Sotheby’s auction house was founded in 1744 when entrepreneur, occasional publisher, and successful businessman Samuel Baker held his first auction. Today at Sotheby’s Institute, we emphasize a keen understanding of an object’s value and history, a spirit of inquiry and scholarship, business acumen, and innovation that build upon these foundational values and continue to leverage the access of the world’s largest art business.
The Institute offers educational programs for professionals, pre-college audiences, and graduate students seeking expertise in art business and an understanding of the multi-billion global art economy. Our course offerings cover everything from art history to key business skills and are taught at our campuses located in the world’s art capitals of London and New York, as well as online.
Courses at Sotheby’s Institute are structured with the guiding principle that education is gained in the classroom, but equally important is hands-on experience and situational context. Institute faculty are experts and leaders in their fields, bringing a wealth of practical knowledge from their professional experiences as well as a solid academic grounding to all students.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Bagri Foundation’s Asian Art in London curatorial project that engages the skills of our MA alumni in Modern and Contemporary Asian Art. This fantastic project matches leading contemporary Asian artists with selected dealers, bridging the classical with the contemporary in imaginative ways. We very much look forward to working together with the Bagri Foundation and Asian Art in London.” Katie Hill, Program Director, MA Modern and Contemporary Asian Art, Sotheby’s Institute of Art
