Artist Representative/Agent

Job Description:

According to NYC art representation gallery Agora, “an artist agent is any professional who works on behalf of an artist to represent, promote, and sell their work.” People seek out artist representation for a wide variety of reasons, aside from simply wanting to find a larger audience for their work.

An artist representative is a professional who manages various aspects of an artist's career, including marketing, business matters, and career development. They leverage tools and resources to drive sales, promote artists, and maximize brand awareness.

Salary average: $10,295

Occupational Outlook:

Overall employment of craft and fine artists is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 5,500 openings for craft and fine artists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Links to Learn More About This Career:

Educational Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Arts, Marketing, or Business. At least 5 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Excellent knowledge of the art market. Excellent communication and negotiation skills.

Stanford University

Address: 459 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305

Website:

https://www.stanford.edu/

Information on the Major:

https://schoolauthority.org/colleges/stanford-university

Yale University

Address:

38 HillHouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06511

Website:

https://www.yale.edu/

Information on the Major:

https://schoolauthority.org/colleges/yale-university

Harvard University

Address:

Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 021138

Website:

https://www.harvard.edu/

Information on the Major:

https://schoolauthority.org/colleges/harvard-university

Soft Skills, Characteristics, and/or Abilities Need For This Career:

An artist representative needs a variety of hard skills. These include experience with art directors, consumer data, and graphic design. They also need to be proficient in Photoshop and event planning. They may also need to handle client contracts and business matters. According to one expert, "An artist must know the rules of business. It is easier to learn the rules of business if you have a solid foundation of knowledge of how the business works."
On the soft skills side, an artist representative needs to be able to prioritize projects and excel at direct sales. They also need to be able to perform compliance checks and manage visibility campaigns. This means that they need to be able to communicate effectively and manage relationships.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical artist representative skills. We ranked the top skills for artist representatives based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 43.0% of artist representative resumes contained art directors as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an artist representative needs to be successful in the workplace.

Knowledge Needed For This Career:

Artist development and assembling the artist's team requires strong negotiation skills, strategic mindset and in-depth knowledge of the music industry, and, as we've mentioned before, it is probably the most important and risky part of the manager's job

Pros and Cons to Choosing This Career

Pros (Positives to this Career)

To determine the value of your collection: An art appraisal will help you determine the value of your collection for insurance purposes. It is also useful in estate planning. 2. To get a professional opinion: An art appraisal will give you a professional opinion on the value of your artwork.

Cons (Negatives to this Career)

For some types of art, we recommend updated appraisals as often as every six months. For other types of art, appraisals can last several years without needing to be updated.

Typical Working Conditions For This Career:

Many artists work in fine- or commercial-art studios located in office buildings, warehouses, or lofts. Others work in private studios in their homes. Some artists share studio space, where they also may exhibit their work. Studios are usually well lit and ventilated.

Career Researched By: Daniella Guevara

Sources & Citations

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