got into it and the skills
he needs.
TARGETcareers asked professional classical singer David de Winter
about his career in music. David has a job as a singer at Westminster
Cathedral and is also self-employed, taking on a wide range of singing
work as well as teaching singing.

What does your career as a singer involve?

I specialise in singing classical music. I sing a wide variety of music,
from Gregorian plainchant to contemporary music. My job can involve
anything from singing in choirs for church services, to large-scale
concerts, operas, chamber concerts, solo concerts, recitals, recordings,
filming, promotional events and also recording soundtracks for cinema.

I have a salaried position as a lay clerk (singer) in Westminster

Cathedral Choir, but I also have a busy and varied freelance singing
career. Additionally I have some private singing pupils and I teach
singing one day per week at a West London school.

How did you get into a career in music?

My parents tell me that as soon as I could talk, I was singing. When I
was seven years old I became a chorister in Westminster Cathedral
Choir for five years and after that I went to school in Guildford where I
was involved in all aspects of music, from orchestra to choir to jazz
band. At Durham University I studied music and was also a choral
scholar at Durham Cathedral. After university I was fortunate enough to
be awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where I
studied for an MA in vocal studies for two years.

Is this a typical way to become a singer?

Not necessarily. It’s not uncommon for professional singers to have been
choristers in their youth, but equally, other people come to singing in
their teenage years, or even later. If you want to specialise in opera and
solo singing, it’s advisable to study at a conservatoire (for example the
Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of
Music and Drama, Royal Northern College of Music, or Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland). If you want to sing in choirs then it’s
probably still a good idea have had some intense, specialist training, but
it’s not necessary to have attended music college.

What are the best and worst things about a career as a singer?
The best thing about being a singer is performing live. The thrill of
singing some of the greatest music of the last millennium on stage in
front of an audience is an unparalleled experience. Personally, I prefer
performing small-scale or chamber music because it’s more intimate
and, as a performer, you feel as if you have more of a creative input.

I wouldn’t say there are many downsides to being a singer but there are
plenty of things you need to be aware of.

 Singing is ultimately an entertainment business so be prepared for

very unsociable hours.
 It’s likely that there will be plenty of travel.
 Health is also important – as a singer you need to understand your
body and, most importantly, your voice and how to look after it.
Like an athlete who is injured, singers can’t work when they’re ill.
 As a freelancer it’s important to know how to manage one’s
finances.
What skills or qualities do you need to be a classical singer?
First and foremost, to be a singer you need to have a product that
people want to listen to – a good, well trained voice. On top of that,
language skills are important – classical singers need to be proficient in
(ideally) English, Latin, German, French and Italian. Russian, Czech and
Church Slavonic are optional extras.
You need to have a resilient character. Singing is a very competitive
environment and it’s very unlikely that you’ll succeed in every audition
that you do. Having the right mindset to get over the little knocks is key.
Apart from that, turning up to rehearsals and performances prepared is
important and, if you don't have an agent to do it for you, organising your
diary is also wise.

What are your top tips for a career in music?

Do as much music as you possibly can. Any performance experience is
good experience and the more you can do at a young age, the more
comfortable you'll be as you get older. Also, the more people that
hear/see you performing the better as it's important to have contacts in
the music business. Practice is obviously essential.

There are lots of people who want to be singers, so what can you do
that's going to make you stand out? I would advise learning and
polishing three or four contrasting songs which show off your best facets
– ¬these should be your audition pieces. A word of warning – don’t sing
music that’s out of your range or comfort zone. It could potentially be to
the detriment of your long-term vocal health.

Punctuality is imperative, as well as being a good colleague. If you rub

people up the wrong way it’s unlikely that they’ll want you to perform with
them in the future.

Artists produce fine art. They might specialise in a particular area such
as painting or sculpting. Artists make a living by selling their work to
members of the public or being commissioned to produce a particular
piece.

Work Activities
Fine artists create original works of art using a variety of materials and
techniques, such as paintings, photographs, fine prints or three
dimensional pieces. They may work from their own ideas to express their
views about the world, or they may create a piece of work to order from
an individual or organisation (a commission).
They often specialise in a particular medium, which may be categorised
in the following ways:

 two-dimensional work (drawing, painting, collage)

 three-dimensional work (sculpture, installation)
 four-dimensional work (moving images, performance).
You could be:

 creating abstract paintings, drawings or photographs, perhaps of

landscapes, portraits or street scenes
 working with oil paints, acrylics, watercolours, pencils, ink, pastels
or textured paints
 researching subjects for inspiration to develop new work and
recording images in your sketchbook
 creating images on different surfaces and transferring with ink onto
paper, such as etching on metal (acid etching), carving out wood
(wood cutting) or using a template and fine mesh screen (screen
printing)
 creating a collection of two- or three-dimensional objects or media
displays, such as lighting effects or video, for an 'installation' in a
gallery
 making sculptures by shaping clay or casting a mould in metal (see
job profile sculptor)
 promoting your work on your own website, or through exhibitions,
festivals, shops, galleries and publishers, and by networking with
gallery owners or art agents
 attending exhibition openings, private views and artists networks
 teaching, running workshops or acting as 'artist in residence'
 writing project proposals for galleries, competitions or artist
residencies
 writing funding applications (public and private)
 liaising with contacts, gallery owners, curators and other artists
  curating individual and group shows
 negotiating a sale or commission
 self-promotion, networking, attending private viewings and other
events
 writing press releases
 maintaining a portfolio which will typically include a website
 evaluating a project and feeding back to the main funder or
sponsor.
Personal Qualities and Skills
 A high level of creative and artistic skills
 Good visual communication skills
 Research skills
 A good understanding of colour, shape and form
 To enjoy working on your own
 Self-motivation, determination and self-confidence
 Idea development
 Business skills, if you're self-employed
 To be able to cope with fluctuating work and income
 Marketing skills
 To work to deadlines and budgets
 To be the kind of person who can cope with rejection.
Pay And Opportunities
Typical employers of artists
Some artists are offered a residency in, for example, a school, hospital
or cathedral.
Opportunities for artists occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout
the UK. However, the ability for individuals to promote their work online
via the internet means location is less important.

Some artists choose to base themselves in Europe, for example, France

and Italy are popular, where some offer teaching holidays to increase
their income/sales.

Artists often work on a freelance basis or become self-employed, which

helps provide artistic freedom but reduces long-term job security.

Qualifications
Entry routes and training
You'll need a high level of skill and talent in your chosen art form.
A common route into this career is via a Foundation course in Art and
Design followed by a degree, HND or foundation degree in a subject in:

 art and design

 art history with fine art
 fine art
 visual art
Departments of art put on exhibitions of students' work, which may help
establish a reputation and provide a basis for a career as a full-time
artist.

Entry requirements for degrees vary so it is important to check with

individual universities.

You'll also need to be able to promote yourself in different ways, like:

 having an online presence through your own website, blog or

through social media, like Instagram
 joining together with other artists or 'collectives'
 organising your own shows in galleries or other venues
  volunteering with community arts projects
You could also:

 get an agent
 raise funds through crowdfunding websites
 enter competitions and open exhibitions
 illustrate products like books or greetings cards