The Art World: From Studio to Art Market

We invite you to join renowned curator, art journalist and lecturer Viv Lawes each week to discover more about the workings of the art world.

This course provides an insider's perspective on the art world, focusing on the journey of artworks from artists' studios to galleries, museums, and auction houses. Participants will explore the complex processes that determine how art is produced, discussed, valued, and sold. Through classroom sessions and site visits to commercial and public galleries, art schools, and auction houses, the course offers insights from expert professionals across the art ecosystem.

Led by an experienced educator, art journalist, curator, and promoter of historical and contemporary art, the course examines the factors influencing the valuation of artworks, the roles of various institutions, and the dynamics between artists and the market.

Provisional Visiting Speaker List (STC)

• Amy Mechowski (curator)
• Pierre Valentin (art law specialist)
• Tom Edwards (art dealer with Abbott and Holder)
• Matthew Floris (press officer at Sotheby's Auctions)
• Daniah Al-Saleh (artist in new media)
• Anders Pettersen (art finance specialist)

Our discussions will include institutions such as museums, galleries, auction houses, and foundations, as well as themes like state support for art, the commercial gallery system, and new market models.

Comprising 3 sessions before Easter and a further 7 sessions after the Easter break (see term dates below), this course is ideal for those curious about the art world's inner workings, as well as artists, curators, collectors, or individuals interested in entering the art business.

Reading material or special equipment needed (if any)

There is no compulsory reading for this course.

For those interested in further exploration of the course topic, the following texts are recommended:

• Jeffrey Taylor, The Art Business: Art World, Art Market (London: Routledge, 2023 edition)
• P. Fletcher and A. Helmreich, The Rise of the Modern Art Market in London: 1850–1939 (Manchester: MUP, 2013)
• Jo Lawson-Tancred, AI and the Art Market (London: Lund Humphries, 2024)

Term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 2 March 2026 until week ending 20 March 2026

•  Spring Term: week beginning 6 April 2026 until week ending 29 May 2026 (no class on 17 April)

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the content of this course please contact the tutor, Viv Lawes at v.lawes@imperial.ac.uk

If you have any questions about enrolment please contact the Imperial after:hours Administrator, Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

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Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

There are no examinations or assessments for this course. However, attendance can lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate (T&Cs apply).