Get Paid to Work At Home

Get Paid to Work At Home
As an art curator you can have a creative and stimulating job that may include: 

• Visiting artists' studios to learn about their work and select pieces for exhibitions
• Evaluating art works that collectors wish to donate to a museum
• Selecting art from the museum's collection to be displayed in the gallery spaces

 
• Working with curators at other museums to organize traveling exhibitions 
• Writing about art for catalogs, brochures, magazines, or books
• Helping corporations develop art collections

Being an art curator is incredibly rewarding. Seeing the results of your work on the walls around you provides an incredible sense of accomplishment and joy. As one curator described it, 

"When a small child creates a painting inspired by the work you've selected, it's quite a rush.  Maybe you've helped this little person along their path to be the next Van Gogh or a future director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

Curating, like many other careers in the arts, used to be a "gentleman's profession", meaning it was only for independently wealthy gentlemen.  Today, the profession is open to anyone with a love of art, and chief curators can earn $50,000 or more per year, depending on how long the person has held the position, the museum's prestige, and the curator's reputation. 
As a curator you might travel the world to check out new artists or exhibitions. Parties are another big perk of the job. Most museums host exhibition openings throughout the year, as well as fund-raising galas and special receptions for major donors. 
If art curating sounds like the career of your dreams, the FabJob Guide to Become an Art Curator is for you! In this e-book you will discover how you can get started and succeed in this exciting career. 
The guide was written by N. Elizabeth Schlatter, Deputy Director and Curator of Exhibitions at the University of Richmond in Virginia. She has worked with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in Washington, D.C. and the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston, and chaired a session on being an independent curator for the annual conference of the American Association of Museums.
In this guide she shares with you her own experiences as well as insider tips and expert advice from other successful art curators. The guide covers topics of vital importance to anyone who wants to become an art curator, including:
Getting Ready

• How to learn about art by visiting art museums, plus how to get:
• Free admission to art museums
• Advance notice of upcoming shows
• Invitations to opening receptions
• The best resources for learning about a particular artist, style, or period (includes links to the best magazines, websites and books read by art industry insiders)
• Other ways to educate yourself about art without getting a degree
• Helpful advice on educational programs
• The best undergraduate degrees for this career
• The most useful classes to take
• Graduate programs in art history, art curating, and museum studies with links to top schools
• How to break into art curating by writing about art 
• How to write reviews of exhibitions for newspapers and magazines
• Other opportunities to write for publications and galleries
• 7 important skills that can give you an advantage over other job applicants

Getting Hired

• How to get your foot in the door with entry-level positions in museums and art galleries
• How to get noticed so you can move into a position in the curatorial department
• What you should know about internships and volunteer opportunities
• How to find internships and volunteer positions at art museums and galleries in your area
• Tips on applying for an internship to help you stand out from other applicants
• How to create a volunteer position even if the museum doesn't have a volunteer program
• The best internships for getting real hands-on experience curating a show from start to finish
• How to make a great impression to help you move into a paid position
• Where to find job listings (includes links to the best websites for art museum and art gallery job listings)
• Job opportunities beyond traditional art museums:
• Other types of museums
• Art spaces
• Art museums with temporary exhibitions
• University museums
• Federal and state museums
• How to find jobs through networking (plus two professional associations you are eligible to join now)
• How to arrange information interviews with art curators
• What to include in your resume (plus why "longer is better")
• What to submit with your resume and cover letter to enhance your application
• Sample email to follow up on a job application
• What you need to know about interviews for art curating positions
• How to avoid interview mistakes
• What to bring to the interview
• What employers expect you to know
• Questions you should ask the interviewer
• Ways to handle questions about salary
• Tips for moving up from an assistant position to a curator position