(via Karen Atkinson: Are We Teaching Artists to Fail*?)
If galleries eventually go the wayside of other like minded industries, ie. the record industry, etc. then we need to prepare our artists in more ways than the vertical strategy. In 1941, the total number of degrees conferred by US colleges in the fine and applied arts was 3,428. In 1981, total number of degrees conferred by US colleges in the fine and applied arts was 49,108 (College Art Association statistics). There are now over 1000 art or fine art programs in the US and according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of Visual and Performing Arts Degrees awarded in 2009 is 124, 256. A recent report from First Research (Aug. 2010) puts the gallery count at about 6,500 art dealers and galleries in the US.