Certificates

Online Certificate in Art Business

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Date
Available Anytime
Duration
15 Weeks
Location
Online
Program
Certificates
Mode of Learning
Online - Self Paced
Price
Price
$3,915
Language
English
Topic
Art Business
Contact Admissions

+1 646-438-7268 online@sia.edu

This program is designed for students keen to learn all the essential skills and knowledge to navigate the international art industry in depth.

The certificate combines the Foundations, Intermediate/Advanced, and Final Project courses in one package for students to earn their certification in Art Business. Throughout the program, students watch lectures from experts in the field, complete knowledge checks and interactive media, and receive invaluable scholarly resources that they can take with them post-completion. In the Foundations course, students will discover the basics of the art market, including topics such as core commercial infrastructures and other major art world players.

The Intermediate and Advanced modules are combined into one comprehensive section and offer profound insights into the ins and outs of art fairs, the legal complexities surrounding buying and selling art, and the role of the curator as a tastemaker as well as an in-depth look at the art world’s future. Once students finish one of the course sections, they earn a badge of completion. The final project allows students to put the skills and expertise acquired throughout the course into action to create a professional proposal on which they receive feedback from an art business faculty member. Obtaining two badges by completing both courses, followed by submitting a successful final project, grants participants a Certificate of Completion of the program.

Once completed, participants will obtain a badge for both the Foundations in Art Business course as well as the Advanced Topics in Art Business course. Further upon submitting a successful final project, participants will earn a Certificate of Completion for the Online Certificate in Art Business and Continuing Education Unit credits.

Courses
Foundations in Art Business
In this exciting first course of the Online Certificate in Art Business, students will gain a comprehensive foundation in the world of art business. Students will explore the key players shaping the international art world, uncover how art’s value is established, and understand the vital role that art fairs, galleries, and museums play in this dynamic ecosystem. Expert lecturers will provide valuable insights throughout each module. Students will also have the unique opportunity to join a private virtual exhibition tour, enriching their understanding of the art world in a truly immersive way. This course offers a professional, in-depth introduction to the essentials of art business. Learn More

Advanced Topics in Art Business
The Intermediate and Advanced course of the Online Certificate in Art Business will build on the knowledge gained from the Foundations course and deliver specialized knowledge about how the art world has organized itself to create and retain art’s value and trade on an international scale. Notoriously an obscure network of personal connections, students will discover how new technology is setting off a shift to more transparency and accountability in the industry. Topics include an inside look at the laws that govern the inner workings of an auction house, as well as the rights of the artist in today’s market and the phygital evolution of art. Learn More

Highlights

Specialized Art World Knowledge

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

Flexible Online Learning

Designed for busy professionals, the Certificate offers self-paced online learning through recorded lectures, interactive media, and supplementary resources.

Final Project with Expert Feedback

Put your knowledge into practice through a final project and receive personalized feedback from your course instructor.

Professional Credential

Complete the full Certificate to earn a resume-enhancing qualification that signals both subject mastery and a commitment to continued professional development.

Modules

Foundations in Art Business Modules

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the art business, beginning with an overview of the global art market and its key players. It explores the cultural and professional value of art and artists, followed by an in-depth look at the core commercial infrastructures such as galleries, art fairs, and auction houses, alongside historical art dealing practices. The curriculum then shifts to collectors—both private and public—examining their role in shaping institutions like museums. Students also learn about the complexities of art ownership, due diligence, and the logistics of transfer within the global market. Finally, the course concludes with an analysis of the financialization of art, including lending models, art funds, fractional ownership, and speculative investment practices.

Advanced Topics Modules

Building on foundational knowledge, the second half of the course explores the operational and ethical dimensions of the art market. It begins with an inside look at auction houses, including emerging models like private sales and art-backed lending. Students then examine the roles of non-collecting institutions such as Kunsthalles, the ethics of philanthropy, and the responsibilities of collectors and museums. The course covers critical topics like artists’ rights, intellectual property, and due diligence practices to ensure ethical transactions. It also addresses the evolving "phygital" art economy, the role of curators in shaping cultural discourse, and the impact of emerging technologies—including the metaverse, AI, and IoT—on the art world. The program concludes with an overview of career pathways and practical advice for building a professional network in the art business.

Final Project

To complete the Online Certificate in Art Business, you’ll apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program by developing a professional proposal as your final project. After submission, you’ll receive personalized feedback from a Sotheby’s Institute faculty member. Successful completion of the project earns you a Certificate of Completion along with Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.

Faculty

Director of Art and Technology

Gareth Fletcher is a Lecturer and Seminar Tutor in Art Business. He holds a BA (Art History, History) and BFA (Film) from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), a MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute, and is a PhD researcher at Kingston University. Gareth lectures on a range of subjects across art logistics, art business, art crime, and the application and adoption of blockchain systems within the art market. He has received a TECHNE AHRC scholarship to pursue his PhD examining the semiotics of provenance information in the establishment of cultural and economic value in the market for Near Eastern antiquities.

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Faculty and Director of Academics and Content, New York

Tim Goossens serves as Director of Academics and Content and a faculty member at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Congruently and for almost 20 years, he has continued to also expand his curatorial practice with a variety of public art festivals, triennials, art commissions, and numerous exhibition projects worldwide, all of which inspired his past research as a contributing editor for Oxford University Press. Goossens began his career at The Museum of Modern Art, New York shortly after double graduate school in Paris, France, and in due course moved as assistant curator to MoMA PS1, where he worked closely with the founding director Alanna Heiss, renowned artists, and emerging talent alike. Following these museum positions, he became the founding director and chief curator of Ford Model's art gallery FordProject, on Manhattan's 57th Street, and a gallery director for New York's Envoy Enterprises.

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Details

About the Course

This flexible, self-paced online course consists of recorded lectures and supplementary resources as well as a final project. Participants will have read-only access to the course materials for one year from the date of enrollment.

Course Completion

For successfully completing this course, you receive a verified Certificate of Completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art as well as an IACET badge.
On completing the Foundations, Intermediate and Advanced Courses as well as the Final Project, participants will receive 13 Continuing Education Units. *

Our digital certificates allow you to share new skills with various social media platforms, including LinkedIn. Successful completion is defined by each instructor in the course syllabus and consists, at the least, of regular, thoughtful participation in online activities and timely submission of assigned papers or projects.

*As an IACET Accredited Provider, Sotheby’s Institute of Art offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.

Course Topics

Course Overview & Introduction to Art Business 

Introduction to art business concepts, including the scope of the art market and the various components that comprise it.

Artist, Artwork, and the Creation of Value

Explore art as culture, its history and its current place in society, as well as an understanding of art as a professional practice.

Core Commercial Infrastructures

Define the scope and function of art galleries, art fairs, and the auction house. Look at a brief history of art dealing via the most enigmatic dealers from the 19th and 20th centuries and the interplay between the primary and secondary marketplaces.

Private and Public Collectors

Overview of collecting and ownership, addressing the relationship between collectors and the establishment of international museums, analyzing the universal survey museum model, and the transformation of personal collections into private museums.

Ownership and Transfer in the Art Market 

Discuss the topics of ownership and transfer of cultural objects, in addition to due diligence, art price databases, and the global supply chain.

Financialization of the Art Market

Look at the history of art lending models, art funds & fractional ownership models, and speculation.

The Auction House

Dive into the inner workings of the auction house, from how the auction actually works step-by-step to new ventures such as art-backed lending, private sales, and primary markets.

Kunsthalles, Biennials, and Art World Philanthropy

Understand the difference between Kunsthalles and museums and look at the ethics and responsibilities of collectors and museums as well as art world philanthropy.

Artists’ Rights

Discuss the rights of artists, including a historical overview of the development of Artists’ Resale Rights (ARR) , intellectual property, and the artist as brand.

Due Diligence

Understand how to implement due diligence and best practice to avoid involvement in illegal or unethical transactions in the art market.

Phygital Evolution of the Art Market

Explore phygital display economies, technical display interfaces (AR/VR/XR), and the future identity of cultural institutions as well as their evolving roles.

The Curator as Tastemaker

Uncover trends in contemporary curating and look at how curators consider social issues in their work.

Art and the Future of the Metaverse

Discover how the metaverse changes the way the global art world interacts, in addition to the impact of AI on the cultural sector and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Art Business Careers

The final module of the certificate looks at various careers in the art world and networking tips.

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