Art Business

This intensive 12-week semester course takes place 2 days each week and is designed to demystify the art industry by introducing course participants to its key players, its infrastructure, and its vast cultural and economic history.

Course participants will examine established art markets in the developed world and emerging art markets in the developing world, together with legal and management issues related to global art business practice, with a particular emphasis on the international auction house system. Designed to encourage the kind of entrepreneurial thinking on which the art world thrives, the course culminates in a final project in which students develop a new art business and pitch it to investors.

The course prepares students for a wide range of careers in the art world, both commercial and not-for-profit sectors, or for further study on one of our postgraduate programs. Practical skills gained include connected to accessing and analysing art market data, and to evaluating market value for art works across key sectors. Students are introduced to contemporary management models for commercial and non-commercial practices through theory, case studies and practical work. Branding and marketing issues are explored, and essential art market professional roles (e.g., art advisor, curator, gallerist, collector, journalist, art fund manager, etc.) are investigated, together with innovative new art business models, including online initiatives. Through lectures, seminars and visits, students witness first-hand what it takes to make a business successful in today’s art market.