Spotlight on Art Law Instruction

By Lesley Sotolongo

Art law is taught to different types of students in different forums - law school, undergraduate, graduate, continuing education, and now, even by prominent auction houses. Two popular auction houses that offer art law programs are Christie’s and Sotheby’s. In collaboration with the University of Glasgow in London, Christie’s offers an intensive fifteen-month Master’s program designed to provide their students insights and access to the art market. It is a program that explores the important ethical and legal aspects of working in the commercial art world while also teaching students about the history of art, including the arts of China, the arts of Europe, art style and design or modern and contemporary art.

An interesting component of the program is the opportunity for a work placement at Christie’s. For the 2013 - 2014 academic term, Christie’s admitted eleven students of nine different nationalities out of sixty-four applicants. The program is administered by two distinguished faculty members, The cost of attendance is approximately $53,000 and is offered in the course of three terms: Fall, September 29, 2014 - December 5, 2014, Winter, January 12, 2015 - March 20, 2015, and Spring April 20, 2015 - June 26, 2015. This program is designed for the student who is dedicated to developing a professional career working in the art market.

For those interested in studying in New York, Sotheby’s Institute of Art offers a Master’s in Art Business designed for students with a visual arts or art history background seeking an alternative to the traditional academic model and desire advanced study in arts administration. The program is a combination of rigorous academic instruction and experiential learning. Some of the core courses offered are business, law, marketing and finance. The core curriculum is supplemented with specialized modules such as appraisal techniques, gallery and auction operations, and art collection management. Travel to vital art world destinations and events is also a crucial component of the program providing a platform for students to directly learn from and interact with a broad spectrum of leaders in the art field.