Art Trade Forum
Applications Are Now Closed for 2024
About
The Art Trade Forum offers emerging curators, arts professionals and researchers the chance to see the London art trade at work and explore the practices and processes of acquiring art for public collections. The programme is designed for individuals at an early stage of their career with a practical interest and some experience in the sector, who want to learn more, build their network and develop their skills. It is prompted by the pressing need to cultivate knowledge and expertise about the British art trade among regional curators and museum professionals.
The programme brings together a group of twelve individuals selected from an open call from a range of backgrounds and different working contexts, including art writers, conservationists, curators, auctioneers and researchers as they emerge into the field of British art. It provides the opportunity to engage in discussion with art trade and museum professionals and get behind-the-scenes access to the art market. The seminar covers historic, modern and contemporary art, and involves talks, visits, gallery tours and workshops.
The Art Trade Forum is led by Dr Martin Postle, Senior Research Fellow at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art.
Structure
The Art Trade Forum is based in London and is scheduled to run alongside London Art Week in July and takes advantage of the activity and accessibility the city-wide event generates. The four-day programme is structured around:
- behind-the-scenes visits to high-profile auction houses with tours given by senior members of staff
- visits to a range of commercial art galleries with different working practices
- talks given by experts about collections and acquisition development, acquisition strategy, heritage and taxation, and acceptance in lieu
- visits to public collections to meet curators, discuss collection policies and experience strategies in action
- free time to explore London Art Week