Graduate Careers

87% of Sotheby’s Institute students are employed within the first year after graduation. Of these students, 40% gain employment during their thesis semester.

26% of Sotheby’s Institute graduates find their jobs through undertaking internships. Students and graduates of our masters programmes have access to our exclusive online job portal. Over 1000 art world employers are registered on it, and many of these regularly recruit exclusively from our graduate talent.

40% of students gain their jobs through networking and contacts that they make through the Institute. Graduates of the Institute automatically become members of its Alumni Association and have access to a range of services, which include career networking opportunities.

The Institute has over 6,000 alumni worldwide, encompassing a broad spectrum of art-related professions. Representing museums, educational institutions, private collections, galleries and auction houses all over the world, former students remain connected to the Institute through the Alumni Association and its programmes.

We have alumni working at:
Art Forum, Art Loss Register, ArteBA, AXA art insurance, Bonham’s, British Antique Dealers Association, British Museum, Christie’s, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Frieze, Gagosian Gallery, Guggenheim, Hauser and Wirth, Lisson Gallery, Masterpiece London, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, National Gallery (London), Pace Gallery, Phillip de Pury’s, Sotheby’s, TEFAF Maastrict, The Art Newspaper, Victoria and Albert Museum, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Whitney Museum

25% of Sotheby’s Institute students start their own businesses for example as art consultants and dealers, gallery owners, freelance curators and market analysists.

• 31% of alumni work in galleries
• 20% work at an auction house
• 16% work in museums and non-profit organisations
• 13% work in marketing and communications

Our graduates work in every sphere of the international art world including museums and galleries, auction houses, journalism, law and insurance.

Some first jobs of recent graduates include:
Gallery Director, Client Service Representative, Art Market Analyst, Curator, Paintings and Catalogue Coordinator, Art Prize Project Manager, Researcher, Fine Jewellery Salesperson, Development Coordinator, Head of Art Storage, Executive Assistant, Business Development, Curatorial Assistant, Interior Designer, Private Client Administrator, Trainee Auction Specialist, Gallery Manager, Press and Communications Manager, Assistant Editor, Art Consultant, Special Events and Volunteer Director, PhD Candidate