SKILLS LIST

W.A.G.E.'s skills database contains close to 400 entries compiled from a range of sources including worker roundtables, job postings, the resumes of artist assistants, art handlers, and studio managers, as well as a group of individuals who enumerated their job-related skill sets. Don't see your skill? Let us know: wagency@wageforwork.com


2D animation 3D animation 3D model design using SketchUp, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Blender, Zbrush, or other software Acrylic painting Acting Airbrush painting Airbrushing Angle and bench grinding Animal training Aquatint printmaking Architecture Archival framing for paper, photography and objects Archival research Archive and organize negative sheets, contact sheets, and test prints Archiving Art conservation Art criticism Art fair booth merchandise design and display Art restoration Art storage and shipping management Artist statement writing Assist brick masons, block masons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters Assist with equipment maintenance and repair Assist wall painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons Assist with electrical work Assist with installation, maintenance, and repair Assist with woodworking or carpentry Audio editing, mastering, digitizing or recording Audio or audiovisual equipment setup, maintenance, or disassembly Audiovisual equipment installation or repair Automated dialogue replacement Bartending Black and white darkroom printing Book binding and finishing Bookkeeping, invoicing, and updating financial records Brazing Brick and block masonry Broadcast technician Build archiving system Build studio furniture (shelving, lofts, painting racks, storage) Calligraphy Canvas stretching Carborundum printmaking Career representation and promotion Carpentry Carpet installation Cartography and map making Cartooning Cashier and checkout Casting Casting direction Catering coordination Cement molding, shaping or casting Cement repair (casting and fixing floors/doorways) Ceramic glazing Ceramic wheel work Chiaroscuro woodcut printmaking Chine collé printmaking Choreography Cinematography Cliché-verre (glass print) Coat check Coil building Collections specialist Collotype printmaking Color matching Comic book illustration Community liaison Community partner Compose or direct music Computer hardware engineering Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) operation Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) programming Constructing small power supplies Construction general Conte drawing Continuity supervision Coordinate community engagement project Coordinate exhibition with galleries and museums Correspondence and scheduling with galleries, institutions, curators, and others Cost/price estimation Costume and garment preparation Costume attending and assistance Costume design Costume fabrication Couriering Crate building Create or provide curriculum Crocheting Curate Custom build travel frames, inner boxes, trays, packaging infrastructure Dance Data entry Data entry using Excel, FileMaker Pro, Raiser's Edge, or other database software Data science Deejay Deinstall and wrap artworks for transport Delivery Design exhibits and sets Digital embroidery Digital imaging, editing, scanning or printing Digitization (tape to digital) Diorama building Direct and manage collection or archive Dishwashing Distribute flyers or leaflets Document and archive student work Dolly or crane operation Driving box trucks, cargo and transit vans to deliver artworks Drone operation Drypoint printmaking Drywall/sheetrock hanging or finishing Drywall/sheetrock taping Dyeing, spinning, felting, embroidery Editing Electrical and electronics drafting Electrical engineering Electrical wiring (make new extension cords, rewire components, install transformers) Electrician Electronics engineering Electronics technician Engraving Entertain or perform Essay writing Etching Event planning Exhibition furniture fabrication or repair on- or off-site Fabrication and production assistance, general Felt making Fiberglass Filing Filing metal or plastic Film and video direction Film and video production Film developing Film or video editing Film scanning Finishing metal or plastic Flexible mold making Floor installation Floor sanding Floral design and arrangement Folly recording Food service and cleanup Forklift operation Format and prepare signage for printing Foundry metal casting Frame restoration and repair Fundraising Furniture refinishing Gaffer Garment making General construction trades assisting General maintenance and repair General office administration using G-Suite, Microsoft Office or other computing software Gesso or prime surfaces Gilding Gimbal operation Glass blowing, molding, shaping, or casting Glass cutting Grant writing Graphic design Grind, file, and sharpen tools Guard, protect and secure artworks Hand knitting Hand sanding, grinding or polishing Hand sewing Hire and manage studio staff, independent contractors, and interns Historical research Hoist and winch operation Hosting Housekeeping Illustration Image formatting and proofing Industrial design Install artwork, 2D (wire, D-rings, cleats) Install artwork, 3D (floor, shelf, pedestal, wall mounted, ceiling mounted) Intaglio printmaking Interviewing iPhone photography Janitorial and cleaning Jewelry, precious stone and metalwork Landscape architecture and design Landscaping and groundskeeping Laser cutting Lathe-cut vinyl Leatherwork, hand Letterpress printing Library assisting Lighting design Lighting installation, operation, maintenance, and wiring Lighting setup, operation, and maintenance Line producing Linocut or linoleum cut printmaking Lithography Live sound production Load and fire kilns Logistics coordination Machine sewing, general Makeup Manage and update website content Manage circulation of artworks including consignment and loan agreements Manage fabrication Manage film distribution Manage film production Manage fundraising campaign or event Manage promotion and public relations Manage retail sales workers Manage social media or publicity campaign Mass mailing Mat board cutting and assembling Materials research and design Mechanical customization Medium format photography Metal and plastic work, general Metal casting Metal machining Metal work, hand tools Mezzotint printmaking MIG, ARC, or TIG welding Milling and planing, metal and plastic Mixing clay Model making, metal and plastic Model making, wood Modeling Mold making general, except metal and plastic Monoprinting Monotype printmaking Motion design and graphics Mount acoustical tiles or soundproofing material Mount-making Mount, frame, laminate, or lacquer finished photographs Moving packed artworks; packing vans, trucks, etc. for transit using strapping, padding, and boxing Multi-channel playback Mural painting Musical instrument repair and tuning Offset lithography or offset photo-mechanical printmaking Oil painting Operate 3D printer Operate camera for film or video Operate construction equipment Operate film or video projection and sound equipment Operate hand and power tools Operate strobe lighting systems and light modifiers Order materials and manage outside vendors and fabricators Pack artwork using Ethafoam, cardboard, shadowbox construction Pack artworks into crates or travel frames, inner boxes, trays, cavities, Page layout and design Papermaking Patternmaking Patternmaking, metal and plastic Payroll and timekeeping Pedestal construction Pencil drawing Personal care Photo editing for publication using Capture One, Adobe Suite or other software Photocopying Photographic documentation of events, exhibitions or artworks Photogravure printmaking Photorealist drawing or painting Plan layout of temporary partitions and walls Plaster casting or mold making Plastering Platform assembly Play music or sing Plexiglass assembly for framing and creating bonnets for vitrines Podcast production Prepare food and refreshments for receptions and events Press release writing Print matching for editions Produce and maintain studio budgets and financial reporting Programming and coding Proofreading Purchase materials, supplies or services Reclaiming clay Recreational arts and craft teaching and assistance Registrarial coordination Relief printing Rentals coordination Repair electric motors, tools Repair photographic equipment Repair wiring Represent artist, gallery or other hiring party on social media Research assistance for community-based project Resin casting or mold making Retail sales Review proposals (jurying) Rigging Rubber casting or mold making Sales management Scan hard copy materials Scheduling (production and exhibition deadlines, artist’s travel schedule) Screen printing Sensitivity reading Set design Sheet metal work Shelf and mount-building for different wall types (drywall, plywood, masonry, suspended) Sign painting Silicone casting or mold making Silk screen printing Skim coating, sanding and faux finishing Slab building Soft-ground etching Software development Soldering Sound recording Sound synchronization Source materials, services or equipment for purchase or rental Spray booth finishing Spray finishing, hand Stained glass Steadicam operation Stenciling Stocking and filling orders Stone building Stretcher and strainer bar fabrication and construction Supervise construction Supervise fabrication workers Survey research Tape work Tapestry Teach art, drama and music, Postsecondary Teach communications, Postsecondary Teach elementary school Teach English language and literature, Postsecondary Teach history, Postsecondary Teach middle school Teach philosophy and religion, Postsecondary Teach preschool Teach recreational arts Teach secondary school Teach special education, Elementary School Teach special education, Kindergarten Teach special education, Middle School Teach special education, Preschool Teach special education, Secondary School Teach the presentation, marketing, and selling of artworks Team fabrication and assembly, general Textile work, all other Ticket taking Tile and stone setting Timeline, scheduling, and budget management Tool and die making Track inventory using Artbase, Artlogic or other Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools Track shipping and inventory Transcoding Transcription Translation Upholstering Vehicle and equipment cleaning VFX design Video documentation of exhibitions Video production assistance Vinyl text or graphics installation Visitor reception and wayfinding Voiceover production Voiceover, radio and audio announcing Wall building and framing Wall drawing Wall painting Wallpaper hanging Watercolor painting Wax casting or mold making Weaving Web and interface design Web development Wood engraving Wood patternmaking Wood sawing machine operation Woodcut printmaking Woodworking Woodworking machine setup, operation, and tending, except sawing Write wall texts and didactic panels for exhibitions