New York City is home to the largest concentration of art galleries, auction houses, museums, foundations, art publications, and other visual arts organizations in the world. The city’s cultural resources and diversity, as well as its vast network of artists, collectors, and arts professionals are unsurpassed. These features make New York a key hub of the global art market, and a vibrant and inspiring place to study the business of art.
The Art Business program at Sotheby’s Institute of Art – New York provides the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the international art world. The program is designed for students with a visual arts or art history background who seek an alternative to the traditional academic model and desire advanced study in sync with the rapidly evolving global art market.
Through a unique combination of rigorous academic instruction and real world learning, students gain insight into the mechanics, underpinnings, and nuances of the art world.
Core courses in business, law, marketing and finance are supplemented with specialized modules such as appraisal techniques, gallery and auction operations, and art collection management. Along with study travel to vital art world destinations and events, the program provides a singular platform for students to directly learn from and interact with a broad spectrum of leaders in the field, including auctioneers, dealers, collectors, consultants, museum directors, curators, and critics. Art Business graduates are prepared for a variety of visual arts careers, and are forming the next generation of leaders in the international art world.
Course dates
Curriculum at a glance SEMESTER 1
September - December, 2013
- The International Art Market
- Art Law
- Principles of Business I: Finance & Economics
- Art Market Research and Valuation
- Professional Practice: The Auction Business
- Field Study I (e.g. Art Basel Miami Beach, New Orleans)
SEMESTER 2
January - May, 2014
- Principles of Business II: Strategy & Marketing
- Ethics and Policy in the Art Profession
- Professional Practice: Art Collection Building and Management
- Fine Art as a Financial Instrument
- Fundamentals of Modern and Contemporary Art
- Research Methodology: Thesis Seminar
- Field Study II (e.g. Santa Fe, Los Angeles, Berlin, TEFAF Maastricht)
SEMESTER 3
June – October 2014
or
September – December 2014
- Elective coursework
- Master’s Project
Course fees
Programme fees 2013-2014
Third Semester Option
Semester 1: $21,341
Semester 2: $21,341
Semester 3: $21,341
Thesis Track Option
Semester 1: $21,341
Semester 2: $21,341
Thesis supervision fee: $6,900
Travel Study Fees: $2,750 per semester
Academic Prospectus
Click here to download New York Master's Degree Academic Prospectus (PDF).
How to Apply
Click here to learn how to apply.