Short course
Introduction to art and cultural heritage law and ethics
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online or Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Dates and time:
27/11/2026 - 27/11/202610:00 - 17:00
Study format:
Short intensive
Fees:
£350.00
This course will introduce participants to the broad variety of legal and ethical issues arising for those working in the art world (whether commercially or in public institutions). Participants will gain an understanding of how the law intersects with art and culture, exploring how artworks are traded, moved around the world, protected, and sometimes misappropriated and embroiled in criminal activity.
After examining how the criminal law impacts the arts and heritage sectors, participants will explore the international landscape, considering how the movement of and transacting in art and heritage objects is regulated.
Law and ethics in the museum context will be examined, as we consider best practice guidelines for key areas of museum operations. One of the most significant issues facing museums today is how to respond to claims for the restitution of works from their collections. This topic will be explored, with reference to well-known cases of relevance.
The course will focus principally on the law of England and Wales but will also cover international best practice, and is suitable for all those engaged in, or with an interest in the art market or museum sector.
It will be taught by leading professionals in the field from the Institute of Art and Law, an internationally recognised source of knowledge on art and cultural heritage law. Participation is available online and in-person.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Contact the team
Phone: +44 1865 270371
9:30am: Registration opens
10am: Introduction to the course
This class will introduce students to the concept of art law, highlighting well-known cases. It will also provide a roadmap for the day ahead, explaining that the course aims to provide a high level snapshot of how the art world intersects with law and ethical practice.
10:30am: Regulating the art world – Part I, Art Crime
This class will provide an overview of the regulatory environment for the arts and cultural heritage sector, explaining how the State exerts control and provides protection. The focus in Part I will be on art crime, considering what crimes arise in the art world and how they are addressed by the courts.
11:30am: Short break
11.45am: Art crime exercise
We will put into practice some of the principles from Part I to consider a hypothetical art crime case study.
12:15pm: Regulating the art world – Part II, the International perspective: Importing and exporting works of art and cultural heritage
This class will provide an overview of the various laws which control the trading, movement and protection of works of art and cultural heritage around the world. We will consider the national laws and international instruments which impact how works might be prevented from leaving national borders, and what might happen if they do.
1:15pm: Lunch
2:15pm: Law and ethics for museums: governance, collections, funding – Part I
Whilst museums are bound by the laws discussed during the morning’s classes, they must also adhere to high standards of ethical conduct. Our afternoon classes will provide an overview of the ethical issues which arise for museums and how they might best respond. In Part I, we will focus principally on museum acquisitions.
3:15pm: Short break
3:30pm: Law and ethics for museums: governance, collections, funding – Part II
There are many reasons why museums may wish to remove items from their collections, but equally, many ethical considerations which apply to such disposals and restrictions on how they might be achieved. Deaccession is a major area for discussion with the sector, which will be addressed in this class.
4:00pm: Restitution
The return of cultural objects to their former owners has been a ‘hot topic’ the museum sector in recent years. We will consider the various arguments at play in this class, drawing on case studies to identify the key considerations.
5pm: Close
Course aims
- To introduce those working, or with an interest in the arts and cultural heritage sectors to the laws and ethical standards relevant to their work.
- To provide an understanding of the legal and ethical risk areas for arts and heritage professionals, enabling them to identify requirements for more in-depth knowledge.
- To provide practical tips for addressing legal and ethical issues arising for arts practitioners.
These aims will be achieved by combining lecture-based tuition with practical, interactive exercises and guided discussions, inviting students to apply the principles being explored.
Learning outcomes
The course will equip participants with a broad overview of the legal and ethical landscape for the arts and cultural heritage sectors, enabling them to identify the relevant issues for their role or profession. It will provide awareness of the ‘hot topics’ currently facing the art world. In some cases, it may result in a re-evaluation of areas of practice and an identification of areas for further study or training.
Emily Gould
Emily Gould, Assistant Director, Institute of Art and Law: Emily also writes, teaches and presents on art and cultural heritage law including copyright, heritage crime, museum ethics and contracts. She teaches and convenes on the Art, Business and Law LLM at Queen Mary University of London. Emily formerly practised as a lawyer both in private practice and in-house, and has also worked in the charity sector in fundraising and grants management in a range of sectors.
Alexander Herman
Alexander Herman, Director, Institute of Art and Law: Alex teaches, writes and presents on an array of topics in relation to art, law and cultural property. His books include Restitution: The Return of Cultural Artefacts (Lund Humphries, 2021) and The Parthenon Marbles Dispute: Heritage, Law, Politics (Hart Publishing, 2023). He trained in both common law and civil law legal systems and practised law in Canada. He is Programme Co-Director of the Art, Business and Law LLM, delivered in partnership with Queen Mary University of London.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Tuition (in-person) | £350.00 |
| Tuition (online) | £350.00 |
| Hot Lunch | £22.40 |
