The Surprising Formula for Becoming an Art Star

Study maps the galleries, museums that determine the next Picasso, as well as the ones that don’t have as much sway

The secret to making it in the art world? Learn to schmooze.

A handful of U.S. and European museums and galleries have an outsize impact on which contemporary artists achieve lasting, prestigious careers and which don’t, according to a Northeastern University study published Thursday in the journal Science.

New artists who show their work...