Become a Licensed Art Dealer in Georgia
Georgia's population is growing more rapidly than almost 90 percent of all states in the USA. For this reason, Georgia is quickly becoming a cultural center and artistic hub of America, and there is an increased demand for art dealers. If you are interested in becoming a licensed art dealer, be prepared to put some time and effort into learning the ropes and cultivating your success. Not just anyone can easily become an art dealer. It takes significant experience and a genuine interest in art. This article will help you to become a licensed art dealer in Georgia.
Steps
- Determine if you are suited for a career in art. A prime candidate for a career as an art dealer should be able to answer yes to the following:
- Do you have a natural passion for art? Whether art connoisseurs or artists themselves, art dealers generally love the art world to begin with.
- Do you have a natural ability for detecting trends in aesthetics?
- Are you good at networking? You will need to make contacts of all sorts of art industry professionals if you want to successfully deal art.
- Do you have a knack for making and handling publicity?
- Can you tell the difference between different art periods, styles, movements and techniques?
- Are you comfortable with taking risks? Those in the field of art are especially susceptible to economic downfalls and shifts in popular tastes.
- Do you have enough capital to start as an art dealer and keep yourself afloat?
- Get an education. A degree in art history from an accredited university is the ideal starting point.
- Gain experience. There are several ways you can immerse yourself in the art world and build up enough experience to branch out and deal in art on your own.
- Internships at museums or art galleries are a great way to get your foot in the door while you are still in college.
- Get a job as a museum or auction house curator and work your way up.
- If you are an artist, you already have a leg-up as far as industry experience goes.
- Establish your presence in an art-infused Georgia city. Atlanta, Georgia's highly populated capital, is especially saturated with art galleries and is therefore an optimal place to find work and make contacts in the art industry.
- Atlanta, Georgia's capital, has many art galleries and museums. Try to settle in one of its art districts: Bennett Street Design District, Castleberry Hill Art District or Westside Art District.
- Savannah is a popular tourist attraction for its historic charm, and is also home to many art galleries.
- Build contacts through your hands-on experiences in the art industry. Develop a rapport with and keep a running list of artists, curators, auction houses, critics, commissioners and collectors that you come into contact with. These industry professionals can either make or break your success as an art dealer.
- Attend Georgia art festivals in order to acquaint yourself with local artists and get a feel for the Georgia art scene.
- Decide on a specialty. As an art dealer in Georgia, you may want to specialize in Southern folk art, civil war era art or any genre, style or artist associated with the South.
- Choose a mode of business operation. Do you intend to run a gallery, or would you rather maintain an online presence and make a name for yourself among industry contacts?
- Get a business license. In order to officially be a licensed art dealer in Georgia, you must first register your business name (if you opt to use a business name) and obtain a license for business operation through the state of Georgia.
Tips
- Finding a niche makes it easier to focus on how you want to develop your business, and also puts you in a power position in the art world. If you are known for being the best at one thing, then people will think of your name when they need that one thing. It's a way to corner the market.
- If operating and/or start-up capital is a concern for you, look into finding a partner to put up the capital.
