Marketing for the Art World

This course will explore the specialized marketing and public relations tactics needed for the art world, including strategies for social media and digital tools to engage customers and clients for artists, galleries, auction houses, museums, and art fairs.

As a unique field that contains a complex web of relationships, the art world requires a specialized approach to marketing and public relations. This introductory course will survey the tactics used to create integrated marketing and communications campaigns for a variety of clients, such as artists, art fairs, galleries, auction houses, and museums. Basic strategies of marketing and public relations will be explored, along with methods for making the most of social media platforms and other new digital tools to develop and deepen customer relationships and engagement. 

According to Ruth Millington, Head of Careers at Sotheby’s Institute, there are a number of tried and tested skills including social media and email marketing, that can enhance your career in the art world. In Ruth’s opinion, “as the art market evolves at such a rapid pace, it’s not only digital skills but flexibility, an openness to learning about and working with new technologies, and creativity which will all be in high demand among employers. Therefore, there is a real opportunity right now for graduates to not only enter into, but take a leading role, in the new high-tech art world.”