Evening Courses

Art History: Contemporary Art

Register Request Info
Date
September 16 – October 21, 2025
Time
Tuesday Evenings
6:30 – 7:45 PM GMT
Duration
6 Weeks
Location
London
Program
Evening Courses
Mode of Learning
In-Person
Price
Price
£650
if registered by June 30, 2025
Language
English
Topic
Art History
Contact Admissions

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

What is contemporary art? And what are the key artists and leading styles associated with it?

This six-week course provides rich answers to those questions, moving from the birth of Pop Art and Minimalism in the 1960s to the latest developments in the downtown galleries. Designed as an accessible introduction to the field, it covers concepts and terms in ways that can help explain a broad range of work. The course explores conceptual art and painting, video art and sculpture, and much more, and to provide context for these issues we also touch on market developments, explaining how contemporary art gets supported, bought and sold.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the evolution of art from Pop Art to today
  • Learn about different types of art forms from these periods and how they influenced future work, from land art and sculpture to painting and drawing
  • Consider contemporary art within the wider context of circulation, curation, display, and consumption
  • Understand broad theories or philosophies of art, as well as being able to competently discuss and communicate responses to artworks
  • Apply knowledge about art to the historical, cultural and economic context, and vice versa

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.

Sample Schedule

Week 1

Begin with an introduction to Pop Art, Minimalism, and the birth of contemporary art.

Week 2

Explore conceptual art, pictures, and museological puzzles.

Week 3

Discuss the medium of painting and the waning and waxing interest in it throughout recent decades.

Week 4

Learn about the art of photography, from the arrival of color to the triumph of big pictures.

Week 5

Understand how sculpture and monuments impacted the art scene.

Week 6

Discover the contemporary global art scene and how we got here.

Faculty

Course Leader, Summer Program, London

Viv Lawes is an author, journalist, lecturer and curator with over 25 years’ experience in the art market, combining an extensive hands-on career in art business with academic research and teaching in Higher Education, Continuing Education, and public-facing organisations. Viv studied History at York University and graduated with an MA in Fine and Decorative Art from Sotheby’s Institute in 1997, where her thesis focused on the textile trade between England and India/China in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Details

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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