The program is open to anyone at the undergraduate or graduate level with a GPA of 2.5 (or European equivalent of C+). If students are not native English speakers, they must nevertheless speak enough English to follow the classes and assignments.
Highlights
Students take classes with other international and French students. For beginners and false beginners in French, this program allows students to improve through classes and daily conversation, during the many activities offered in Paris.
The program’s extraA member of IESA staff will also be there to answer questions and to help students whenever they need it.
The Program
- French History and Culture
- Paris and the Avant-garde: Politics, Culture and Arts (1900-1930)
- History of Ancient Art
- The Art Business: Marketing, IP Law and the Market
- Modern and Contemporary French Art and Architecture
- 20th-Century Cinema
- Digital Art
- Exhibition Design
- Art Marketing and Branding
French language classes will be provided to all English-speaking students.
Excursions and various events during the semester with other IESA students, welcome dinner, boat trip on the Seine and many other activities.
The Bachelor in Arts Management at IESA arts&culture is a 3-year program, taught entirely in English, dedicated to the international art market and the promotion of works.
The program is for students who want to build a career in galleries, fairs, auction houses, museums, exhibitions, or cultural organizations, by developing skills in art history, the art market, law, marketing, communications, and project management.
Through classes, real projects, visits, and professional meetings, students prepare for roles related to sales, exhibition, communications, client management, appraisal, or the marketing of artworks and art objects.
Key Information About the Bachelor
| Program | Bachelor in Arts Management |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years |
| Admission | High school diploma for entry into the 1st year |
| Lateral Admission | Possible in the 2nd and 3rd years depending on profile |
| Start of the Academic Year | September |
| Language | The program is taught entirely in English |
| Certification | RNCP title No. 39220 - level 6 "Sales Manager for Artworks and Art Objects" |
| 2027-2028 Fees | €9,650 in 1st year; €9,800 for B2 lateral admission; €9,950 for B3 lateral admission; €150 in tuition-related fees |
Why Choose the IESA Bachelor in Arts Management?
Support Recognized by Students
92% of students think the teachers are available and attentive.
Source: Toluna - Harris Interactive Survey - February 2025.
Train in the International Art Market
The program is taught entirely in English to prepare students to work in an international environment: galleries, fairs, auction houses, institutions, exhibitions, and cultural organizations.
Develop a Solid Culture of Visual Arts
Students study art history, collections, art scenes, decorative arts, contemporary art, design, photography, and art market issues.
Learn Through Projects
The program relies on real projects: exhibitions, sale organization, artwork files, group projects, a personal end-of-studies project, and professional simulations.
Study in Contact with the Field
Students take part in visits to museums, galleries, fairs, auction rooms, restoration workshops, and cultural venues, to better understand the market’s players and practices.
Build an International Profile
The program includes a study trip to Florence, French classes, courses taught in English, possible internships abroad, and an opening onto partner universities.
Being Supported by Professionals
Classes are taught by academics and industry professionals, with progressive support toward professionalization, the personal project, and career entry.
What Are the Goals of This Program?
This Bachelor aims to provide the methodological foundations and knowledge needed for a career in the international art market.
- Carry out the preliminary appraisal of artworks or art objects, based on careful examination, analysis, and documentary research.
- Organize the exhibition and the transport of artworks and art objects: draw up an exhibition plan and scenography, manage the exhibition, prepare the condition report of an artwork or art object, define procedures and logistics…
- Sell artworks and art objects by establishing an artist’s market rating, estimating the price of a work, presenting it to collectors or a purchasing committee, negotiating, and drafting legal and contractual documents.
- Promote sales and exhibitions of artworks and art objects through communication, the creation of targeted materials, and the optimization of online presence through different types of content.
What You Will Learn
The Artwork and Art Object Sales Officer title aims at the acquisition of the following skills:
- Appraise artworks and art objects
- Organize the exhibition and transport of artworks and art objects
- Sell artworks and art objects
- Promote sales and exhibitions of artworks and art objects
What Is the Curriculum of the Bachelor in Arts Management?
Year 1
1st semester (fall)
- From Romanesque to Gothic art
- General French history and culture and collection visits in Paris
- History of decorative arts, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and visits
- Iconography
- Methodological writing workshop
- Introduction to conservation
- Exhibition project in partnership with the Peruvian Consulate
- Exhibition project management
- Art market structures
- French classes
- Professional Development
- Study trip to Florence
2nd semester (spring)
- Society and symbols of the Renaissance
- Collection visits in Paris
- Methodological writing workshop
- Exhibition project
- Exhibition project management
- Organizing an auction
- Legal environment of the art market
- Marketing, communication, and sales skills
- DTP (editing/graphic design)
- French classes
- Professional Development
Year 2
1st semester (fall)
- Art history of the 17th-18th centuries and visits
- Seminars (non-Western art scenes)
- Art history of furniture and art objects (17th-18th century)
- Visits: Furniture/art objects (17th-18th century)
- Visits/events: Emerging scenes and the art market in Paris
- End-of-studies report (essay)
- Exhibition project in partnership with Julio Artist Run Space
- Exhibition project management
- Art criticism (19th and 20th centuries)
- Writing workshop
- Audiences and Mediation
- Auction mechanisms
- Artificial intelligence in artworks and trends
- Marketing principles
- French classes
2nd semester (spring)
- 19th-century art history (1870-1940) and visits
- Seminars (non-Western art scenes, feminisms, decolonial studies)
- Provenance and appraisal workshop
- Art history of furniture and art objects (17th-18th century) and visits
- Commentary on artworks
- Visits/events: emerging scenes and the art market in Paris
- Exhibition project in partnership with Julio Artist Run Space
- Art criticism (19th and 20th centuries)
- Writing workshop
- Audiences and Mediation
- Copyright law
- Cataloging artworks
- Art market digitization tools (NFTs)
- Social media and community management
- Business models in the art market
- DTP (desktop publishing)
- The artist residency and the art market ecosystem
- French Classes
- Study Trip
Year 3
1st semester (fall)
- Art history (post-war 1945-1970)
- Art history (1980-2000)
- Art history visits (post-war and 20th century)
- Art history of emerging contemporary scenes
- Visits/events: Emerging scenes and the art market in Paris
- Seminars (non-Western art scenes)
- Art criticism (19th and 20th centuries)
- Writing workshop
- Artificial intelligence in artworks and trends
- End-of-studies project, Level 6 Title
- Audiences and Mediation
- Workshop on inclusion and accessibility
- Crowdfunding/fundraising
- Analyze, appraise, and estimate the value of an artwork
- Writing a press release
- Art market economics
- French Classes
2nd semester (spring)
- Seminar - Developing an exhibition plan and file
- Scenography
- Technical seminar: Illustrator and SketchUp
- Preventive conservation, transport, and insurance
Unit 3- Communication and Marketing
- Art history of emerging contemporary scenes and visits
- Seminars (non-Western art scenes, feminisms, decolonial studies)
- Art Deco art history (19th-20th century)
- Design history and visits
- The artist residency and the art market ecosystem 2
- Art criticism (19th and 20th centuries)
- Writing workshop
- Commenting on artworks (17th-19th century and Art Deco)
- Commentary on artworks (1905-present) (Title preparation)
- End-of-studies project - Level 6 Title (Fictional exhibition)
- Exhibition scenography
- Transport and insurance, preventive conservation
- Taxation in the art market
- Digitization tools in the art market (NFTs)
- Analysis, appraisal, and valuation of an artwork
- Digital marketing and communication
- WordPress
- SketchUp
- Video editing
- French Classes
- Professional Development
- Study Trip
Assessment methods:
Assessment linked to the professional certification of RNCP title 39220:
The Bachelor prepares students for the level 6 title “Artwork and Art Object Sales Officer,” registered with the RNCP. The certification is based on the validation of four skills blocks, each assessed through concrete professional scenarios and expected deliverables.
Appraisal of artworks and art objects
Skills: preliminary appraisal, selection of specialists, restoration estimates, file drafting.
Assessment methods:
- Professional Simulations
- Practical Cases
Organization of the exhibition and transport of works
Skills: exhibition design, scenography, logistics, budget management, safety.
Assessment methods:
- Professional Simulations
- Practical Cases
Sale of artworks and art objects
Skills: market assessment, price estimation, sales strategy and methods, negotiation.
Assessment methods:
- Professional Simulations
Sales and exhibition promotion
Skills: database management, online and offline communication, promotional materials, online presence.
Assessment methods:
- Professional Simulations
- Practical Cases
At the end of the program, students present a personal end-of-studies project, supervised by a professional. It draws on all the skills acquired for a realistic, personal project. This project is defended before a certification jury made up of industry professionals.
Students with disabilities may benefit from specific adjustments to assessment methods, on the recommendation of the disability officer, in compliance with the certification framework.
Project-Based and Field-Based Learning
The Art Market Bachelor’s teaching is based on a close combination of theoretical input, professional simulations, and fieldwork, enabling students to acquire both the fundamental knowledge and the practical skills essential for their future careers in the art market.
Teaching is provided by academics and industry professionals, and takes the form of lectures, case studies, thematic conferences, specialized seminars, and applied workshops. This variety of approaches aims to give students a solid grounding in the art market, from its history to its current players, while familiarizing them with its economic, legal, and cultural logics.
The program places essential emphasis on a field-based approach. Students are trained in expertise methodology and in the direct observation of artworks, particularly in professional settings: auction rooms, museums, galleries, fairs, restoration workshops, and antique dealers. These regular visits sharpen the eye and refine knowledge of materials, techniques, and styles, while also helping students understand how artworks are valued, circulated, and promoted.
Project-based learning is another pillar of the program. Students design and collectively organize real events, supervised by professionals: notably the Juvenars Prize for Young Creation, produced in partnership with art schools, as well as an original exhibition conceived and installed by the class. These projects develop their ability to work in a team, manage a schedule, draw up a budget, and handle mediation and communication around a cultural event.
In parallel, each student develops a personal end-of-program project throughout the course. Supported by a professional, this project draws on all the skills acquired and fits within a career-orientation perspective. It is defended before a certification jury.
Finally, students' professional development is supported by individual coaching, meetings with industry players, and internships that allow them to test what they have learned against the reality of artistic and commercial organizations.
International Focus
The program has a strong international focus, thanks to:
- A faculty that includes international speakers or speakers of foreign origin who bring their knowledge of international best practices
- Professional English courses
- The possibility of taking a semester of study at one of IESA’s partner universities or doing internships abroad to develop expertise or knowledge of a specific market
- The presence of 20% international students at the school, fostering intercultural exchange and dialogue
Open Day: December 5
Open days let you discover the campus, meet the teams, ask your questions about the program, admissions, work-study, student projects and career opportunities.
It is also an opportunity to better understand the teaching approach of IESA arts&culture and the organization of these programs.
What careers after a Bachelor in Arts Management?
The Bachelor in Arts Management prepares students for roles related to the sale of artworks and art objects, client relations, appraisal, auctions, and exhibition.
Sales and marketing Artwork and art object sales officer
Assistant or sales/customer officer in a gallery or antique shop Appraisal and auctions Appraiser’s assistant
Auctioneer’s clerk
Voluntary sales company associate Exhibitions and fairs Exhibition officer
Art fair or show client officer
Graduates can work in art galleries, appraisal firms, auction houses, antique shops, consignment stores, and art fairs and shows.
IESA alumni share their experience
Pola
"The time I spent at IESA allowed me to build valuable connections and opened the door to many international opportunities. Thanks to this experience, I was accepted for an internship at the Sans Titre gallery in the Marais, in Paris, where I am currently developing my skills as a gallery assistant."
Certification
This master’s program prepares for the RNCP title level 6:
"Sales Manager for Artworks and Art Objects"
| Employment Rate | 75% at 6 months for students awarded the title, class of 2022 (most recent France Compétences rate - RNCP title 39220) |
|---|---|
| Certification Rate | 57.1% (Class of 2024). |
| RNCP Code | RNCP 39220 |
This title is issued by: ECAD Consultants - IESA arts&culture by decision of the Director General of France Compétences dated 06/27/2024 for a period of 3 years.
How to Apply to IESA?
Admission is based on an application file and an interview with the admissions committee
- 1. You find out about the school and its programs.
- 2. You apply to the school by filling out a form on the website.
- 3. We call you to schedule an admission interview
- 4. A few days after the interview, you receive your admissibility decision
How Much Does the Program Cost?
For the 2027-2028 year, the fees are as follows:
| Year | Tuition |
|---|---|
| 1st year | 9 650 € |
| 2nd year - direct admission | 9 800 € |
| 3rd year - direct admission | 9 950 € |
| Tuition fees | 150 € |
Applicants can contact the admissions team to find out about:
- payment options
- funding options
- the conditions related to work-study
The Bachelor lasts 3 years.
Number of in-class teaching hours and exams:
- Year 1: 471 h
- Year 2: 566 h
- Year 3: 561 h
(Current-year schedule: the number of hours may vary slightly from year to year).
Prerequisites:
- For entry into the 1st year: hold a level 4 certification, a baccalauréat, a DAEU, or an equivalent degree (foreign degree, etc.).
- For entry into the 2nd year: hold a level 4 certification, a baccalauréat, a DAEU, or an equivalent degree (foreign degree, etc.) and demonstrate a sufficient level in the field targeted by the certification (art, culture, history, art history, etc.).
- For entry into the 3rd year: hold a level 5 certification or an equivalent degree (foreign degree, etc.), or demonstrate a sufficient level in the field targeted by the certification (art, culture, history, art history, etc.).
Admission is based on the submission of an application file and an interview
Access timeframes: Admissions are open from October 2026 to August 2027 for the September 2027 intake. Applications are processed within 3 weeks maximum after receipt of the complete file. Enrollment is possible until the start date, subject to available places. By exception, enrollment is possible after the program start date, following review and verification of the learner’s ability to catch up on the learning already delivered, within a maximum of 1 month after the start of the program.
More information: international@iesa.fr
The program takes place at IESA on the LE DELTA campus (16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris) and at partner cultural venues.
IESA premises are accessible to people with disabilities. The admission interview and the course of study can be adapted to the needs of those concerned, who are therefore invited to express them as soon as they apply to the school. Contact: handicap@iesa.fr.
As part of the RNCP title validation, the jury may decide on a partial validation of skills. The candidate will be invited again to submit their file and take their oral exam at the next title session in order to validate the missing skills.
Skills block: Validating all blocks leads to the award of the certification. In case of equivalences, whether through VAE and/or the award of a corresponding skills block or certification, it is up to the candidate to present this equivalence to the jury for validation.
Equivalences: No equivalences for this program.
Bridging paths: No bridging path for this program.
Further studies: This program awards a level 6 professionally certified title and can be followed by a level 7 program such as the 5-year post-secondary art market programs at IESA arts&culture:
- MBA in Arts & Cultural Management
- MBA in Contemporary Art: Sales, Display & Collecting
- International Master MAGMa (Managing Art & Cultural Heritage in Global Markets)
- Master International Art Market - Contemporary Art (program in French)
- Master International Art Market - Old Master Art (program in French)
- Master Exhibition Curation (program in French)
Project