Are you interested in the worlds of the art market and art history? A Bac+3 (Licence or Bachelor) in art history or the art market opens the door to several jobs.
Earning a Bachelor, Licence, or Bac+3 in Art History
To enter the world of the art market and work for an antiques dealer, a gallery owner, or another art expert, students can follow a program leading to a Bac+3 in Art History. IESA arts&culture, an international school for the cultural professions and the art market, offers the Bachelor in Art Expertise and Art Trade. A comprehensive program, it lasts three years and allows students to specialize in furniture and objets d’art or in graphic arts and painting. The program is open to holders of the Baccalauréat or a Bac+1 or Bac+2. Students deepen their knowledge of works of art from the Renaissance to contemporary art and develop organizational skills and administrative and regulatory management skills. At the end of the program, students are able to analyze and comment on an object or work of art, write presentation documents, and organize an auction or an exhibition.
Possible Programs After a Bachelor, a Licence, or a Bac+3 in Art History
IESA arts&culture offers several Masters (Bac+5 degrees recognized by the State and by professionals in the sector) that allow students to specialize after studying art history. These programs offer in-depth expertise in key areas of the art market and art promotion.
Students can thus choose from four professional Masters:
- Master in Contemporary Art, to master the issues of today’s market and develop a critical eye on contemporary creation;
- Master in Ancient Art, focused on the expertise, promotion, and marketing of works of ancient heritage;
- Master in Exhibition Curation, to learn how to design, organize, and promote exhibitions in cultural institutions or independent venues;
- Master in Cultural Heritage Development, which trains students in strategies for the conservation, mediation, and promotion of tangible and intangible heritage.
These programs provide access to positions of responsibility in galleries, museums, auction houses, cultural institutions, and art consulting agencies.
Career Opportunities After a Bac+3 in Art History
For holders of a Bac+3 in art history, the job market offers a wide choice of career options. After this program, students can work, among other things, as an antiques dealer, a dealer in works of art, mainly antique art objects. This specialist builds up a substantial stock of high-quality antiques, which they then resell to a high-end clientele. Holders of a Bac+3 in Art History can pursue other careers such as auctioneer’s clerk, assistant to the auctioneer. This specialist takes part in carrying out the various stages of an auction and, among other things, handles the inventory of goods and the estimation of their value. They can also become a gallery assistant, helping the gallery owner in searching for works, updating the catalog, and organizing exhibitions. This professional also takes part in discovering new artists. A Bachelor or a Licence in Art Market in this field also opens the door to other jobs such as exhibition curator. The curator is responsible for designing and organizing exhibitions. Defining the theme, choosing the works to exhibit, or negotiating with the owners of usage and loan rights are among their duties.