CAREER FILES
The Armory Show's Director On How She Made It
Bright, soft-spoken and chic, Nicole Berry now stands at the epicenter of the art world.
Nicole Berry reckons she might be the oldest intern Sotheby's has ever had. At 32, the San Francisco native made a drastic career change when she decided to leave her job in arts education and pursue a career in the art world. Not only did the move require a formal education (she got her Master’s in Art History at the University of California at Davis), it required Berry get some credible experience outside of academia. So, after completing her degree, she accepted an internship at Sotheby’s London—a move which put her alongside a sea of fresh graduates almost a decade her junior.
It was a decision she describes as “a little bit brave and a little bit crazy,” but one that she fully embraced. “I was willing to take risks,” she says, and it most certainly paid off. She recalls her time at Sotheby’s as “the best training.” After several jobs working in galleries in New York, Berry went on to accept a position as Deputy Director of Expo Chicago, where she built an art fair from the ground up. In 2016, she moved to New York to join the The Armory Show and, by 2017, was promoted to Executive Director.
Now in its 25th year, The Armory Show is famous for showcasing 20th and 21st century art from leading international galleries. Held every spring on the Hudson River Piers, it's known as the quintessential New York art fair. “We take great pride in being a fair that was founded by New Yorkers, that is for New Yorkers, and that celebrates everything that New York has to offer,” says Berry.
It was a decision she describes as “a little bit brave and a little bit crazy,” but one that she fully embraced. “I was willing to take risks,” she says, and it most certainly paid off. She recalls her time at Sotheby’s as “the best training.” After several jobs working in galleries in New York, Berry went on to accept a position as Deputy Director of Expo Chicago, where she built an art fair from the ground up. In 2016, she moved to New York to join the The Armory Show and, by 2017, was promoted to Executive Director.
Now in its 25th year, The Armory Show is famous for showcasing 20th and 21st century art from leading international galleries. Held every spring on the Hudson River Piers, it's known as the quintessential New York art fair. “We take great pride in being a fair that was founded by New Yorkers, that is for New Yorkers, and that celebrates everything that New York has to offer,” says Berry.
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