Master’s Degree

MA in Art Business

Date: Fall 2025 & Spring 2026
Duration: 1+ Year
Location: New York
Program: Master’s Degree
Mode of Learning: In-Person
Language: English
Topic: Art Business

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Experience the business side of art and delve into the theories, practices, history, and structural elements that define the art market.

The global art market is the circulatory system of the art world. Business transactions are the lifeblood of the system, moving art from the studio to the gallery, the auction room, the collector’s home, and the museum. Along the way, artists, dealers, art advisors, curators, art handlers, insurers, and auction house experts engage in a complicated dance to build and sustain the value of the work and the careers and interests of all parties.

Our pioneering Art Business program provides a vocational bridge for art history students into this vast commercial art world. Art Business is now a developed academic discipline in which Sotheby’s Institute continues to play the leading role. Balancing academic rigour with real-world applications in a dynamic learning environment with privileged access to key art institutions, this program equips graduates with the skills and knowledge in art markets and business management, entrepreneurship, connoisseurship, and collecting.

Highlights

Build a Portfolio

Signature student projects include designing themed auction sales catalogues, from curating, establishing provenance and literature notes, to condition and pre-sale estimates for each lot.

Experiential Learning

International study trips and visits are significant learning events, where travel, experiencing art in situ, and informal access to tutors come together to create an immersive and enriching experience.

Exploration and Discovery

The unique opportunity to learn directly from experts and gain an intimate understanding of art market key players, mechanisms, and emerging trends.

Next Steps

Faculty

Director, New York & Online

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Ann-Marie Richard is a fine art asset and design specialist, art historian, curator, author and advisor. Prior to her full-time appointment as Program Director, she was Executive Vice President at the art advisory firm Gurr Johns. She has lectured extensively on the topics of retrospective and emerging art markets, connoisseurship, collecting, conservation, provenance, and the related subtleties of appraising fine and decorative arts and design. Learn more...

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Faculty, MA Art Business, New York & Online

Judith Prowda has been a member of the Sotheby’s institute of Art Masters of Art Business Faculty since 2007. She is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator focused on art law, copyright, entertainment and commercial law. She is a founding member of Stropheus Art Law, a collective of art law and business specialists who offer unbundled services to the art community.

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Adjunct Faculty, MA Art Business, New York and Online Courses

Maria brings over 25 years of international experience in the art world, first at museums – National Museum of Catalan Art, MNAC, in Barcelona and at the Louvre in Paris- then at Sotheby’s Auction House in London. During her time at Sotheby’s, she gained experience in all aspects of the auction world with a focus on business and client development. She has participated in numerous auctions and worked closely with all Sotheby’s European offices.

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Adjunct Faculty, MA Art Business, New York and Online Courses

Betsy Thomas is the founder and director of Thomas Art Advisory LLC, an art advisory and appraisal firm based in New York. She works closely with private collectors and institutions advising them on how to build high-quality collections as well as managing sales of estates, private and corporate collections as well as helping them navigate the charitable donation landscape.

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Field Study

Field study is a hallmark of the master's programs, taking graduate students around the globe to explore established and emerging markets during key events and with an itinerary ranging from art fairs to visits to artist studios and private collections.

“...study trips abroad are a great way to cement these learnings on the ground, and experience art in the flesh, something paramount to a complete understanding of both contemporary art and the art market.” — Alexis Sarfati ’20

Details

Academic Structure

The MA in Art Business was the first program of its kind and our innovative curriculum continues to set the industry standard. Balancing academic rigour with real-world applications in a dynamic environment, the program provides an alternative to traditional academic models of study and stays in sync with the rapidly-evolving global art market.

The Master’s degree is awarded for 30 taught credits across semesters one and two, as well as the completion of a 6-credit thesis or capstone project in the third semester.

The MA in Art Business culminates in a capstone project which can take the form of a traditional, long-form academic thesis, or a more flexible Master’s Project (often a business plan or curatorial project). Students may also elect to extend their studies an additional semester and either transfer to the Institute’s campus in London or return to New York and pursue core courses in either Contemporary Art or Fine and Decorative Art and Design.

View required courses and electives here.

Tuition & Fees

Semester 1: 15 credits

Semester 2: 15 credits

Semester 3: 6 credits

Tuition: $1,878 per credit

Travel Fee: Each field study trip typically ranges from $4,500 to $6,500 according to destination. Travel fees are indicative only and subject to change.

Materials Fee: $824

International Student Fee: $206

For more information on tuition and program fees, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

From visa information for international students to course credits, find answers on our FAQ page. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, contact an Admissions counselor.

Student Policies

Explore our library of academic and campus policies here. All students who enroll for graduate study must agree to the Terms and Conditions upon accepting their offer of admittance.

Enterprise Studio

The Enterprise Studio was created as an extra-curricular program for Master’s students to receive training and support for new business ventures, culminating in a start-up pitch competition, the Gavel. Through close access to mentors, students have the chance to shape their plans from ideation to execution with the winning Gavel team receiving significant seed funding for their future business.

Accreditation

Sotheby’s Institute of Art-NY holds permanent degree-granting authority from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Student Spotlight

MA Art Business alumna Adefolakunmi Adenugba has made waves in the art market through her company ISE-DA, an art advisory focused on cultural stewardship of Black contemporary art. Her extensive work that includes cultivating new Black art collectors landed her on the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Living in New York City

Located in the center of Manhattan, the Institute’s New York campus offers easy access to the city’s extraordinary cultural and historical resources. First-hand encounters with artwork, exhibition spaces, and the people who run them are an integral part of the learning experience and a key aspect of the program.

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