Ali Güreli is an entrepreneur, cultural leader and founder and chairman of Contemporary Istanbul, one of the region’s leading contemporary art fairs. For over two decades, he has championed Istanbul as a global hub for artistic exchange, bringing together artists, institutions, collectors and international audiences. Working at the intersection of art, culture and urban development, Güreli brings valuable insight into the role of creativity in fostering dialogue, shaping cultural identity and building connections across borders.
Anders Petterson is the founder and CEO of ArtTactic Ltd, a London-based art market research and analysis company established in 2001. A pioneer in using crowd-sourcing techniques to gather art market intelligence, ArtTactic publishes global reports in collaboration with partners including Deloitte, Hiscox, Mishcon de Reya, Sophie Macpherson SML, and Sotheby’s. Anders regularly lectures on art market topics at Sotheby’s Institute, Christie’s Education, and ESA Beirut, and served as a founding board member of PAIAM from 2011 to 2021.
Chimere Cissé is an art collector and founder with over a decade of experience in the cultural sector. She launched ArtKōrero in 2021 to connect commercial engagement with the arts and recently founded STELLA Alliance to increase the visibility of women art collectors. Previously, she represented the United Nations International Trade Centre and held senior roles at Burberry, Hearst UK, Harper’s Bazaar, and ELLE. Dedicated to philanthropy, she actively supports global charities including the British Council and Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation, where she is a long-standing committee chair.
Divya Sharma is a London-based British Indian textile artist and an alumna of the Royal College of Art, London. Her practice brings together myth, memory, and the cultural world of her mother tongue, Tamil. She was recently awarded the Visual Artists Association International Scholarship Award for 2025. She has conceived and curated five shows as founder of The Neulinge Collective and the Post-Colonials Collective. She is also the founder and host of the ARTiculate podcast and broadcasts on Apple Podcasts.
Dr. Shwetal Patel is a writer and researcher working at the intersection of contemporary visual art, exhibition-making, and development studies. A founding member of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, he played a key role in launching the initiative and building its international partnerships. He holds a practice-based PhD from the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, and lectures internationally at institutions such as the Zürich University of the Arts, the Royal College of Art, and the University of Exeter. He also serves as trustee for the Milton Keynes Museum, Coventry Biennial, and the Kakar Centre of Psychoanalysis & Culture.
Jeffrey Boloten is Director of Art Business and Enterprise Programmes at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. He co-founded and serves as Managing Director of ArtInsight Ltd., the educational partner of art market research firm ArtTactic. With a background in law, publishing (including Penguin Books), and institutional roles at the Tate and a London art college, Jeffrey is a frequent speaker on the global art, photography, and art investment markets. He also co-directs Sotheby’s Enterprise Studio and is a founding member of PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).
Leo Crane is a producer, artist and educator with over 25 years of experience across physical and digital creative industries. He has founded three creative studios and in 2024, established the AI Film Academy, focusing on innovation in contemporary moving image practice. He leads courses in art and art business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and serves on the board of Animate Projects. His artistic practice spans animated film, figurative painting and experimental digital works, and his work has been widely exhibited, screened and awarded internationally. He is currently producing his debut feature film The Masterpiece of Tamagata, and is the author of Contemporary Figures in Watercolour (2021).
Mark Davy is the founder of Futurecity, a multidisciplinary agency dedicated to culture-driven placemaking. He has led private sector investment in major art projects including the Crossrail Culture Line, the Illuminated River Project, and the cultural strategy for Wembley Park. Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and contributes to several boards and panels, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Advisory Panel, Hypha Studios, the Land Economic Society, the NLA Expert Panel for Culture, and the National Trust Regional Advisory Group.
Marta Orsola Sironi is a curator and critic based between Milan and London. She is co-founder and curator of MEGA Art Fair, which reimagines the art fair as an immersive, curated experience activating regenerated urban spaces with exhibitions, performances, talks, and music. Together with Mauro Mattei, she co-directs BeAdvisors Art Department, producing curated shows, cultural events, and collectors’ programmes across international art calendars. Her research focuses on decolonial feminism, identity, language, and memory, with a strong interest in urban space as a site of resistance.
Nicole Schoeni is an art dealer, collector, patron, and founder of Schoeni Projects. Previously, Nicole was the director of Schoeni Art Gallery, one of Asia's most influential art venues. Nicole has since curated the Hong Kong section of the China 8 exhibition and has consulted on arts projects such as for the Grand Lisboa Palace in Macau. She is an active patron of numerous foundations, is on the advisory team for Arts for Good Foundation, and sits on the Board of Directors of Asian Art in London.
Portuguese visual artist Paulo Arraiano explores the intersections of art, culture, nature, and technology through a multidisciplinary practice. He is co-founder of Re_Act Contemporary, an international art laboratory and residency programme based in the Azores that fosters dialogue between artists, researchers, and communities around pressing ecological, social, and cultural issues. Arraiano offers a distinctive perspective on the role of art in shaping how we understand and engage with a rapidly changing world. Portfolio
Rena Neville is Director of Corinth Consulting Ltd and Head of FCS Compliance Art Division. With over 30 years at Sotheby’s, she was the company’s first Global Compliance Director and previously served as European General Counsel and Global Head of Litigation. Today, she advises the art market on anti-money laundering compliance and is a frequent speaker on the subject, including recent talks at Harvard Law School and the Art Business Conference in Maastricht during TEFAF.
Roxane Zand is a Harvard and Oxford educated specialist in Middle Eastern art and culture. After three years at UNESCO and roles at the Iran Heritage Foundation and Asia House, she joined Sotheby’s in 2006 as Director for the Middle East and Gulf, rising to Deputy Chairman and Senior Director, before stepping down in 2020 to lead her own art advisory consultancy. She continues to serve as Arts Editor for the Encyclopaedia Islamica, advises through the Pictet Art Prize Advisory Council, and has authored several publications, including Geometry and Art: In the Modern Middle East.
Sigrid Kirk is a curator, adviser, and strategist who co-founded the Association of Women in the Arts (AWITA) in 2016. AWITA brings together women working across the arts sector through mentoring, collaboration, and a shared community. In addition, each year Kirk and her husband collaborate with Te Tuhi Gallery in Auckland to help fund an artist residency at Yorkshire Sculpture Park for Māori and Pacific Island artists. The couple are also patrons of Dundee Contemporary Arts,  Fruitmarket Gallery, Gasworks, Studio Voltaire, Iniva, and Goldsmiths CCA.
Sylwia Krason is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Lynx Magazine, an international arts publication and organisation based in London. Since 2013, she has connected bold artistic voices with global audiences, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and emerging markets. She is also President of the Contemporary Lynx Foundation in Warsaw and regularly serves as a juror and panel moderator at major international art events, including Art Basel. Trained in art history and arts management in Kraków, Berlin, and London, she is currently based in Paris.
Ulrich Schrauth is a curator, artist, and creative director of UBS Digital Art Museum in Hamburg. Schrauth is also the founder of VRHAM! Biennale, shaping new ways of presenting and experiencing digital Art. Working between Hamburg and London, he also heads the Immersive Programme at the British Film Institute (BFI) and serves on the British Council’s Advisory Board for Arts and Creative Economy. In addition, he curates the digital section of Art Dubai, the premier international art fair for digital media. Ulrich is a jury member for prestigious awards such as the Lumen Prize and the Fedora Digital Art Prize, and is a regular speaker at major events including the Venice Biennale, SXSW, and the Cannes Film Festival. Portfolio

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A Glance at the Creative Industries

Advertising

Introduction to the industry:

The creative industry that focuses on using visuals, words, and impactful storytelling to support the success of marketing.

Backgrounds:

Advertising, marketing, and communications; creative writing, English literature, journalism; graphic design; market research; business administration

Top Companies: 

  • Ogilvy
  • Publicis Groupe
  • WPP
  • Omnicom
  • IPG
  • Dentsu
  • BBDO
  • Saatchi & Saatchi

Top universities for media & marketing & communications (QS ranking): 

  • The University of Amsterdam
  • Goldsmiths, University of London
  • London School of Economics and Political Science
  • University of Southern California
  • New York University

Possible Career Buildup:

Career might start with a position such as entry-level account manager, web planner, graphic designer, copywriter, and can gradually work up to managers, executives, and creative directors.

Architecture

Introduction of the industry:

Architecture is where art and science meet through design. It considers not only the aesthetics behind designing and constructing buildings but also environmental science, sustainability, and social and economic impact.

Backgrounds:

Art and design, engineering, environmental studies

Top companies:

(https://www.archivibe.com/largest-architecture-firms-in-the-world/) (https://www.archdaily.com/330759/the-100-largest-architecture-firms-in-the-world) 

  • Aecom
  • Gensler
  • IBI Group
  • Nikken Sekkei
  • Aedas
  • HDR
  • Sweco

Top universities for architecture and built environment (QS ranking): 

  • University College London Bartlett
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Delft University of Technology
  • ETH Zurich
  • Manchester School of Architecture
  • National University of Singapore

Possible Career Buildup:

A career in architecture starts from undergraduate and master degree education followed by years of internship experience in architectural firms. Examinations in some countries are required for architects to receive licences. An architect’s career ladder begins from assistant architects to project architects, senior architects, and project managers. At the very top of the ladder, an architect may start running or owning an architectural firm. The career paths for architects are also diverse, including architectural firms, real estate development firms, government and public sector, spreading interests and expertises across building design, urban planning, policies, digital design etc.

Fine Art

Introduction of the industry:

Fine art has an emphasis on individual expression and aesthetic and emotional values. It includes a wide range of practices including painting, sculpture, photography, calligraphy, printmaking, installation art etc. While it has stereotypically been recognized as a discipline that is uncommercial.

Backgrounds:

Art history, fine arts (including both technical skills and conceptual creativity), art business and management

Top universities for art & design (QS ranking): 

  • The Royal College of Art
  • University of the Arts London
  • The New School
  • Rhode Island School of Design
  • Royal Academy of Arts
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Possible Career Buildup:

Upon pursuing bachelor’s and master’s in fine arts, many artists start working on their personal projects to build a portfolio or join residency programs. The career buildup for artists depends heavily on industrial networks, collaborations with institutions, and opportunities at galleries and exhibitions. At the middle and senior stage of a career, artists can work as curators, art consultants, collectors, and educators. 

Fashion

Introduction of the industry:

Fashion is a dynamic and ever-evolving industry that blends creativity, craftsmanship, and commerce. It encompasses the design, production, marketing, and distribution of clothing, accessories, and textiles. Fashion is influenced by cultural movements, technological advancements, and consumer trends, making it an industry that balances artistic vision with market demands.

Backgrounds:

Fashion design; fashion merchandising; fabric innovation; fashion styling; fashion photography

Top schools for fashion: 

  • Parsons, The New School for Design
  • The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
  • Central Saint Martins
  • London College of Fashion
  • Royal College of Art

Possible Career Buildup:

Starting from assistant roles, assistant designers, fashion stylists, fashion coordinators, marketing assistants. Middle-level jobs include more advanced designers, marketing managers, public relations managers etc. Advanced level including fashion collectors, signature designers, creative directors etc.

Film, TV, Radio, Photography

Introduction of the industry:

Interested in film and TV productions, broadcasting, and photography? This industry depends heavily on digital technologies and collective creativity.

Backgrounds:

Although knowing about the techniques of production is essential, lots of successful people in the industry also did not start their education/career from production. Depending on different roles, the knowledge and skills required can vary. Yet, apart from writing, directing, acting, photography, editing, knowledge around engineering, producing, financing, marketing and PR, law and contracting can also be needed.

Top Institutes & Institutions in London:

  • London Film School
  • British Film Institute,
  • BBC
  • Heyday Films
  • Working Title
  • Pinewood Studios

Possible Career Buildup:

Starting from working as interns and assistants in a crew and gradually specialises in certain roles.

Music

Introduction to the industry: 

The music industry field that encompasses composition, performance, production, and distribution. With the rise of digital platforms and streaming services, the landscape of music consumption and career opportunities has evolved, offering musicians and industry professionals new ways to reach global audiences.

Backgrounds:

Music theory, music performance, music production, music business and marketing

Top Institutes & Institutions:

  • Juilliard School
  • Berklee College of Music
  • Royal College of Music
  • Royal Academy of Music

Possible Career Buildup:

Starting the career as a musician can start with formal musical education and self-practice. Musicians might choose different paths such as joining orchestras, bands, opera companies etc. Lots of musicians also start their own albums, bands, and production firms. 

Performing Arts

Introduction to the industry: 

Performance arts covers a wide range of forms including screen acting, theatre, dance, opera, circus arts etc. It is a form of art that has rooted connections with rituals in ancient times. 

Backgrounds:

Professional performing artists usually have professional training experiences with their field of expertise. 

Top Institutes & Institutions:

  • Juilliard School (USA) for dance, drama, music
  • Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
  • NYU Tisch School of the Arts

Possible Career Buildup:

Like many other artists in other forms of art, performing artists could either be freelancers or be contracted with companies. Many actors also have agencies that help them develop their career paths.

Publishing & Journalism

Introduction of the industry:

The publishing and journalism industry is one of the creative industries that is experiencing both major opportunities and risks due to digitisation.

Backgrounds:

English Literature & Creative Writing, Law & Contracting

Top Institutes & Institutions:

  • Columbia University School of the Arts (publishing, creative writing)
  • University of Oxford (publishing, writing)
  • UCL
  • Harvard University (publishing, journalism)

Possible Career Buildup:

In the digitisation age, it is important for people entering this industry to understand and use digital media platforms, and to explore other possible ways of telling stories, both fictions and non-fictions (for example, some journalism is taking place in interactive media including VR).

Video Games

Introduction of the industry:

The game industry is a rapidly growing sector that combines storytelling, visual artistry, and technology. It spans video games, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mobile gaming, catering to a global audience. The industry involves various disciplines, from game design and programming to sound engineering and marketing.

Backgrounds:

Game development requires expertise in areas such as computer science, digital art, animation, game design, sound production, and user experience (UX) design. Knowledge of game engines  and an understanding of player psychology are valuable skills for entering the industry.

Top Institutes & Institutions in London:

  • Goldsmiths, University of London
  • UCL
  • PlayStation London Studio
  • Rockstar North

Possible Career Buildup:

Possible job titles include game designer, programmer, concept artists, animator, sound designer, composer, marketing managers, user testing engineers etc.

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