Applications are now open for summer 2025! Apply Now
Are you ready to spend the summer exploring the art scene in London?
The Summer Program in London is a 4- or 8-week program geared at those looking to enhance their professional acumen and prepare for undergraduate study within the wider creative industries. With London as the backdrop, Summer Program students will have the chance to explore one of the greatest art cities in the world while creating a portfolio of work that will propel them forward in college applications and their future career. Through a choice of courses and peer-to-peer mentoring under the guidance of world-renowned faculty including curators, authors, and art historians, students will undertake topically-led briefs and real-world scenarios.
The intensive program combines engaging expert-led sessions with site visits, workshops, and group activities alongside thorough independent research – ultimately preparing participants for the next step in their academic and professional journey. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore art and business topics while spending the summer in the heart of bustling London. Students will leave having gained substantial hands-on experience in a chosen field and be able to demonstrate their aptitude in seeing a project through from ideation to completion.
Course Options Include:
The Global Art Market
This foundational course uncovers the art world ecosystem, introducing the key concepts, individuals, and business models that underpin the global art market and wider creative economy. Exclusive access to individuals and institutions within the art world is a crucial learning tool for this course as it includes site visits to art institutions throughout London for hands-on learning. This course is accredited through University of Manchester.
Curator Academy
With a project-oriented focus, this course will equip students with the contextual knowledge and practical skills to plan, develop, and deliver a curatorial project. Topics will include the curator as auteur, facilitator, mediator and project manager as well as contemporary curatorial approaches and research methodology. This course is accredited through University of Manchester.
Luxury Business
Guided by expert faculty from Sotheby’s Institute, students will delve into the multifaceted world of luxury, gaining an in-depth understanding of what defines luxury in a contemporary global context, and the essential aspects of creating or running a business within this sector. The curriculum covers a wide array of foundational topics: studying the legacy and influence of historic luxury brands, assessing the value of luxury items, navigating legal and ethical considerations, and analyzing the shifts in luxury retail, including the transition from traditional in-person experiences to the growing realm of online sales. Students will work in groups or individually to develop their own draft business plans for a new or existing luxury business.
Visits to London’s major cultural venues like Tate Modern and Tate Britain, National Gallery, Somerset House Studios, and Wellcome Collection.
A day trip outside of the vibrant city of London.
Professional development gained through agenda-driven project briefs.
A dynamic combination of collaborative group work and self initiated research, culminating in a tangible output.
A network of industry experts, academics, and peers.
Opportunities to explore London in the midst of summer.
Director of Art Business and Enterprise Programs, London
Jeffrey Boloten is Co-Founder and Managing Director of ArtInsight Ltd., the education partner of art market research firm, ArtTactic. He was a director with several leading international publishers, including Penguin Books, and has held posts at the Tate and as General Manager of a London art college. Boloten is a frequent speaker and lecturer at international art fairs and conferences on topics including the global art market, photography market, and art investment markets.
Read MoreAdjunct and Graduate Faculty
Dr Katie Hill is Academic Lead – Asia, and Senior Lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, where she leads courses on Asian art and the global art market within the MA, Intensive and Collegiate Programs. She is an established curator, writer and speaker with specialised knowledge in the field of contemporary art from the People’s Republic of China, the global Chinese diaspora and the Asian art market.
Read MoreCourse Leader: Curator Academy
Originally from Chicago, Amy worked as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 2007 to 2013, in three departments (Asia; Word & Image; and Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics & Glass), undertaking a wide range of curatorial activities and working on both major exhibitions and capital projects. She left the Museum to devise and lead the semester course ‘Art Museums, Galleries & Curating’ at Sotheby’s Institute of Art before returning to the V&A in 2016 as Head of the Learning Academy where she led a team which delivered the adult learning program for the Museum, including courses, workshops, conferences, and professional development.
Read MoreCourse Leader, London
Fabio Ciquera spent the past twenty-five years in London, where he worked in communication departments of major luxury brands like Gian Franco Ferre’, the Chanel Group, and Zilli. Fabio’s focus shifted to publishing in the mid noughties. Fabio serves as Communication Director at Upstreet Magazine, launched Plastique Magazine, and worked on a pioneering online project, Imagine Fashion, the first video luxury magazine. In 2010 Fabio joined Istituto Marangoni, bringing his expertise to the Luxury Brand Management and Strategies courses as well as being the course director for the successful fashion business programme, both in London and Shanghai.
Read MoreDuring the application, you will be able to choose the course you wish to study. Each course lasts for the full 4-weeks of the program, however students who wish to pursue multiple courses can apply for both sessions to create an 8-week program.
Please note the Luxury Business course will only run in Session 2.
As the birthplace of Sotheby’s Auction House and a hub for dynamism, London is a city which fuses classic with contemporary and edgy with eclectic. From baroque balustrades to bold, brutalist architecture and an air of refined modern elegance, London is a place for exploration and inspiration. History is quite literally around every corner within this giant metropolis and provides the perfect backdrop for ideation and academia.
All applicants must be at least 18 years old by the beginning of the program and currently enrolled in, or considering enrolling in, an undergraduate university program.
Please note, the Luxury Business course is not accredited. The Global Art Market and Curator Academy are accredited through the University of Manchester.
Summer 2025
Session 1: June 9 – July 4, 2025
Note: Assessments for The Global Art Market and Curator Academy are due July 11
Please note that the Session 1 residential option is now at full capacity. If you select this option you will be placed on our waitlist.
Session 2: July 7 – August 1, 2025
Note: Assessments for The Global Art Market and Curator Academy are due August 8
£5,950
Deposit
A £1500 Tuition Deposit will be due upon acceptance of offer to hold your space in the program.
Optional Accommodation
Sotheby’s Institute of Art has secured a limited number of housing accommodations for students participating in the Summer Program in London (for an additional accommodation fee). If you are interested to secure one of these accommodation spots, you can submit your interest for this accommodation option on the program application. This accommodation is provided on a first come, first serve basis. Program participants are only secured an accommodation spot upon submitting full payment for the accommodation fee in the amount of £2500, billed at the time of program acceptance.
Please note, Session 2 accommodation (housing) is now full. Students may request to be added to the waitlist and will be contacted by our Admissions Team if space becomes available.
Our London Institute is situated in Bedford Square with the British Museum in the neighboring square. Sotheby’s auction house, the National Gallery, and the Royal Academy of Arts are a short walk away. The Institute is also close to Mayfair, the traditional center of the London art market where many dealers and galleries are located.
Residential students are provided single studio rooms with a private en-suite bathroom and personal kitchenette. Residential students have full access to other facilities within the residence, including but not limited to a gym, quiet study areas, social spaces, and laundry facilities. The reception staff provide assistance and support 24/7, and the buildings are equipped with CCTV.
The Global Art Market
For those looking for a well-rounded understanding of how to operate within the art market on an international scale.
Curator Academy
For aspiring curators, producers, and exhibition designers.
Luxury Business
Ideal for undergraduates passionate about business, branding, marketing, hospitality, and client relationship management, this program equips students with the insights and skills needed to thrive in the ever-evolving luxury landscape.
Click here for our FAQ.
Contact our admissions team at studyabroad@sia.edu for more information.
You are also welcome to book a phone or video consultation with our admissions team to learn more about this program. Book Your Consultation Here.