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How to invest in art

How to invest in art: a course on the art market

How to invest in art: an online course in 20 short lessons with quizzes and a final certificate, on Unicorn Academy.

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Read the first lessons

  1. Why art is a different kind of investment

    A painting pays no dividends and has no daily price. It is worth what someone will pay for it on the day you sell. The rest of the time, all…

  2. Primary and secondary market

    A new work by a living artist usually leaves the studio through a gallery. This is the primary market. The gallery sets the price, chooses w…

  3. Auctions and the evening sale calendar

    Three houses set the public prices for the great masters: Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips. For 2025 Christie's reported global sales of $…

How to invest in art: 45 questions and answers ›

Course programme

Module 1 · The art market

  1. Why art is a different kind of investment
  2. Primary and secondary market
  3. Auctions and the evening sale calendar
  4. Galleries, fairs and private sales
  5. Blue-chip and market depth

Module 2 · Prices and costs

  1. Reading an auction result
  2. Buyer's premiums in 2026
  3. Guarantees and irrevocable bids
  4. What it costs to own a work
  5. Selling times and unsold lots

Module 3 · Before you buy

  1. Provenance
  2. Authenticity and the catalogue raisonné
  3. The condition report
  4. Databases and anti-money laundering checks
  5. What the data says about returns

Module 4 · Ways to invest

  1. Buying a work on your own
  2. Art funds
  3. Fractional art
  4. Club deals in art
  5. Unicorn Art Club, the club deal by artist

The first lessons of every course are available right away, with no sign-up. The final lessons and the certificate are unlocked with an in-app purchase, for a single course or for all courses together. An Apple or Google account is optional and only used to restore your progress on another device.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a course on how to invest in art?

Yes: "How to invest in art" has 20 lessons in 4 modules (The art market, Prices and costs, Before you buy, Ways to invest) and 60 check questions. It starts from the basic concepts and explains every term the first time it appears; the first 3 lessons can be read on the site: https://academy.unicorn-club.com/courses/art/

Can a beginner learn finance with an app?

Yes. The courses start from the basic concepts, explain every term when it first appears and end each lesson with three questions.

How long does a course take?

Each course has 20 lessons of a few minutes each: it can be completed in a few hours, at your own pace.

Which languages are the courses in?

Available in 16 languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Korean, Turkish, Indonesian, Arabic, Vietnamese and Polish.

Are the courses financial advice?

Unicorn Academy is education: it does not provide financial advice or invite you to buy financial instruments. Investing involves the risk of losing your capital.

Where can I download Unicorn Academy?

On Android from Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unicornprivate.academy (available since 25 October 2026). The iPhone version is in review on the App Store; the link https://academy.unicorn-club.com/download opens the right store for your phone.

How much does Unicorn Academy cost?

The first 15 lessons of every course can be studied without buying anything and without an account. Lessons 16 to 20 and the certificate of one course cost 99 $; the bundle with all courses, including future ones, costs 499 $. Prices in US dollars on Google Play on 25 October 2026; Google Play converts them into your local currency.

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