Dear members of the Sotheby’s Institute community,

As the first quarter of the 21st century draws to a close, I am taking a moment to reflect on an extraordinary year at Sotheby’s Institute of Art—a year marked by innovation, leadership transitions, and exciting new opportunities for our global community.

This year brought significant milestones for our New York campus. After more than a decade of dedicated service, Ann-Marie Richard announced her decision to step down at the end of 2025 as Director of Master’s programs. Ann-Marie’s impact has been profound—shaping curriculum, driving accreditation, and championing student success during times of transformation.

An alumna of our historic “Works of Art” course, she will continue to inspire as Director Emerita and a member of the New York Advisory Board. Her warmth and humor will remain a cherished part of our story.

Looking ahead, we are thrilled to welcome Dr Natasha Degen as the next Director of the New York campus, effective January 2026. Natasha comes to us with an impressive record as a scholar and leader in the global art market. Her expertise, creativity, and vision promise an exciting new chapter for the Institute.

2025 also saw the announcement of the launch (in September 2026) of the Master’s in Luxury Business in New York—available both in-person and online. This program builds on the success of our London counterpart and reflects the growing synergy between art and luxury, while exploring the luxury sector on its own terms. New York, as a global hub of luxury, provides the perfect backdrop for this unique offering in the U.S. context.

In London, our venerable MA in Fine and Decorative Art and Design will embrace a refreshed identity as the MA in Historic Art and Design from September 2026—honoring its heritage while clarifying its focus for the future.

Our faculty and campuses continued to lead conversations shaping art and luxury. There were numerous panels, speaker events, book launches and a highly successful conference in London on Art, Luxury and Sustainability. The series we publish with Lund Humphries, Hot Topics in the Art World, has had another prolific year.

Our students curated remarkable exhibitions in New York and wrote fabulous articles for our student-run online magazine, Made In Bed. Travel opportunities expanded, with cohorts visiting Miami, Venice, Hong Kong, Torino, Madrid, Milan, Paris, and Istanbul. Student engagement with the Enterprise Studio, our business incubator, was greater than ever.

We continue to partner with myriad art fairs in London, New York, and Miami to offer our students exclusive access and work experience opportunities. Once again, more students than ever before have accessed work placements and internships, gaining that precious experience that promotes and expands careers.

As has long been the case, I feel a huge sense of privilege to be a part of all of this.

Wherever you are situated in the Sotheby’s Institute cosmos, thank you for being part of the journey. I hope that art, and perhaps even the occasional luxury, will light up your dark winter nights.

Above all, here’s to an exciting year ahead!

Warm wishes for the season,

Jonathan Woolfson

Director
Sotheby’s Institute of Art-London

 

Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash