Advancing Your Career in the Arts

Every year, without fail, I am approached by an intern who asks me how I arrived at my current
position. The first time I was confronted by this question I looked blankly at the person and
stammered, "I don't really know." Nonetheless, I felt compelled to provide an answer and went
home and thought about the way I became an arts administrator and obtained the title of
director. What I am about to tell you is what I have told all of them, and it is the best way I
know to advance your own career.

My route to becoming a director was far from smooth. Prior to my promotion, I was holding
down three jobs in order to making a living: I was the assistant to the director of a small gallery
space in a corporate headquarters, an instructor for an outreach program at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, and I contracted for a couple of independent curatorial projects. Despite the
numerous positions in which I was engaged, I was still not making enough to pay my rent,
afford my student loans and purchase groceries. However, these three experiences allowed me
to explore different ways to finding a full-time position and getting a promotion.

One important skill I learned during this time was to address unsatisfied needs in an
organization in order to increase my value as an employee. Some of the organizations in which
I was employed needed someone who would take the initiative to present proactive programs
that met the needs of their communities.

For example, the primary educational program of that corporate gallery was to bring in
underprivileged students for a class discussion of the art. In truth, this was not a very large
gallery -- it was so small that after thirty-minutes both the students and I would be bored. One
week, while my boss was on vacation, I took the initiative to write a grant for a pilot program
that would allow these same students to visit the studios of the artists presented in our gallery.
I would not say that this was a brilliant idea by any means, but it did transform our sleepy
program into something exciting.

My boss was a little taken aback by what I had done, but after she reviewed the application
and made some suggestion she told me to run with my idea. Fortunately, we received the
grant and the new program was a success. By taking that first step to claiming ownership of
the program, I gained a new degree of responsibility, which made me more valuable to the
institution.

There is a fine line between boldness and annoyance. My record in this regard may be a little
shaky, and I will admit that there are opportunities for errors to be made along the way.
Nonetheless, the rewards you can achieve offer a strong incentive, provided that you proceed
in a considered, thorough fashion.

I suggest that you look for projects you feel passionately about. Your exuberance will enable
you to convince others to support the project. One must also speak with people throughout the
organization, not just in your department. Sometimes, when you're getting started, it is
intimidating to speak with a department head or the executive director. Fear not -- most people
are willing to listen. If they are busy then request an informational interview as a way of
breaking ground and getting your face known.

In addition, you should develop a timeline in which the objectives of your project will be fulfilled;
this will help you to ensure that all of your ducks are in a row when you make the initial pitch.
Even if you are unsuccessful in getting the project approved, the administrators will see that
you are a committed employee and interested in the development of the organization.

And finally, remember that while internships and starting positions can seem menial and
thankless, it is up to you to make your time with an organization a productive and valuable
experience. Even if there is no full-time position within the organization, the people you are
associating with may be aware of other opportunities. If they like your work, they can make
you aware of these opportunities when the time arises.

By proactively addressing organizational needs, developing creative strategies, and taking
ownership of your work you may find yourself becoming an invaluable member of the
organization. Before you know it, you may be writing the word "director" in front of your name.