The International Herald Tribune recently ran an artilce by Claudia Barbieri about increasing enrollment in art study programs. The Sotheby's Institute owned and operated by Cambridge Information Group in Bethesda, MD (Sotheby's sold the institute in 2005) has seen a 40% increase in enrollment when compared to a year ago. the Institute has even added a masters in contemporary design, again reinforcing the growing importance of this collecting category.
Barbieri states At Drouot Formation, the education arm of the Paris auction venue Hôtel Drouot, the school's director Frédéric Elkaim reported a more than threefold rise in demand for professional training. This has more than made up for a 50 percent fall in enrollment to introductory classes for would-be collectors - hit by the credit crunch - he said.
"In some cases, after being made redundant, people are changing career paths, often re-evaluating their lives and looking for more meaning," Elkaim said. "It's less about money and more about following a passion."
For the year that started in September, four diploma courses have been added to the program, aimed at providing career-change training for work as auctioneers, art and antique dealers, and gallery owners. For next year, discussions are going on to develop an exchange program at the master's level with two French universities.
The appraisal profession has many career changers within its ranks. It is rather typical that during times of economic stress, more people look toward education. Many people in the financial world who recently lost jobs, many have applied to graduate schools. When there is potential for a career change, either brought upon by desire or necessity, some tend to fall back on their passions for collecting the fine and decorative arts and look to join the profession either through appraising, dealing, auction specialist or museum curators.
To read the IHT article, click HERE.
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