Methodology
Sources of the Data
The art market, being largely composed of for-profit micro enterprises, often sole proprietorship
or simply self-employed individuals, poses many challenges to being studied systematically.
These many small-scale actors of the art market have no public
disclosure obligations like the nonprofit sector nor much interest in doing so. The art
market thrives on opacity, and so, if surveyed about their economic activity, an art dealer
might be unwilling to provide accurate data. Therefore, a research project such as this
only became possible when the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) created the
data service CVSuite which uses data modelled by EMSI. The data from EMSI makes use
of labor statistics, tax data, and other economic data organized by occupation and industry,
which allow us to define those actors and entities that make up the art market.
Occupations in the Art Market
For our reports we have selected the following occupations within US as the actors of
the art market. They are included with their Standard Occupational Classification System
(SOC) code. In each case, we provide the justification for the inclusion of this occupation
category. In addition to the occupation codes, we have added the jobs reported by the
NAICS Industry Codes 453310 and 453920 which are for used merchandise stores
(antiques) and art dealers, respectively.
25-4012 Curators: Often associated with the Experiential Sector, still curators usually
function as the driver for a museum’s acquisition policy, and therefore, play a key role in
the art market. Curators are often also employed by commercial galleries and therefore
play a direct role in the market.
27-1011 Art directors: Although usually found in the commercial art business, art directors
and their teams still produce an aesthetic product which is purchased by their client.
27-1012 Craft artists: They produce applied art and design objects for sale.
27-1013 Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators: These producers
conform to our most traditional concepts of artists.
27-1014 Multimedia artists and animators: The artists sell a digital art product of their
creation.
27-1019 Artists and related workers, all other: A general category with which many less
traditional artists elect identify themselves.
27-1022 Fashion designers: They produce a fashion textile product that is purchased by a
client.
27-1024 Graphic designers: They produce artworks for advertising and publication
purposes.
27-1025 Interior designers: They function as the art agents for the furniture (both new
and antique) business and therefore play a merchant-like intermediary role.
27-1029 Designers, all other: This designation serves as a general category for designers
who produce a variety of aesthetic assemblages that are purchased by clients.
27-4021 Photographers: They produce photographs, either printed or digital, for clients
who purchase those images. We elected to include only still photographers, but not to
include makers of video and other motion-picture products.
51-7011 Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters: They produce the applied art of furniture.
51-7021 Furniture finishers: They function as the conservators of the antique furniture
market, as well as often its merchants.
51-9071 Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers: They produce applied art and
jewelry.
51-9194 Etchers and engravers: They make serial 2-dimensional artworks.
51-9195 Molders, shapers, and casters (except metal and plastic): These producers make
metal and ceramic objects for aesthetic purposes.
453310 (NAICS code) Used merchandise stores: These are the merchants of the antiques
sector.
453920 (NAICS code) Art dealers: These are the merchants of the retail art sector.
Industries in the Art Market
The intention in selecting industries was to choose those which produce or trade
in art objects, design objects, or artistic products. The following industries, as noted by
their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, were selected as
meeting the criteria of entities involved in the art market. In each case, the industry was
chosen if it met the standard of creating and trading in aesthetically produced art and
design products. Furthermore, if there exists a secondary market in the resale of older
products from this industry, then that served as justification for its inclusion. In addition,
many artists act as their own merchants; therefore, we included the industry code for
independent artists, writers, and performers. To remove literary and performing artists,
we adjusted based on the occupational data for fine artists. In addition, adjustments were
made to the first six industry codes, comparing them against occupational categories, in
order to eliminate mass-market industrial production, which would not be the target of
this report.
327110: Pottery, ceramics, and plumbing fixture manufacturing :
327212: Other pressed and blown glass and glassware manufacturing¹
332323: Ornamental and architectural metal work manufacturing¹
339910: Jewelry and silverware manufacturing¹
448310: Jewelry stores¹
453310: Used merchandise stores¹
453920: Art dealers
541430: Graphic design services:
541921: Photography studios, portrait
541922: Commercial photography
811420: Reupholstery and furniture repair
812921: Photofinishing laboratories (except one-hour)
711510: Independent artists writers and performers
The art market, being largely composed of for-profit micro enterprises, often sole proprietorship
or simply self-employed individuals, poses many challenges to being studied systematically.
These many small-scale actors of the art market have no public
disclosure obligations like the nonprofit sector nor much interest in doing so. The art
market thrives on opacity, and so, if surveyed about their economic activity, an art dealer
might be unwilling to provide accurate data. Therefore, a research project such as this
only became possible when the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) created the
data service CVSuite which uses data modelled by EMSI. The data from EMSI makes use
of labor statistics, tax data, and other economic data organized by occupation and industry,
which allow us to define those actors and entities that make up the art market.
Occupations in the Art Market
For our reports we have selected the following occupations within US as the actors of
the art market. They are included with their Standard Occupational Classification System
(SOC) code. In each case, we provide the justification for the inclusion of this occupation
category. In addition to the occupation codes, we have added the jobs reported by the
NAICS Industry Codes 453310 and 453920 which are for used merchandise stores
(antiques) and art dealers, respectively.
25-4012 Curators: Often associated with the Experiential Sector, still curators usually
function as the driver for a museum’s acquisition policy, and therefore, play a key role in
the art market. Curators are often also employed by commercial galleries and therefore
play a direct role in the market.
27-1011 Art directors: Although usually found in the commercial art business, art directors
and their teams still produce an aesthetic product which is purchased by their client.
27-1012 Craft artists: They produce applied art and design objects for sale.
27-1013 Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators: These producers
conform to our most traditional concepts of artists.
27-1014 Multimedia artists and animators: The artists sell a digital art product of their
creation.
27-1019 Artists and related workers, all other: A general category with which many less
traditional artists elect identify themselves.
27-1022 Fashion designers: They produce a fashion textile product that is purchased by a
client.
27-1024 Graphic designers: They produce artworks for advertising and publication
purposes.
27-1025 Interior designers: They function as the art agents for the furniture (both new
and antique) business and therefore play a merchant-like intermediary role.
27-1029 Designers, all other: This designation serves as a general category for designers
who produce a variety of aesthetic assemblages that are purchased by clients.
27-4021 Photographers: They produce photographs, either printed or digital, for clients
who purchase those images. We elected to include only still photographers, but not to
include makers of video and other motion-picture products.
51-7011 Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters: They produce the applied art of furniture.
51-7021 Furniture finishers: They function as the conservators of the antique furniture
market, as well as often its merchants.
51-9071 Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers: They produce applied art and
jewelry.
51-9194 Etchers and engravers: They make serial 2-dimensional artworks.
51-9195 Molders, shapers, and casters (except metal and plastic): These producers make
metal and ceramic objects for aesthetic purposes.
453310 (NAICS code) Used merchandise stores: These are the merchants of the antiques
sector.
453920 (NAICS code) Art dealers: These are the merchants of the retail art sector.
Industries in the Art Market
The intention in selecting industries was to choose those which produce or trade
in art objects, design objects, or artistic products. The following industries, as noted by
their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, were selected as
meeting the criteria of entities involved in the art market. In each case, the industry was
chosen if it met the standard of creating and trading in aesthetically produced art and
design products. Furthermore, if there exists a secondary market in the resale of older
products from this industry, then that served as justification for its inclusion. In addition,
many artists act as their own merchants; therefore, we included the industry code for
independent artists, writers, and performers. To remove literary and performing artists,
we adjusted based on the occupational data for fine artists. In addition, adjustments were
made to the first six industry codes, comparing them against occupational categories, in
order to eliminate mass-market industrial production, which would not be the target of
this report.
327110: Pottery, ceramics, and plumbing fixture manufacturing :
327212: Other pressed and blown glass and glassware manufacturing¹
332323: Ornamental and architectural metal work manufacturing¹
339910: Jewelry and silverware manufacturing¹
448310: Jewelry stores¹
453310: Used merchandise stores¹
453920: Art dealers
541430: Graphic design services:
541921: Photography studios, portrait
541922: Commercial photography
811420: Reupholstery and furniture repair
812921: Photofinishing laboratories (except one-hour)
711510: Independent artists writers and performers