SPECIALISATION
Contemporary Art Markets

DEPARTMENT
Visual Arts

INSTITUTION
NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti - Milan Campus

ACCREDITED BY
Italian Ministry of Education and Research

TITLE AWARDED
First Level Academic Master Degree

CFA
60

LANGUAGE OF TUITION
Italian or English

COURSE DURATION
1 year

The Academic Master in Contemporary Art Markets is an intensive study path directed at providing students with effective tools to interpret the art market structures and dynamics, with particular focus on the contemporary artistic languages. It provides students with the opportunity to come into direct contact with established industry professionals and to collaborate with acclaimed Italian and international art galleries, auction houses, art fairs, institutions, collections and art centres. The educational path consists of two cycles: the first is dedicated to classroom activities and thematic workshops allowing students to apply the notions learned. Visits to galleries, fairs, foundations and museums are also part of the programme. The second one revolves around an internship period, enabling students to come into direct contact with various market players, together with a number of conferences and visits. Students will also be preparing their final projects. In November, the students will visit Artissima, International Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin, and, in June, they will travel to Basel for a focused, extensive visit of Art Basel. These are two of the most important international art market events.

Ideal students have a good background in contemporary art, strong motivation and a natural inclination towards everything related to visual arts, art market issues, entrepreneurial opportunities in creative fields, as well as a strong aptitude for work and openness to the exchange of ideas. For admission procedures, please refer to the Academic Regulations.

The Academic Master aims at providing the student with advanced training to fully master the methods and the acquisition of professional competences, that are up to the contemporary art system. The course supports the development of sound professional figures in the entire contemporary art market field, based on:

• Sensible and mindful understanding of a methodological approach which enables the future professional to deal with a wide range of projects through a consistent vision, as well as to successfully manage all parameters, variables and technical competences needed to analyse the art system and market and to be introduced in real-scale professional contexts.

• The ability to develop critical aspect that can enable the students to efficiently express themselves in any professional context, both local and international, and to deal with the constant variability and unpredictability of the contemporary scenarios.

• The in-depth investigation of the limits and complexity of the contemporary art system thanks to critical awareness, understanding of meanings, creative and experimental thinking, inclusive and multi-disciplinary approach, as well as self-expression through projects and research.

During the programme, students are engaged in different kinds of activities, according to the specific learning objectives. The activities may include:

• Front lectures

• Use of tutorials, videos or other media tools

• Development of individual or group projects

• Individual study or research

• Active participation to classes through debates and presentations

• Exercises and revisions

• Workshops

• Classroom demonstrations

• Visits to companies and organizations in the relevant professional field

• Seminars and workshops with industry professionals or representatives

• Intensive seminars on specific topics

• Individual sessions and tutoring

The achievement of learning objectives is generally assessed at the end of the term, although intermediate evaluations may occur. Assessment methods vary according to the learning objectives being assessed and may include:

• Oral exams

• Written exams

• Practical demonstration

• Graded exercises

• Graded revisions

• Papers

• Comprehensive projects

• Submission of papers, projects or research work

The Academic Master in Contemporary Art Markets is an intensive study path divided into a first cycle of classroom activities, workshops, field visits and selected guest lectures. The second cycle is focused on internships in both public and private institutions (art galleries, auction houses, foundations, collections, artist studios and archives), on extra activities (workshops, lectures) and on the final thesis Final project. Furthermore, the programme provides a wide range of opportunities, visits to art galleries, fairs, foundations and museums, of extra-curricular projects and educational experiences (workshops, visiting professors, collaborations with both public and private institutions).

Through the courses in Art market legislation, History of contemporary art, Art management, Economy and art market, Contemporary museum studies, Valorisation of collections, and the curricular activities included in the path, the students will gain overall knowledge of the discipline of art law in the art market, as well as sound cultural, historical and critical references to understand the contemporary artistic languages. Moreover, they will develop critic understanding of the art world’s economic dimension and of the collecting phenomena, and will have the opportunity to analyse the best practices in the valorisation of art collections, both public and private.

The Academic Master in Contemporary Art Markets graduates hold all the theoretical, technical and designing skills to start a professional career in different areas of the contemporary art system, among which museums, galleries, biennials, private foundations, archives, auction houses, newsrooms and publishing houses, to become:

• Project managers at galleries, museums and foundations

• Gallerists

• Specialists at auction houses

• Art advisors

• Art dealers

• Art managers

• Consultants for the valorisation of public, private and corporate collections

• Public, private and corporate collections curators

• Managers of artists foundations and archives

• Registrars

• Communication managers and journalists

• Editors for specialized magazines and books

• Consultants for legal and financial art services

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Develop sound cultural, economic, and legal knowledge of the art market.

• Understand the complex dynamics of the art market and of its players.

• Develop analytical and specialised communication skills.

• Prove their knowledge and understanding ability to devise and/or apply original ideas, in the scope of research.

• Develop deep understanding of the historic, artistic, cultural, political, social and economic roots of the contemporary art market on a global scale.

• Develop thorough knowledge of the practical and theoretical tools for curatorial, publishing, historic-critical and entrepreneurial projects.

• Verify the learning skills and inclination to self-sufficiency, that allow for a constant development of research and application, in a self-directed and innovative way.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Use the most efficient analysis and interpretation tools for the contemporary art market.

• Develop different kinds of projects thanks to their practical and managerial skills

• Organize their individual or team work to carry out a project.

• Apply the most efficient research techniques and strategies, in order to develop and verify their projects.

• Apply the most efficient visual and textual communication strategies to represent their research projects.

• Apply the most efficient strategies to promote their projects and/or personal profiles.

At the end of the programme, successful students will be able to:

Profitably work individually and in a group, develop their organizational skills and deal with different professional figures.

Efficiently communicate their ideas, in a clear and straightforward fashion, as well as the knowledge and reasons behind them, to specialized and non-specialized people, graphically or verbally.

Identify and properly address their professional aspirations, also evaluating the necessary tools and strategies to develop an independent professional career.

Assess their own competence and identify, if any, further training paths in the academic or professional environment.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Apply their knowledge, understanding skills and problem solving ability to new or unfamiliar situations, in wider (or cross-disciplinary) contexts related to their scope of study.

• Integrate knowledge and manage complexities, as well as be able to evaluate the scenario even when information is limited or incomplete, including an assessment of social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgment.

• Analyse the contemporary art market scenarios through mindful interpretation tools.

• Understand the evolution as well as the political and cultural innovation phenomena of the contemporary societies.

• Develop an aptitude to be flexible and adaptable in their theoretical and design competences.

• Develop a personal and mindful approach to projects, based on a strict proceeding method and on the consistent use of critical thinking towards the values and meanings of project and research.