Online Courses

Collecting

Register Request Info
Date
October 1 – November 12, 2025
Duration
6 Weeks
Program
Online Courses
Mode of Learning
Online - Instructor Led
Price
Price
$1,590
Early Booking Rate
$1,430
if registered by August 20, 2025Payment plans available for early registrations, see More Information below for details.
Language
English
Topics
Collecting, Art Business
Contact Admissions

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

The ever-changing global landscape of today’s art market, with its international art fairs and dizzying calendar of live and online auctions, presents more opportunities than ever to buy art.

This course introduces valuable strategies for focus and discernment as you build your collection and offers professional insights around how to navigate this fast-paced international marketplace as a collector.

Discussions include how to determine a collection focus, differentiating price from value, understanding due diligence checklists, issues surrounding authenticity and forgeries, as well as simple tips for inventory management. Using a variety of art historical resources and price databases, students will embark on a virtual “shopping trip,” applying basic collecting guidelines and comparative strategies to make a hypothetical acquisition for your collection.

Students Will Learn

  • To identify and assess key aspects of collecting in order to confidently acquire artworks within the parameters of a budget and vision.
  • To identify and implement art historical research skills and tools as well as online resources to understand potential art acquisitions.
  • To perform comparable price research in order to assess artwork valuation.
  • To recognize the legal complexities and consequences of artwork forgeries and to understand how to perform basic due diligence before acquiring a work of art

Highlights

Flexible & Interactive Learning

Engage with weekly recorded lectures and faculty-led discussions designed to offer a dynamic and flexible online learning experience.

Specialized Art World Knowledge

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

Access to Industry Experts

Learn directly from industry professionals and receive personalized feedback to support your growth.

Sample Schedule

Week 1

Discover collecting motivations and methods for determining a collection focus.

Week 2

Understand the key considerations for being an educated collector.

Week 3

Uncover marketplace options and understand how to utilize price databases.

Week 4

Explore the array of online and offline venues for acquisitions.

Week 5

Discuss the responsibilities of a collector, with a focus on due diligence and authenticity.

Week 6

Examine the processes for buying and making offers

Next Steps

Faculty

Adjunct Faculty, MA Art Business, New York and Online Courses

Betsy Thomas is the founder and director of Thomas Art Advisory LLC, an art advisory and appraisal firm based in New York. She works closely with private collectors and institutions advising them on how to build high-quality collections as well as managing sales of estates, private and corporate collections as well as helping them navigate the charitable donation landscape.

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Details

About Flexible Courses

This flexible online course is delivered in weekly modules consisting of recorded lectures, instructor-guided discussion boards, and supplementary resources. The course will include a final project with personalized feedback from the course instructor. All participants will have read-only access to the course materials for an additional 90 days after the course end date.

Review the online course Terms and Conditions.

Course Completion

For successfully completing this course, you receive a verified Certificate of Completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art as well as 2.3 IACET 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

Flexible Payment Plans

Flexible payment plans are available for individuals who register up to 3 weeks or more before the start of the course and are selected during the online registration process. For any questions, contact our admissions team at shortcourses@sia.edu.

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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