Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader in the Art Market

The Courtauld is seeking to appoint a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer or Reader (equivalent to Assistant or Associate Professor) specialising in today’s art market. Applications are welcomed from specialists in any aspect of the art market, but crucial to the role will be a knowledge of the workings of the art market more generally, both in the UK and internationally. This role requires strong networks within today’s art markets, and an ability to mobilise the expertise of colleagues working in the sector. We are seeking candidates who will drive forward debate and scholarship, and who will critically engage with current issues and debates in the commercial art world.

Working with a specialist in the histories of the art market, the post-holder will convene a new MA in Art and Business at The Courtauld, which will launch in September 2025. This MA will aim to be the leading postgraduate programme in the subject, equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the contemporary art world. Students will have the chance to pursue advanced study and research on Art and Business from both a contemporary and an historical perspective, and with the benefit of an extraordinary range of experts. As well as being taught by The Courtauld’s specialist faculty, they will benefit from The Courtauld’s strategic partnership with King’s College London and engage on a regular basis with some of the most dynamic and influential figures of today’s art world, including gallerists, auction-house directors, art lawyers, art fair organisers, art advisors, curators, artists and critics. As co-convenor of the MA in Art and Business, the post-holder will work closely not only with colleagues from The Courtauld and King’s, but with these numerous external participants.

The post-holder will also teach one of the MA’s core modules, entitled Understanding The Art Market. This module will give students an advanced understanding of the workings of today’s art market, and investigate such topics as the gallery system, auction-houses, museums, art fairs, biennales, pricing, copyright, provenance, spoliation, art investment, insurance, marketing and media coverage. It will also explore the impact of digitisation on the buying and selling of art, and the ways in which the art market has been reshaped by globalizing imperatives. Students will also learn about the opportunities and challenges of working with living artists, artist’s estates, collectors and public institutions. A crucial aspect of this module is that many of these subjects will be explored in conversation with relevant specialists from the art world itself, who will be invited to share their knowledge in in-person sessions with the students. The post-holder will both design and deliver this important element of the MA, which will feature a wide range of visiting contributors. The post-holder will also teach an elective module focusing on a specialist area of their research, and contribute to our BA programme.

We welcome applications from scholars with developing or established records in research (including publication) and teaching. Applications are welcome from both early career and established scholars, and from those with professional experience in the art market. Applicants should articulate how their research and teaching would intersect with and take advantage of the world-famous collections of the Courtauld Gallery and other collections and resources in London. They should also describe how, in delivering the new MA, they would engage with the Courtauld’s alumni, many of whom are dynamic and influential figures within today’s art world. This is an excellent opportunity to establish a new field of excellence at The Courtauld and to take it in ambitious directions, with exciting potential relating to our new strategic relationship with King’s College London.

The Courtauld Institute of Art is the UK’s leading institution for teaching and research in Art History and the conservation of paintings. It is also home to one of the greatest art collections in the UK, which reopened to the public in November 2021 following a major transformation. The History of Art department has an outstanding research and teaching record from Late Antiquity to the Contemporary with an increasingly global outlook, and embraces its diversity of theoretical approaches and methodologies.

Teaching at The Courtauld takes a variety of forms, from small-group seminars, lectures, and tutorials, to teaching in front of works of art in galleries and museums both within the UK and internationally. The post-holder will contribute to our BA programme, undertake research, supervise research students, participate in our thriving research community, and engage in activity that increases public awareness of and access to Courtauld resources, including the gallery.

Research-active faculty are entitled to regular sabbaticals from teaching. In addition, they are encouraged to apply for external grants and fellowships, supported by The Courtauld’s dedicated Research Department.

The Courtauld is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds as we have under-representation that we wish to address. The Courtauld warmly welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, including those through the Skilled Workers Route to work in the UK.

Applicants who are interested in discussing the role informally before submitting an application may contact Professor Alixe Bovey, Executive Dean and Deputy Director, on alixe.bovey@courtauld.ac.uk.