Ask your library and local college for reading recommendations. If you know anyone in the art world, ask them about their favorite books, museum catalogs, and websites.
Apply for sales positions at local stores and companies to get some practice. If you don’t have a sales background, research sales pitches online and practice them on your friends and family.
Choose a specialty that you love rather than a lucrative speciality. Trends in the art world can be unpredictable, and you will have to be very enthusiastic about the art you’re selling. If you hate Japanese woodcuts you won’t enjoy selling them. You should also choose a specialty that will let you support a business in your area. If you live in a big arts city like New York, you can pick something very obscure, like fifteenth-century Russian icons. If you live in a smaller town far away from a major arts center, you can choose something much broader, like modern American art.
If you aren’t sure what to read, try asking your local library or college’s art history department for recommendations. You can also search online for a syllabus about your subject. These will have a great mix of classic works and cutting-edge research on your specialty.
A good place to begin your research is your local college’s art department, which will have connections to the local art world. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people working in galleries, museums, and art collectives. People who love art usually love talking about art! Search social media event pages for local art events. The people coordinating and hosting them are usually very involved in the art world.
If there are no arts jobs available in your area, volunteer at a museum or gallery!
Reach out to people via social media! If you focus on contemporary art, be sure to speak to artists at shows and give them your contact information. Many art buyers are actually corporations looking for investments! Don’t forget to research companies that have shown an interest in art collecting. To get started, do an online search for corporate art buyers in your area.
Selling a work of art requires you to convince the buyer that the artwork is a good investment and is perfect for them. Learn your client’s preferences before you show them anything, and be prepared to explain why a work of art is high-quality. If you work directly with artists to sell their work, focus on establishing a permanent partnership with them. Most brokers display an artist’s work in exchange for a commission when it sells, so an ongoing partnership with a prolific artist can be very profitable.
Apply for a loan at your local bank. If you have important connections in the art world, they may be willing to invest in your brokerage. Ask your family to invest if they can.
You may be able to rent gallery space from an existing gallery or artists’ collective. If there is an arts district in your town, try to establish your gallery there. Choose a location that allows for lots of foot traffic–many buyers aren’t necessarily collectors, but local people who simply saw something they liked. Good locations include downtown streets, boardwalks, and town centers. Be sure to submit all plans to your investors before signing a lease or buying a property.
You may be able to rent gallery space from an existing gallery or artists’ collective. If there is an arts district in your town, try to establish your gallery there. Choose a location that allows for lots of foot traffic–many buyers aren’t necessarily collectors, but local people who simply saw something they liked. Good locations include downtown streets, boardwalks, and town centers. Be sure to submit all plans to your investors before signing a lease or buying a property.
Buying directly from an artist or collector rather than another broker will increase your profit margins. Be sure to buy art in your specialty. You may make a poor investment if your first art purchase is in a genre you are less familiar with.
