Sotheby’s Institute of Art – Los Angeles

A Collaborative Programme between Sotheby’s Institute of Art and Claremont Graduate University

In an historic collaboration, Sotheby's Institute of Art and Claremont’s Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management offer a three-semester programme leading to the MA in Art Business granted by the Claremont Graduate University. This ground-breaking partnership between two of the world’s leading graduate institutions marks a unique approach to education at the intersection of art and commerce. Click here to apply to Sotheby's Institute of Art – Los Angeles.

Click here to check out Frequently Asked Questions about our programme in Los Angeles. Please note that you must choose one campus and may only apply to one MA degree program.

MA in Art Business

Building on programmes pioneered more than forty years ago by Sotheby’s Institute at its London and New York campuses, the MA in Art Business curriculum is taught by distinguished faculty of art and business practitioners and is enhanced by the distinctive course offerings and expert faculty of Claremont’s Drucker School. Along with its examination of western art markets, practices and history, the programme opens important windows on the dynamically emerging markets of Asia and Latin America.

Electives can be chosen from the upper-level art history courses of the The Claremont Colleges, the Drucker School’s MBA offerings, Claremont’s MFA curriculum in studio art, its graduate programmes in Arts Management or Museum Studies. Alternatively, students have the option of completing their entire third semester at either the London or New York campus of Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Regardless of which route is chosen, graduates are uniquely prepared for careers in the burgeoning asset-driven segment of the expanding international art markets.

What is the difference between the MA in Art Business program and Arts Management MA programs?

Choosing between the MA in Art Business at Sotheby's Institute – Los Angeles and an Arts Management program (including the program at our partner, CGU) depends on the student's career goals or aspirations.

Art Business focuses on the visual arts with an emphasis on the for-profit side of the industry and the institutions that manage, conserve, exhibit, promote and sell works of art. Students who pursue a degree in Art Business typically work in art galleries, auction houses, museums, exhibition spaces and other art enterprises. Art Business students tend to be entrepreneurial and many start their own innovative art businesses.

Arts Management focuses on all aspects of the arts (theater and dance, arts education, arts organizations, etc.) culture, and policy. The program also has a focus on management and the non-profit side of the arts. Students who pursue a degree in Arts Management manage and build art organizations; work in art education and policy; cultural organizations; etc.

Additional Programme Information

The programme prepares students for careers in the international art markets, exploring their evolution, principles and best practices within the context of the art world as a whole. Its curriculum builds on a framework of business, law, marketing and finance, supplemented by specialized modules such as appraisal and art evaluation techniques, gallery and auction house operations and art collection management. Students also benefit from field-based study in Los Angeles’ great museums as well as privileged access to the city’s galleries and private collections. These hands-on experiences are supplemented by international travel-based coursework and the participation of world-renowned lecturers and visiting faculty. 

Based in Los Angeles County, the artistic capital of the Western United States and the unrivaled center of the international entertainment industry, the MA in Art Business provides access to a dynamic and innovative arts community and to many of the world’s most creative arts professionals. The vibrancy of Los Angeles and its innovative art scene provide a backdrop of excitement and creativity for the study of art and its markets as well as significant professional opportunities for the programme’s alumni.

Curriculum at a Glance

• The International Art Market 
• Art Law 
• Organizational Behavior 
• Macroeconomics 
• Finance & Accounting 
• Field Study I*

• Ethics and Policy in the Art Profession 
• Marketing Management 
• Competing in Creative Industries 
• Research Methodology 
• Field Study II*

• 3 Electives 
• Capstone Project
• Option to Study at Sotheby's Institute of Art in London or New York

* Past venues for field study have included: Art Basel Miami Beach, New Orleans, Santa Fe, Los Angeles, Berlin, TEFAF Maastricht. Note that not all of these destinations are chosen every year.

Contact Us

We invite you to learn more about this innovative programme by contacting Melba Remice, Director, Global Admissions, by email at admissions@sothebysinstitute.com or by phone at +1.212.517.2834. We also welcome your visit for an informational interview on the Claremont Graduate University campus or at Sotheby’s Institute in New York or London.