So you want to give art technical work a go and you want to know how to get into it?  Well, that’s a good question which I can only answer through my experiences, so here we go. I didn’t really know what the role of art technician was so I wanted to find out how to get in and what I could do within the industry with my transferable skills of tool lover and craft maker with an interest in art and artefacts.  I looked up institutions and businesses online that I thought were interesting and I would like to know more about or potentially work at. So I did some research online, looking at the contacts page of their websites or finding people on LinkedIn and I cold-called/emailed them. I asked if I could come and talk to them to see what they do for a job as I was interested in getting into the industry.  Most people didn’t respond but a couple did so I went and met them, they gave me tours of their work environments and told me more about what they did in their roles. I would then tentatively ask how they would recommend I got into the industry and what they could suggest for me to do. They always said to find training to see if it was for me or find a job that will train you - advice I also now give.  Apprenticeships are great for this, and they are starting to be offered more and are advertised online in various places such as Indeed, Arts Council Jobs and ArtTechSpace - of course. It was then through one of these cold call meetings that I was later invited to apply for an apprenticeship there, go it and that’s how it all started for me.  But also I volunteered a lot before I got my apprenticeship. I do not condone giving your labour away for free but it was a good way for me to get my foot in the door at various institutions. For me, it was a good way to work out if this was the right work for me and introduced me to a lot of people who helped me along the way and gave me paid work elsewhere.  When I moved countries I wanted to work in this industry as it had been my work for a couple of years previously but I found it really hard to get into the industry and that was the main reason I started ArtTechSpace. I had a contract for a year but had visa issues and only a logistics company would hire me. Those were 3 of the hardest years I have ever worked in my life and broke me a little mentally and physically but boy did I learn ALOT! Working for an Art logistics company is the easiest way to get into the industry as they are always looking for people who are willing to work hard and are an excellent training ground for a really broad knowledge base of technical knowledge. But it's really hard work.  Otherwise - it is who you know. Cronyism is rife in this industry and it pays not to be too proud to ask for help - ask people who you met at an opening if you can be put in contact with their technical manager, ask to work on an artist friend’s next install, ask if you could work in the gallery in any way if they need help -  you get the idea, ask around, you never know who might be able to get you that foot in the door. But don’t be a creep about it - be nice and polite and gracious.  Have your CV concise and tailored towards art technical work. We see a lot of CV’s and we know what makes a good one - concise, relevant experiences & licenses only, 2 pages ABSOLUTELY MAXIMUM! Get someone from a technical background to check it for you first if you can.  So in short how to get into working in the industry: • Do some research to work out what you are interested in and who to contact • Get involved in training  • Network: make new connections and hit up old ones • Work at places that take on people new to the industry such as art logistics companies or those offering apprenticeships • Have a relevant art technical CV  Whether you're diving headfirst into training programs, having coffee dates with industry insiders, or getting your hands dirty at art logistics companies, just remember: the path to success is rarely a straight line. Embrace the twists and turns and learn from every experience. Good luck out there.

This course aims to improve your skills in the presentation, handling and installation of artworks. It will support you to cultivate the capabilities and behaviours essential in undertaking meaningful roles within the UK’s key creative spaces and places. This bootcamp covers skills in art handling alongside digital, audio-visual and carpentry capabilities. The course aims to strike a balance between theoretical insights and hands-on practice covering: • framing, mount-making, packing materials and methods for shipping • wall building and making bespoke plinths for artworks and artefacts • gallery and museum lighting and the installation of largescale film and audiovisual works. To find out more and to apply for this course click HERE

Our Art Technician training sessions are designed to support best practices in the presentation, handling and installation of artworks and artefacts – from painting and sculpture to film and digital art, this training provides the skills to work across the arts and cultural sector. We are running training days next year with the Building Craft College in London and need some feedback before we put it out to the world. You can find the survey HERE This is what we will be offering as four individual one-day sessions or all 4 sessions for a discount: ART HANDLING: Understand the importance of planning, understanding artistic mediums, appropriate equipment and how to handle artworks and objects safely and securely in accordance with H&S regulations focusing on Manual Handling, understanding artistic mediums and their handling considerations, moving art and artefacts, etc.  PACKING ART & ARTEFACTS: Identify the appropriate materials to use to safely and securely pack art and objects for storage & transport focusing on how to soft wrap, card wrap, pack crates & travel frames etc.  INSTALLING ART & ARTEFACTS: Understand the fundamentals of how an artwork or object is installed safely and securely in a space covering: different mediums and the appropriate hardware to use, different surfaces on which art or objects are installed eg. types of walls, plinths, etc., equipment which can be used for installation, method statements and installation guides. AUDIO VISUAL & SOUND INSTALLATIONS: An introduction to audiovisual and sound art installation which will equip learners with an understanding of the correct equipment based on artistic specifications, understanding of projector throw, alignment, etc. and how to set up an AV & sound installation in specific spaces. It's a completely anonymous survey - we do ask for demographic information but we do not ask for your personal details unless you are willing to provide them. You can find the survey HERE