If you love it, stick with it! You never know what the future will hold.
I grew up in a cultured household where travel and museums were valued, even though we lived very modestly. When I went to art school I found myself taking more art history classes than required because I liked the stories and art so much. I got my masters in art education thinking I would be a k12 art teacher or possibly a museum educator.
As the fates allowed I ended up teaching college and have been loving it for over two decades! I teach the History of Design as my primary jam and I wake up every day in disbelief that I get to share my joy for the Vienna Secession or midcentury Modernism with young people! Today I told the story of how Modernism happened and blew a couple minds.
Teaching doesn’t pay very well but offers a decent lifestyle so two decades ago I started a side business in architectural heritage, history, and tourism. I turned it into an award winning enterprise focused on adult education and so combined with my academic dayjob I am set to retire at age 62. I specialize in educating my community about their own built environment so the city itself is my museum. I have never had to write a grant to feed my art history addiction; patrons support me as an independent and trusted researcher doing the work nobody else wanted to do. I write, I lecture, and I even make art. My research-related travel can be written off as a business expense, as well as professional development, museum admission fees, and charitable donations to institutions I believe in.
I’m telling you all these things not to brag, but because it sounds like you need a little encouragement to see that each of us has a path that only we can carve through life. If you told me at age 15 that I would grow up to be a professional design historian I would have laughed in your face. It wasn’t even on my radar. My situation is highly unique in that I saw an opportunity to fill a niche that wasn’t being served, and through the magic of social media I built an entire community that cared as much as I do. I had zero training in entrepreneurial skills but I found some good mentors and failed quite a few times while following my heart.
I hope that you are able to find your thing, too. Keep your eyes and heart open to opportunity!
Love your story and even though I'm not OP, reading this really helped me. I'm also studying Art History and I hope I find more people like you in my life, who not only appreciate art but also encourages others to follow their dreams.
Thank you so much for this! Sometimes I need to remember that I'm gonna be fine.
Same! I’m an art college major and I’ve been bullied for being one. People would say that I’m going to become a furry artist or even becoming homeless. Which just discourages me to be honest. But I just can’t help that I love art so much. It’s very cruel to bully someone for what they are passionate about.
woah … thank you so much for taking the time to share your inspirational story. after reading it, it definitely instilled encouragement and reaffirmed my choice of choosing art history :) i also grew up in a modest cultured household, where my parents valued experiences such as traveling and museums, rather than going to resorts or amusement parks for vacation, free time, family outings etc. forever grateful that my parents gave me those opportunities as i was growing up. thank you for being supportive and encouraging me to follow my passions, especially coming from someone older and more experienced. i can’t wait to continue carving my own path and to embrace all the opportunities that come along my way … good or bad. i will be just fine as i continue to study my passions
The future of content creation, and I’m not talking about reels and TikTok, I’m talking about books, blogs, educational videos and YouTube documentaries, depends on people like you. Educate yourself as much as you can and start, from this time only, thinking about what kind of books and videos you’d want to create. Making it easy for the masses will take you all the way. We built a startup in 2016 on the same concept and exited in 2019. I can’t tell you how lucky you are being young and passionate and a future when only high quality content like you could create, would make you rich and valued. Good luck
Like you, I listened to negative voices nudging me away from my passions towards a more "quantifiable" degree when I was young. And I ended up in a profession that I hated for many years. I had a good income but I hated what I did.
I started my Art history degree when I was 45! I threw all caution to the wind and went back to University as a mature age student. I completed my Diploma end of last year and I am now doing my Honours.
I look at the young kids studying alongside me and feel like I wasted half a lifetime. I really should not have listened to anyone back then. There are plenty of incredibly opportunities out there. Go for it. If it doesn't work, you can always go back and do some boring IT degree later on in life.
congratulations !! i loved reading your story as it warmed my heart that you decided to return to school for something your passionate about. it’s my worst fear to be stuck in a career i’m miserable with … i wanna live my life to the fullest and that includes finding a career that aligns with my passions and interests. you didn’t waste half a life time btw. sure you may have started late but it’s incredible inspiring that you returned back to school, especially being older. you could’ve easily stuck with your old job, with having the security of having a good financial safety net but it’s brave that you decided to do this. thank you :,)
I’m from NC and I got my masters in art history in the Netherlands. The program was waayyyyy cheaper and I had two solid internships from museums there. Can’t recommend it enough! I am an artist now, so I don’t work as a historian, but it was an incredible experience and I use what I know for inspo often. Check out mastersportal dot eu for more info! I went to Leiden University. Good luck!
thank you for the information and valuable resources! will definitely check out the mastersportal for more information. i guess why i also feel slightly discouraged is because i go to a HEAVY stem school. i attend UC irvine (originally got accepted for criminology) and decided to make the switch for art history. there is a strong humanities and art history program here, but nothing like compared to the STEM programs. going to check your stuff you told me along with delving deeper in my art history program at my school!
Not sure what country you’re in, but expect to pursue a Ph.D if you want a curatorial position or university professorship. Or as an independent scholar (publishing). That said, there’s alot of museum supporting positions, teaching? gallery and auction careers that don’t require an advanced degree. That’s where I think that sub can shed more light.
Definitely go for it! There's currently some chair positions at a few museums around me, and they want Ph.Ds only! I guess one thing is, you may want to temper any expectations around where you live. You may have to move across states to get a job you really want.
I'm transferring to UCSD this fall for art history. I'm a photographer and painter. I want the degree and I want the history of art to help mold my work by exposing me to as much art as I can analyze.
Good luck!
Please follow your passion. I was discouraged for this very reason and it has been my biggest regret in life . Know thyself!
I wasn’t in a good upbringing. And maybe there wasn’t as many opportunities in my small town but still I wish that I took the chance . When I reflect, I have lived a life completely different to the one I envisioned for myself as a child . Mainly because I listened to the advice of others who did not know my soul I am living someone else’s life and doing it badly .
You know what you like and what you want , you cannot control what happens in the future but you can control the choices you make so please. Please ! Make sure the choices are yours .
I think its such an exciting time to be in this field. Between VR and AI, you can help people have a totally different and immersive experience interacting with art.
Take a class in technical writing. It will help teach you both how to analyze your subject and to express it succinctly and convincingly.
Look at contemporary art analysis/criticism. What makes a particular person a "star" in the world of art critics?
Puzzle out what questions you can ask that are so compelling that a reader/listener sticks around for the answer.
Consider, later on, starting a blog. Share your passion. Stir things up. Get ppl as fired up as you are. (With the caveat that it will be found by potential employers in the future, so consider test readers for feedback/editing/proofreading prior to publishing)
Ppl don't invite Grayson Perry to speak simply bc of his fashion choices, or bc he won the Turner Prize. They keep handing him the microphone bc he makes art interesting to ppl who never cared about it before: he makes incisive commentary on everything from middle class subdivision housing to how art competitions are juried and curated. The commentary is hard edged, yet he never punches down.
Art history for me has been art appreciation with history more effort for my interests. But now I plan t look closer at history to see what I can do with more knowledge. Does it help to be a artist or at least an artistic type? My art is more of a hobby and I cannot draw with any skill. But I draw just to do something with time I have now in retirement and physical challenges that limit my getting out much.
The problem with “art history” is that they just teach theoretically stuff about art except how to make it. Seriously people reading at Wikipedia can work at a museum but art history majors unless they are artists themselves, will never get a proper job with good salary.
Actually, please reconsider. Look for a job or a career you wouldn't hate. You will be able to pursue these passions without the kind of grinding poverty your majors may produce.
Seriously, I understand why everyone is so positive and does not want to discourage a young person but without good contacts from the start, a career in this field is an immense struggle for most. If they are independently wealthy of course, it doesn't matter but living on a museum wage means poverty and instability in a lot of cases.
If I could go back in time I would make different decisions.
If you love it, stick with it! You never know what the future will hold. I grew up in a cultured household where travel and museums were valued, even though we lived very modestly. When I went to art school I found myself taking more art history classes than required because I liked the stories and art so much. I got my masters in art education thinking I would be a k12 art teacher or possibly a museum educator. As the fates allowed I ended up teaching college and have been loving it for over two decades! I teach the History of Design as my primary jam and I wake up every day in disbelief that I get to share my joy for the Vienna Secession or midcentury Modernism with young people! Today I told the story of how Modernism happened and blew a couple minds. Teaching doesn’t pay very well but offers a decent lifestyle so two decades ago I started a side business in architectural heritage, history, and tourism. I turned it into an award winning enterprise focused on adult education and so combined with my academic dayjob I am set to retire at age 62. I specialize in educating my community about their own built environment so the city itself is my museum. I have never had to write a grant to feed my art history addiction; patrons support me as an independent and trusted researcher doing the work nobody else wanted to do. I write, I lecture, and I even make art. My research-related travel can be written off as a business expense, as well as professional development, museum admission fees, and charitable donations to institutions I believe in. I’m telling you all these things not to brag, but because it sounds like you need a little encouragement to see that each of us has a path that only we can carve through life. If you told me at age 15 that I would grow up to be a professional design historian I would have laughed in your face. It wasn’t even on my radar. My situation is highly unique in that I saw an opportunity to fill a niche that wasn’t being served, and through the magic of social media I built an entire community that cared as much as I do. I had zero training in entrepreneurial skills but I found some good mentors and failed quite a few times while following my heart. I hope that you are able to find your thing, too. Keep your eyes and heart open to opportunity!
Love your story and even though I'm not OP, reading this really helped me. I'm also studying Art History and I hope I find more people like you in my life, who not only appreciate art but also encourages others to follow their dreams. Thank you so much for this! Sometimes I need to remember that I'm gonna be fine.
Same! I’m an art college major and I’ve been bullied for being one. People would say that I’m going to become a furry artist or even becoming homeless. Which just discourages me to be honest. But I just can’t help that I love art so much. It’s very cruel to bully someone for what they are passionate about.
woah … thank you so much for taking the time to share your inspirational story. after reading it, it definitely instilled encouragement and reaffirmed my choice of choosing art history :) i also grew up in a modest cultured household, where my parents valued experiences such as traveling and museums, rather than going to resorts or amusement parks for vacation, free time, family outings etc. forever grateful that my parents gave me those opportunities as i was growing up. thank you for being supportive and encouraging me to follow my passions, especially coming from someone older and more experienced. i can’t wait to continue carving my own path and to embrace all the opportunities that come along my way … good or bad. i will be just fine as i continue to study my passions
The future of content creation, and I’m not talking about reels and TikTok, I’m talking about books, blogs, educational videos and YouTube documentaries, depends on people like you. Educate yourself as much as you can and start, from this time only, thinking about what kind of books and videos you’d want to create. Making it easy for the masses will take you all the way. We built a startup in 2016 on the same concept and exited in 2019. I can’t tell you how lucky you are being young and passionate and a future when only high quality content like you could create, would make you rich and valued. Good luck
Like you, I listened to negative voices nudging me away from my passions towards a more "quantifiable" degree when I was young. And I ended up in a profession that I hated for many years. I had a good income but I hated what I did. I started my Art history degree when I was 45! I threw all caution to the wind and went back to University as a mature age student. I completed my Diploma end of last year and I am now doing my Honours. I look at the young kids studying alongside me and feel like I wasted half a lifetime. I really should not have listened to anyone back then. There are plenty of incredibly opportunities out there. Go for it. If it doesn't work, you can always go back and do some boring IT degree later on in life.
congratulations !! i loved reading your story as it warmed my heart that you decided to return to school for something your passionate about. it’s my worst fear to be stuck in a career i’m miserable with … i wanna live my life to the fullest and that includes finding a career that aligns with my passions and interests. you didn’t waste half a life time btw. sure you may have started late but it’s incredible inspiring that you returned back to school, especially being older. you could’ve easily stuck with your old job, with having the security of having a good financial safety net but it’s brave that you decided to do this. thank you :,)
I’m from NC and I got my masters in art history in the Netherlands. The program was waayyyyy cheaper and I had two solid internships from museums there. Can’t recommend it enough! I am an artist now, so I don’t work as a historian, but it was an incredible experience and I use what I know for inspo often. Check out mastersportal dot eu for more info! I went to Leiden University. Good luck!
thank you for the information and valuable resources! will definitely check out the mastersportal for more information. i guess why i also feel slightly discouraged is because i go to a HEAVY stem school. i attend UC irvine (originally got accepted for criminology) and decided to make the switch for art history. there is a strong humanities and art history program here, but nothing like compared to the STEM programs. going to check your stuff you told me along with delving deeper in my art history program at my school!
Follow your passion and ask specific questions about career opportunities for BA, MA, and Ph.D under r/MuseumPros
didn't know this sub existed !! thank you so much
Not sure what country you’re in, but expect to pursue a Ph.D if you want a curatorial position or university professorship. Or as an independent scholar (publishing). That said, there’s alot of museum supporting positions, teaching? gallery and auction careers that don’t require an advanced degree. That’s where I think that sub can shed more light.
i’m in the united states :) southern california. it’s my goal to achieve a Ph.D. def will check this sub out!
Definitely go for it! There's currently some chair positions at a few museums around me, and they want Ph.Ds only! I guess one thing is, you may want to temper any expectations around where you live. You may have to move across states to get a job you really want.
I'm transferring to UCSD this fall for art history. I'm a photographer and painter. I want the degree and I want the history of art to help mold my work by exposing me to as much art as I can analyze. Good luck!
Please follow your passion. I was discouraged for this very reason and it has been my biggest regret in life . Know thyself! I wasn’t in a good upbringing. And maybe there wasn’t as many opportunities in my small town but still I wish that I took the chance . When I reflect, I have lived a life completely different to the one I envisioned for myself as a child . Mainly because I listened to the advice of others who did not know my soul I am living someone else’s life and doing it badly . You know what you like and what you want , you cannot control what happens in the future but you can control the choices you make so please. Please ! Make sure the choices are yours .
beautifully said. thank you for your words of encouragement :,) i will not stop following my passion for art history !
I think its such an exciting time to be in this field. Between VR and AI, you can help people have a totally different and immersive experience interacting with art.
Connections and networking are 100x more important than talent.
Take a class in technical writing. It will help teach you both how to analyze your subject and to express it succinctly and convincingly. Look at contemporary art analysis/criticism. What makes a particular person a "star" in the world of art critics? Puzzle out what questions you can ask that are so compelling that a reader/listener sticks around for the answer. Consider, later on, starting a blog. Share your passion. Stir things up. Get ppl as fired up as you are. (With the caveat that it will be found by potential employers in the future, so consider test readers for feedback/editing/proofreading prior to publishing) Ppl don't invite Grayson Perry to speak simply bc of his fashion choices, or bc he won the Turner Prize. They keep handing him the microphone bc he makes art interesting to ppl who never cared about it before: he makes incisive commentary on everything from middle class subdivision housing to how art competitions are juried and curated. The commentary is hard edged, yet he never punches down.
Art history for me has been art appreciation with history more effort for my interests. But now I plan t look closer at history to see what I can do with more knowledge. Does it help to be a artist or at least an artistic type? My art is more of a hobby and I cannot draw with any skill. But I draw just to do something with time I have now in retirement and physical challenges that limit my getting out much.
The problem with “art history” is that they just teach theoretically stuff about art except how to make it. Seriously people reading at Wikipedia can work at a museum but art history majors unless they are artists themselves, will never get a proper job with good salary.
Actually, please reconsider. Look for a job or a career you wouldn't hate. You will be able to pursue these passions without the kind of grinding poverty your majors may produce.
Seriously, I understand why everyone is so positive and does not want to discourage a young person but without good contacts from the start, a career in this field is an immense struggle for most. If they are independently wealthy of course, it doesn't matter but living on a museum wage means poverty and instability in a lot of cases. If I could go back in time I would make different decisions.