Art Business MA
Why choose this course?
If you are interested in developing a career in in the business of art, this Master level course will prepare you for the opportunities lying ahead. You will develop the key skills and gain the knowledge to understand global art markets within ever-changing artistic, cultural and economic environments.
Making the most of its location in Europe's art market capital in London, this Art Business MA degree draws on a high standard of interdisciplinary academic and practical teaching by recognised scholars, as well as on insights from art market professionals, both with long-standing careers and with rising entrepreneurs of the millennial generation. In short, the curriculum balances skills training with academic rigor, as well as core business and legal concepts with industry-specific knowledge in order to reflect the diverse professional landscape students might wish to enter. Students benefit from frequent field trips to art business enterprises and partnership projects with industry.
The course is delivered in partnership with the Kingston Business School. This unique partnership enables students to benefit as much from state-of-the-art business expertise and campus facilities as from the creative context of the Kingston School of Art Faculty. This partnership has allowed the establishment of real-life projects with partners such as CREDIT and others.
See what students have been up to on the course via Instagram.
*This course was previously named Art Market & Appraisal (Professional Practice) MA
| Mode | Duration | Attendance | Start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 1 year | 2 days a week | September 2021 |
| Full time | 2 years including professional placement | 2 days a week plus placement year | September 2021 |
| Location | Kingston School of Art, Knights Park |
2020/21 entry
If you are planning to join this course in the academic year 2020/21 (i.e. between August 2020 and July 2021), please view the information about changes to courses for 2020/21 due to Covid-19.
Continuing students
Students who are continuing their studies with Kingston University in 2020/21 should refer to their Course Handbook for information about specific changes that have been, or may be, made to their course or modules being delivered in 2020/21. Course Handbooks are located within the Canvas Course page.
Reasons to choose Kingston
- This is the only antiques and fine art course accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for entry as a probationer practitioner, and its curriculum is uniquely focused.
- You'll go on site visits, special behind-the-scenes tours and optional overseas study trips, to supplement classroom learning. Previous students have visited major galleries such as Hauser & Wirth, Pace and Gagosian but you will also explore off-the-beaten-track entrepreneurs such as DKUK – a hairdresser and gallerist in flourishing Peckham.
- The course has developed a unique partnership with Dorich House, a studio house museum with a collection belonging to the University. Here we work on the history of the lost collection as well as with on-site objects to value them.
- You will have the opportunity to volunteer at the annual Art Business Conference in London, allowing you to network with art world professionals and learn about the latest developments in the trade.
What you will study
You will benefit from a systematic approach to understanding the core functions of the art market across different periods and mediums, from pre-modern markets to today, allowing you to cater your studies to your individual interests. Your learning is structured through four distinct modules which give you different skills and experiences.
The History of the Art Market focuses your understanding of past and present art business practices and changes to the art market over the past 200 years. Professional Practice focuses on art valuation and appraisal through lively workshops and seminar sessions as well as an introduction to basic business principles such as marketing, business planning and strategic thinking. Art Law introduces key elements of art market regulation and problem solution. Cultural Heritage presents you with an object-focused insight into global trade and ethics.
Typically, you'll be expected to complete four equally weighted 30 credit modules, plus a major project of 60 credits.
Modules
Additional year with placement
This course gives you both an overview of the art market business and also the opportunity to gain detailed knowledge in a specific area of fine art and/or design.
Fundamental to the course are modules which introduce you to wide ranging subjects, from connoisseurship, object identification and authentication to cataloguing.
The modules will enhance your business practice skills, and through the research element of the programme, you'll develop your critical analysis skills as well as detailed knowledge within a chosen specialist area.
Core modules
History of the Art Market
30 credits
This module introduces you to the history of the art market, an interdisciplinary academic discipline of great dynamism. It draws attention to the developments of the key agents in the art market within their historical perspective, such as notion of patronage, distribution channels for works of art and the auction and dealer systems. The module emphasises the way in which the European phenomena of collecting and exchange were globalised in the 20th century and continue to develop in multiple ways in the 21st century. The module guides you through the resources available for research into the history of the art market and introduces you to the cross-disciplinary skills involving economic, political and collecting histories, which are necessary to develop a rounded understanding of the subject. On completion you should achieve a new perspective upon the history of art within its markets, integrating the aesthetic and the economic. Taught through a series of lectures and seminars, it is assessed by presentation and a critical essay. Independent learning skills will be developed throughout the module, through directed reading and study visits.
Professional Practice (Art Market)
30 credits
This module introduces you to the different elements of the art market with a professional lense in order to enhance your understanding of the field as a professional career place. The module seeks to emulate a series of real-world tasks to allow you to develop essential knowledge and skills required in the work place in the market. You will examine and critically analyse practical professional tasks such as valuing objects for different purposes, and write a business plan to enhance your entrepreneurial and business skills. A core element of these are the meaning of professionalism and professional ethics, professional standards and the role of professional bodies - especially the RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors), together with the role of different stakeholders within the art market including, gallerists, collectors and others.
The module is delivered through a series of lectures, seminars and debates and built around contributions from visiting practitioners. The module is assessed through a practical investigative exercise involving the research for and production of an auction catalogue in which the practice of valuation is thoroughly explored; and a business plan in which all the strands of the module are brought together to develop your awareness of the range of demands upon art businesses.
Art and Law
30 credits
This module aims to introduce you to issues thrown up by the interaction of law with the art world. Beginning with the fundamental basics of how statute and case law are established, the module explains to you several key themes such as contract law and copyright. The module examines especially themes pertaining particularly to the art world such as international treaties to protect cultural heritage, and the problems of censorship and obscenity. You will develop an understanding both of the abstract problems of applying law to a market place, as well as studying in detail the most significant art-related cases of recent years.
Cultural Heritage: Ethics, Trade and Globalisation
30 credits
Cultural Heritage: Ethics, Trade and Globalisation investigates the political, ethical, social and economic questions clustering around cultural heritage objects. Responding to the resurgence of materialist philosophies and object oriented analyses, it examines how objects - primarily artworks and antiquities - function as actors in social ecologies, international relations and global trade.
Consideration is given to historical conditions such as colonialism and the imperial past, as well as to recent developments in liberal economic thought under the conditions of the global. The module asks: what is cultural heritage, how is it defined and by whom? How do objects acquire cultural, economic and social value and for whom, and what are the roles of nation states, international organisations and frameworks, art markets, museums and collectors in this process? How do heritage objects contribute to cultural contestation, for instance, by way of ownership, display or iconoclasm? What role do they play in the formation of identities and cultural belonging? What role do they play in regional and national revitalisation? How do they contribute to cultural diplomacy?
The module is delivered in one teaching block from September to December to enable an intensive engagement with the subject and leads to an assessment by presentation and essay.
Major Project
60 credits
The Major Project is the capstone module of the Masters programme. Focusing on skills of critical research, analysis and presentation, the capstone project enables you to synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the course. It provides them with the opportunity to craft their own approach to the field through critical-theoretical and/or creative, practice-based research, supported by a series of taught sessions, enabling a depth and breadth of engagement with research methods. The Major Project can accommodate research projects developed through a range of academic and professional contexts depending on the motivation and interests of the student. It can be presented either as a dissertation or as a creative project, such as a portfolio comprising a chosen medium or media, accompanied by a critical commentary. The intensity of the workload increases across the three teaching blocks, allowing increasing focus in line with the level of your expertise.
Optional modules
Professional Placement
120 credits
The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates professional placement learning, following completion of 120 credits. It provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to an appropriate working environment, and to develop and enhance key employability skills and subject-specific professional skills in your chosen subject. You may wish to use the placement experience as a platform for your subsequent major project module, and would be expected to use it to help inform your decisions about future careers.
The Art Market & Appraisal course includes an optional, integrated work placement or placements, which can enable you to develop your professional skills and enhance your employability further. You will receive support from the University in finding a suitable placement.
Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
The course is assessed through a mix of academic essays, seminar papers and presentations, case studies, and a major research-based project or dissertation. There are no written exams, but a focus on coursework only.
Who teaches this course?
This Art Business course is delivered by Kingston School of Art, which has its roots in the studio-based approach of Britain's art school system (the original School of Art was founded in the 1890s).
Course leader, Stephanie Dieckvoss, is a former art market professional who draws on her networks to ensure the course content is current and responsive to the latest industry changes. You'll also hear from numerous art market professionals, who are on hand to share their experience and expertise. Guest speakers have included:
- experts from Christie's Auction House
- experts from Axa Art Insurance
- independent art evaluators
- gallerists
- artists
- art fair organisers
- PR recruitment agents.
Fees for this course
Home and European Union 2020/21
- MA full time £10,200
Overseas (not EU) 2020/21
- MA full time £17,600
Fees for the optional placement year
If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.
Funding and bursaries
Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:
If you are an international student, find out more about scholarships and bursaries.
We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:
Additional costs
For this course you can take part in optional study visits and/or field trips.
You may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for.
In order to help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:
- Personal laptops.
- Personal copies of books (not obligatory).
- Optional study visits and field trips.
- Mandatory field trips to London.
- Printing costs.
- Cost of visiting external shows and exhibitions.
Panel discussion on Art as Investment
Course leader, Stephanie Dieckvoss, contributed to a panel discussion on Art as Investment, hosted by Dellasposa Gallery - watch the full discussion in this video. The panel of experts discuss the notion of art and asset for investment. The debate questions whether art can be considered an asset for investment. Trends in the current art market are covered with a forecast for the year ahead, key considerations of value in art, and strategies for collecting art.
- Guest speakers: Sebastian Duthy of Art Market Research, and Stephanie Dieckvoss, Arts Management Consultant, Lecturer at Central Saint Martins, and Art Market Journalist
- Moderator: Jessica McBride, Director and Co-Founder of Dellasposa
Facilities
There is a wide range of facilities at Kingston School of Art, where this course is based.
Kingston School of Art at Knights Park is our art, design and architecture campus and is situated on the Hogsmill River, with its restaurant and bar opening on to the waterside.
The relatively small campus has a friendly, creative feel and benefits from recently refurbished workshops and studios, a reception area with a gallery, art shop and space, and the light and airy open-plan learning resources centre.
There are also well-equipped lecture theatres, seminar rooms and computer resources on campus.
Find out more about the Kingston School of Art Knights Park.
After you graduate
Our students come from all corners of the world and often take the learning of the course back to their own countries. Graduates from the Art Business MA course set up galleries and online platforms, manage collections and advise collectors, work for auction houses or galleries. More and more students set up their own companies or expand their current businesses. Through our engagement with the RICS we have a large number of students taking up work in auction houses, insurances or as independent valuers.
Accreditation
Many of our courses are accredited by independent professional bodies which could enhance your career prospects. Accreditation for this course is detailed below.
The Art Business MA is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for entry as a probationer practitioner. It is the only RICS-accredited course for antiques and fine art and you can join RICS as a student member when you enrol. RICS student status is exclusively for those working towards a professional career in surveying.
Being a RICS student is free and can help you realise your potential by working to the highest standards of education at college or university. The study support and networking opportunities available to you as an RICS student helps you to not only excel in your course but gives you the support to take your first step to becoming a future leader of the profession.
Successfully completing an RICS-accredited course is the first step to becoming a Chartered Surveyor. RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that our accredited degree courses are relevant to industry - this means that when you study on an accredited degree this will be recognised by employers as the benchmark of quality.
With an RICS-accredited degree you are eligible to enrol onto the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), RICS' two-year structured training programme. Candidates with a non RICS-accredited degree will typically need to have five years' industry experience before being eligible.
What our graduates say
Links with business and industry
Our links with professional practice provide a real-world base for our courses with London, the world's third biggest art market, on our doorstep. London is capital of the European art market and offers an invaluable insight into the industries from the world's largest auction houses to the most innovative start-ups.
Teaching staff on the course also keep close professional links to the art world and ensure your studies are kept up-to-date and relevant to the changing work environment.
Research areas
Many of the staff in Kingston School of Art are research active. This ensures they are in touch with the latest thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
Kingston School of Art has a well-established and internationally renowned research culture that encourages and supports high-quality, innovative research through practice, history and theory. This rich spectrum encompasses the critical practices of fine artists, curators and cultural commentators and historians, alongside that of designers, film makers and architects, all of whom have extensive professional, industrial and commercial links.
Our aim is to foster a dynamic and stimulating environment that realises and supports individual and collaborative research projects. This is achieved through an exchange of ideas and practices within and across the disciplines, directly benefitting the wider academic community as well as industry, business and the public.
