IESA: Innovative Education for Succeeding in tomorrow’s Artworld.

IESA, The Institut d’Etudes Supérieures des Arts, was created in 1985 in Paris as a vocational, dynamic and student-centred alternative to the more rigid and theoretical system in French universities. IESA UK renewed this philosophy in London in 2004, offering cutting edge programmes that revolutionised the way the art market is taught, combining for the first time the study of history with the practice of business.

Created by Jean-Marie and Françoise Schmitt, IESA had its courses recognised in France by the Ministry of Culture and Communications in 1991. Since the early days the Institute has always been involved in the training and education of art experts and cultural professionals and managers and offers now three major areas of study to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels - the Art Market, Cultural Events Management and Multimedia. It now boasts over 14,000 alumni working in all aspects of the art world.

If you wish to know more about undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught in English at IESA Paris, please visit IESA Paris website in English.

IESA UK offers modern and independent programmes in a small and boutique environment. Our standards, underlined by the quality of our partners, the value of our faculty and, more importantly, by the success of our students in the job market, are set to the top.

Working in the arts requires a thorough knowledge of the arts, but to succeed in the world is necessary a solid understanding of the practice and business of the art market. IESA UK in fact believes that experience is the best teacher, but only when it’s accompanied with the right tools to understand it. This is why IESA MAs are the only MAs on the Art Market in the world to include the study of both history of art and business practice, making them the right choice for the students who want to be knowledgeable and ahead of their peers.

From the start, IESA UK’s creative and demanding MA programme attracted strong support from recognised institutions such as the Wallace Collection, the University of Warwick, the Sir John Soane Museum and White Cube. IESA UK now comprises 2 MAs run in partnership with prestigious English institutions and two English-speaking undergraduate programmes in Paris: the Semester Programme and the Summer Session.

Founding member of IESA UK, Adriana Turpin is the Academic Director of IESA International programmes. Before she joined IESA in 2002 to set up the new MA in the History and Business of Art and Collecting, Adriana had been with Sotheby’s Institute for nearly twenty-five years. She was made a Deputy Director of Sotheby’s Europe, while the Institute was part of Sotheby’s auction house. During her time at the Institute, Adriana was course director for the Works of Art Course, set up and directed what was then the SOAS-Sotheby’s Asian Art Course and finally joined the team developing the BA courses, where she became interested in the history of collecting.