The world of fine art is notorious for being a closed shop; elite, prestigious and very, very hard to get in to. And few auction houses are more revered than the likes of Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonham’s, the blue-chip brands of the art world. They are the first port of call for the sale of some of the world’s most acclaimed art; last year’s record-breaking sale of a Da Vinci that went for $400m is just one example.
Many students attempt to break into this privileged world and a few years ago Christie’s made this a whole lot easier. In 2013, Christie’s Education – Christie International’s specialist provider of postgraduate higher education and continuing education – launched its 15-month MSC post-graduate programme in Art, Law and Business in London and New York.
Christies’s Education has unparalleled relationships with art world insiders
At the heart of Christie’s ethos is their expertise, and they are offering a fantastic opportunity to committed postgraduates to learn the business from the inside out. The course is not for the faint-hearted, however; it is full-time, intensive and demanding. Successful applicants must demonstrate a strong motivation to enter the commercial art sector and don’t even think about applying without a 2:1 and a second language (and deep pockets, the 15-month course costs £36,000).
But for successful applicants, the MSc in Art History, Art Law and Art Business at Christie’s Education equips students with an advanced understanding of the art markets and practical experience in the three areas that make up today’s international art environment.
The course is taught via lectures, seminars and tutorials by faculty staff, lawyers, and other art-world professionals. The programme also puts great stock in the importance of cultural immersion; students travel to significant art fairs and Biennales both in Europe and further afield.
Christies Education benefits from unparalleled relationships with art world insiders. The real boon of the course, is that if students prove.
Take Art
In 2012 Christie’s Education joined forces with the Harris Federation to create the Harris Academies Programme for Year 9 gifted and talented students. The Harris Federation is a multi-academy trust that runs schools in some of London’s most deprived areas. Christie’s Education worked with Harris to create a programme of cultural enrichment for students that would expose them to the art world in an accessible way. The pupils first receive a lesson in art history, they also visit the Christie’s auction house, and gain exclusive access to objects that have been consigned. The culmination of year is when the students take part in a mock auction, using art they themselves have created in class. The students act as the auctioneers, and parents, students and staff alike are invited to come and watch the live auction
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