As lockdowns begin to ease around the world, what does it mean for your art career? While we’re jumping for joy at finally being able to go outside, we’re still nervous about how we are going to keep on earning $$$ in an art world that looks more and more uncertain in the immediate future. But fear not gallery girl, we’re here to reassure you that feeling uneasy about your career is totally OK right now, and to also help you think about how you might go about doing something about it.
To be honest, you’d be mad not to
If you’re not rethinking your career, then you are probably one of the few people on the planet who feels completely secure right now. For everyone else, it’s only natural to be nervous about your current position, and that’s OK. This is exactly what you should be doing right now. It’s natural to reassess so that you have a better understanding of what your future might look like, and how you might need to change it if your long-term career plans are starting to look uncertain.
Because let’s face it, the world is changing, and the art world is too
The whole globe has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and the art world is not immune. As nearly every major art fair in 2020 has been cancelled or postponed, it’s time to get real and think about how all of our careers are going to change.
If you’re thinking about change, then it’s probably what you need to do
Let’s be honest, if you’re thinking about rerouting your career, then it’s for a reason. Has your workload cut down? Have clients gone cold? If this is the case, then consider how you can shake things up. You’ll be much happier for it and it’s likely people will respect you more for taking the initiative to make a change.
You have a ton of transferable skills
While you may think your skillset is narrow and focused, you may be surprised to learn that you have a lot of transferable skills that you can apply to many other positions. Dealing with tricky artists, marketing art world events and writing about art world news are all skills that can be applied to other roles, so don’t put yourself down.
The art world has a lot of different roads you can take
We often think of the art world as this tiny, elite space, but actually, there is room for everyone. If you think that your current role isn’t right for you, it doesn’t mean you have to smash your art world dreams altogether. Are you an art writer? Maybe you should think about art PR. And if you’ve been supporting artists for a while, what about fundraising? If you have a techy side, why not think about how you can contribute to the increasingly digital side of the art world? There are so many routes you can take, so don’t limit yourself!
Text Lizzy Vartanian
