This course for established and aspiring art world professionals alike takes participants into the dynamic cultural hub of Dubai to discover the infrastructures that produce, display, and sell contemporary art. Dubai’s emerging importance for key players in the art market provides the ideal backdrop for exploring the links between art, business, and the international art market. Lectures and site visits will introduce participants to recent trends in Middle Eastern art and key themes and concepts of contemporary art to understand how they influence the art being created today. Potential site visits include an inside tour of Sotheby’s auction house, galleries in AlSerkal Avenue, the Jameel Art Centre and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah to experience new museums and the latest edition of the Sharjah Biennial.
For those exploring career options in the vibrant art scene or considering a career change, as well as established professionals aiming to consolidate their knowledge, this course offers invaluable insights into the numerous professional paths available in the global art world. Students will be provided with in-depth exposure to exclusive small-group conversations with professionals from the London art world who are attuned with both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors based in the UAE, in addition to learning from local artists, art dealers, curators, art fair managers, gallery owners, auction specialists and marketing professionals.
Identify the key players in the Middle East’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 Dubai by exploring venues and neighbourhoods of contemporary art activity
Become familiar with some of the most important and critically acclaimed artists and recent trends in contemporary art
Course Leader
Laura Egerton is a visual arts specialist, writer, editor, educator and instigator of engaging and inclusive programmes and activations with a special focus on the Gulf. With expertise in the fields of communications, interpretation, exhibition and event management and publishing, she regularly collaborates with Alserkal Avenue, Art Dubai, Art Jameel, Cromwell Place, Diriyah Biennale, Frieze, ITERARTE, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Misk Art Institute, Noor Riyadh and the Royal Commission for AlUla. She lectures, moderates, and writes about culture in the Arab world for international publications and has masters’ degrees in history of art from Cambridge University and the Courtauld Institute of Art. After 13 years in the UAE, she is now based in London.
Read MoreDay 1: Gain a grounding in the topography of the Dubai art scene through an overview of current key players and the art market at large. Visit Sotheby’s Auction House Dubai to hear from key voices in the market in addition to speaking with top gallerists and tastemakers about their roles.
Day 2: Explore the pulse of the upper echelons of the art market in Dubai during a visit to the Alserkal Avenue district where students will receive private curated tours of selected galleries.
Day 3: A focus on collecting, collections and collectors will be led through conversations between art advisers, collection managers and gallerists. Later, discover the increasingly important world of art finance, fractional ownership, and investment in art funds through a lecture and discussion. There will also be an opportunity to visit a private collection in the city.
Day 4: Bridge the art market with the not-for-profit sector in an in-depth discussion, with a specific focus on the challenges and opportunities that non-profit organizations encounter today. Hear directly from Art Dubai directorship and analyse reports from the most recent Fair.
Day 5: Experience an exclusive and unique day trip to Abu Dhabi, highlighting key art world institutions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYUAD Art Gallery and Bassam Freiha Art Foundation.
Course participants take away in-depth and valuable insight into the current and future art world. 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 past participants around the globe who hold top positions at renowned art organizations.
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.
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.