5-Day Intensive

Introduction to Art Business and Art and Its Markets I and II

Register Request Info
Date
April 13 – July 3, 2026
Time
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM GMT
Location
London
Program
5-Day Intensive
Mode of Learning
In-Person
Price
Price
£4,680
Language
English
Topics
Art Business, Specializations & Skills
Contact Admissions

+44 (0)20 7462 3232 +1 646-438-7268 shortcourses@sia.edu

This bundle combines our Introduction to Art Business with the Art and Its Markets I and II courses, providing a well-rounded approach to the sector.

Introduction to Art Business

In this overview course, participants examine established art markets in the developed world and emerging art markets in the developing world, together with legal and management issues related to global art business practice, with a particular emphasis on the international auction house system.

Students will gain practical skills connected to art business, including accessing and analyzing art market data to evaluating market value for artworks across key sectors. Students are introduced to contemporary management models for commercial and non-commercial practices through theory and case studies.

Branding and marketing issues are explored, and essential art market professional roles (e.g., art advisor, curator, gallerist, collector, journalist, art fund manager, etc.) are investigated, together with innovative new art business models, including online initiatives. Through lectures, seminars and visits, students witness first-hand what it takes to make a business successful in today’s art market.

Art and Its Markets I

This course builds on a foundational understanding of the art market by contextualizing basic principles using real-world scenarios.

Students will become familiar with the knowledge, skills, and activities that support the art market, from practical considerations like shipping and restoration to scholarly research around restitution. We will investigate businesses that service and support the market, from established shippers and restorers to tech startups disrupting the industry.

Students will also investigate how art accrues value and how collectors leverage that value in several ways. The course will examine how value is assigned and estimated by art market specialists, and how sales are negotiated in various market settings.

We will also look at where the art market meets the law and investigate cases that have fallen on the wrong side.

Art and Its Markets II

This course is designed to hone students’ existing understanding of the art market and grant them exposure to some of the most pressing considerations and conversations in the market today.

This course will identify and discuss the latest trends in the contemporary art market, and ask where the market might go in the future.

We will investigate the recent rise of Paris as a contemporary market hub and consider what this means for London’s role in the market. The course will explore how the gallery business model is evolving and the role that art fairs have played in the market’s expansion, as well as how new buyers are entering the market and how their tastes are changing the business.

Additionally, participants will be given the knowledge and resources to answer challenging questions like: Are there too many art fairs? Is the gallery business model top heavy? Is the art market doing enough to be sustainable? Through site visits, lectures, and expert guest speakers, students will deepen their knowledge of the contemporary art market.

Highlights

Specialized Art World Knowledge

Build critical thinking skills and gain in-depth insight into key topics shaping today’s global art market.

Designed for Every Art World Path

Varying formats for art enthusiasts, students, working professionals, or those considering a career pivot.

Career-Focused Content

Develop practical skills and industry understanding to support career development in an array of fields.

Faculty

Faculty, London and New York

Joe Dunning is an art market expert with eighteen years’ experience in the commercial art world, He has worked with artists, galleries, auction houses, art fairs, and advisors, with a particular focus on Contemporary, Post-War, Modern, and Impressionist art. He specialises in business development, client engagement, and the intersection of art with the fields of technology, finance, and philanthropy. As an auctioneer he has first-hand experience of the mechanics of the art market; and through academic study and professional experience of museums and other non-profit organisations, he has a thorough understanding of the entire art ecosystem.

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Details

Students Will Learn

Introduction to Art Business

  • Identify the key players in London’s contemporary art scene, from artists and curators to dealers and auction house specialists.
  • Understand the variety of career trajectories within the art world and what it means to be an art world professional, as explained by leading experts in the field.
  • Navigate confidently the contemporary art landscape in London by exploring venues and neighborhoods of contemporary art activity.
  • Become familiar with the most important and critically acclaimed artists, styles, and trends of the most recent years and terminology specific to the art world.

Art and Its Markets I

  • Understand how art accrues value and how this value is utilised by key players in the art market.
  • Understand the relationship between value and price, and how sales are negotiated and agreed upon.
  • Gain familiarity with a range of practical considerations that go into buying and owning art.
  • Meet a variety of experts and understand how their expertise plays a role in driving the art market.
  • Understand some of the broad range of knowledge, skills and activities that support the art market, such as shipping, restoration, and restitution.

Art and Its Markets II

  • Identify and understand the latest trends in the contemporary art market.
  • Understand the latest industry developments, their origins and how they are driving the market forward.
  • Assess the significance of geographical shifts in the market, what is driving them and how market participants are responding.
  • Engage in critical debate around some of the most pressing issues in the art market today.

Sample Topics

Introduction to Art Business

  • The Global Art Market Today
  • Analyzing Art Market Data
  • Commercial and Non-commercial Art Practices
  • Key Art Market Players: Galleries, Auction Houses and Museums
  • The Future of the Art Market

Art and Its Markets I and II

  • Who is Who in the Global Art Market?
  • How Do We Measure Success in the Art Market?
  • The Auction House as a Central Entity of the Art Market
  • Culture as Place-Maker and Community Engagement
  • The Future of the Art Ecosystem

Course Completion

Course participants take away in-depth and valuable insight into the current and future art world, to be sufficiently prepared for a wide-ranging career within the art industry. Those who successfully complete their course will receive a certificate of completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art course participants come from all over the world, from a wide variety of backgrounds. As they study, travel, and explore the art world alongside each other throughout the program, fierce and long-lasting collaborations are frequently born. Individuals who complete these courses join our network of over 8,000 alumni around the globe who hold top positions at renowned art organizations.

Students who complete this course are eligible to receive a partial tuition fee waiver equivalent to $2,000 USD if they subsequently enroll in one of our Master’s Degree Programs at our New York, London, or Online locations (pending application and acceptance to the Master’s Degree program). For further details, please see our Student Policies.

Requirements

English Language Requirement
Course participants should be proficient in written and spoken English and be able to participate in group discussions and presentations in English. It is recommended that participants have the equivalent level of IELTS score of 6.0 /TOEFL score of 78 IBT, however evidence of test scores is not required to register.

Age Requirement
Courses are open to participants 18 years of age or older, however, we prefer that students have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience to be able to properly engage in the course.

For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.

Book A Consultation

We encourage interested individuals to book a consultation time with a member of our admissions team to learn more about this course and our registration process.

Please use this link to book a consultation time via phone or video call.

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