As the appetite for art expands, the industry landscape is changing, with new museums and art fairs opening across the world, and prices and artists’ ambitions surging. Operating at the core of these developments, gallerists are faced with exciting opportunities and called to navigate new challenges.
This course explores the stakes for art galleries today, integrating real-world examples with critical thinking around topics that shape their business. ‘Running a Contemporary Gallery’ equips those considering a career in the field and art enthusiasts with practical knowledge, from the day-to-day to the strategic operations of a gallery, including managing artists and clients, preparing for and participating in art fairs, negotiating relationships with other players in the art market, and marketing through online channels.
Faculty, Online Premier
Mitra Khorasheh is a Canadian curator, writer and educator based in New York. She is the founder and curator of signs and symbols, a contemporary art gallery in the LES focused on time-based media.
Read MoreWeek 1: Uncover the basics of the art market structure and the roles of key market players.
Week 2: Explore talent management, branding, and artist negotiation.
Week 3: Understand production, pricing, and the role of artists and collectors.
Week 4: Learn about art fairs, market risks, and stock management.
Week 5: Explore methods for fostering a strong sales team and developing lasting client relationships.
Week 6: Examine the role of technology in sales and curation.
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.
To identify and describe the role of the gallery within the art market.
To analyze the opportunities and challenges of running a gallery business.
To examine and assess the reality of running a gallery and the factors that impact success.
For successfully completing this course, you receive a verified Certificate of Completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art as well as 5.3 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.