What Does an Art Coordinator Do?
Editors and designers cannot finish a page while a photo is missing or its permission has not come through. Art coordinators at publishers, agencies and university communications offices keep that from happening, logging each picture, chart and illustration, commissioning artists, clearing rights and chasing late files.
Art Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an art coordinator include:
- Build and update the art log for each publication, listing every photo, chart and illustration.
- Commission illustrators and photographers; send briefs, sizes, deadlines and fee details.
- Research stock photos and request permissions, tracking license terms, credits and fees.
- Route sketches and proofs to editors and authors for review; collect and return corrections.
- Prepare image files for print and web, checking resolution, color mode and cropping in Photoshop.
- Keep the art schedule on track, chasing late images before they hold up page layout.
- Write credit lines and captions to house style and check each against the permission record.
- Archive final artwork and permission files so images can be found and reused later.
- Coordinate with the printer on proofs, color matching and file delivery.
- Track art spending against the budget and process invoices from freelancers and agencies.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an art coordinator, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator
- Image licensing and permissions basics
- Print production: resolution, color modes and proofs
- Tracking in Excel or Google Sheets
- A good eye for image quality and cropping
- Clear, polite follow-up with busy freelancers
- Juggling many deadlines at once
- Accuracy with names, credits and captions
Education and Training
Publishers usually want a bachelor's degree in art, design or communications, plus proof that you can keep a production schedule on track. Editorial assistant and print production jobs are common stepping stones, since they teach proofs, file preparation and deadlines. Bring a portfolio that shows organized, print-ready work.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $49,040 - $81,830 per year, with a median of $62,960.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Graphic Designers.
Although BLS projects employment of graphic designers, the wider group that art coordinators belong to, to decline about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, it still expects about 16,000 openings a year as designers retire or change jobs. That leaves room for organized newcomers. Coordinators will be needed as long as books, catalogs and websites carry images that must be licensed and tracked.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Graphic designers.