Behind the Scenes of the Art World: Carrie Scott on Fees, Access & Support

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A refreshingly candid conversation with Carrie Scott: curator, art consultant, broadcaster and founder of Seen, a media platform connecting the art world to the real world.

This is our most unfiltered episode yet, where we tackle topics that might "get us in trouble": what consultants actually charge, why artists should have elevator pitches (despite what famous curators say), whether museums should pay artists a percentage of ticket sales, and how galleries claim they'll "find you" while rejecting all submissions.

Carrie's career spans working with major galleries in Seattle and New York, collaborating with Nick Knight for a decade, launching groundbreaking exhibitions and now building a consultancy that refuses to be motivated purely by commission. She is opinionated, pragmatic and genuinely invested in making the art world less intimidating and more transparent.

Key insights from this episode:

• The real numbers: what art consultants charge

• Why Carrie is building an art consultancy that is not centered around transaction

• The controversial debate: should artists have an elevator pitch?

• What galleries mean when they say "don't contact us" (and should you ignore it)?

• Creative health as the third pillar of wellness alongside physical and mental health

• Practical advice for ambitious artists and where to find helpful resources

Carrie Scott is a curator, art historian, consultant and broadcaster based in London. She is the founder of Seen, a media platform and consultancy dedicated to connecting the art world to the real world.

You can find out more about her work at https://www.seen.art/ and follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/carriescottcurates/

00:34 Carrie's Favorite Quote

03:34 Background and Early Life

07:13 Journey into Art and Education

09:58 First Job and Early Career Challenges

21:26 Transition to Consulting and Launching Her Own Business

40:24 The Value of Installation Art

43:48 Challenges in Monetizing Installation Art

45:35 Artist-Museum Revenue Sharing

52:05 Curating and Supporting Artists

56:26 Advice for Emerging Artists

01:09:45 Dream Projects and Future Plans

Also mentioned in this episode:

Brothers And Keepers by John Edgar Wideman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50891912-brothers-and-keepers

Overherd oat milk: https://overherd.uk/ | https://www.instagram.com/overherd.uk

The Wallace Collection: https://www.wallacecollection.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/wallacemuseum | @TheWallacecollection

Jean-Honoré Fragonard: https://www.wikiart.org/en/jean-honore-fragonard

Dickinson College: https://www.dickinson.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/dickinsoncollege | @dsoncollege

Conde Nast: https://www.condenast.com/

University of Washington: https://www.washington.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/uofwa/ | @universityofwashington

Seattle Magazine: https://seattlemag.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattlemag/

The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattletimes/

Seattle University: https://www.seattleu.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattleu/ | @seattleuniversity

The Stranger: https://www.thestranger.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/thestrangerseattle/

James Harris: https://jamesharrisgallery.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/jamesharrisgallery/

Rashid Johnson: https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/2830-rashid-johnson/ | https://www.instagram.com/rashidjohnson/

Nicole Klagsburn: https://www.nicoleklagsbrun.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/nicole_klagsbrun_inc/

Matt Day Jackson: https://www.hauserwirth.com/viewing-room/matthew-day-jackson/ https://www.instagram.com/matthewdayjackson/

Mika Rottenberg: https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/23390-mika-rottenberg/ | https://www.instagram.com/mikarottenberg/

Jimmy Moffat: https://www.instagram.com/jimmymoff/

Art + Commerce: https://artandcommerce.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/artandcommerce/

Annie Leibovitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Leibovitz | https://www.instagram.com/annieleibovitz/

Steven Meisel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Meisel | https://www.instagram.com/stevenmeiselofficial/

Nick Knight: https://www.nickknight.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/nick_knight/

180 Studios: https://www.180studios.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/180.studios/

The Art Show on Sky Arts: https://www.carrie-scott.com/theartshoq | https://www.instagram.com/artshowtv/ | @theartshow791

Simonette Quamina: https://www.simonettequamina.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/simonette_quamina/

John Pawson: