Do you need an art or art history degree to work in an art gallery, or can you just teach yourself what you need to know? I always thought working in a gallery would be interesting.

What most people don't understand is that while a job might not seem to need a degree you probably will be up against people that have one and won't get the job without one.

I have just read an article which mentioned that some galleries do prefer applicants who have an art degree or something related...I suppose it also depends on the type of job in the gallery. I know someone who doesn't have an art degree but she works in a gallery run by a prominent family of artists. Just not sure what she exactly does.

I'm not sure how you would know what you need to learn. As I see it, that's part of getting a formal education. It also depends on what specifically interests you. Art history and museum management are two degree possibilities, but I would imagine there are many others.

I don't think it can hurt to have a degree in something related to the thing you want to do, but there have been people who go into careers in entirely different areas from what they majored in, so I guess it just depends.

To me it seems there is a lot to know about art and it's history. I presume art galleries are experts in the field and would want well rounded educated people working there?

You can do without a degree but come to think of it; will it be easy to compete against other people who are more qualified? Competition for jobs is really high nowadays and people are going to school more than ever before.

The inaugural edition of NADA New York, May 4-7, 2012, may seem a peculiar setting for design. But wedged in among the 66 dealers from 11 countries set up in the former Dia Center for the Arts Building in Chelsea, also the home of the Independent art fair two month ago, is a surprising amount of design- and function-focused material.