The art market is a multifaceted ecosystem comprising artists, galleries, art fairs, collectors, and institutions. For educators teaching art history and art market studies, the challenge lies in making this intricate system both accessible and engaging for students—an endeavour that also presents significant opportunities. My perspective is rooted in teaching undergraduates about the art market since 2014, and in a concurrent professional journey working with artgenève from 2018 to 2024. At artgenève, I developed customized visits for the fair’s official sponsors and general public, providing tailored insights into the workings of the art fair. During this time, I also led the Meet the Artist Lecture and Podcast series (2018-2023), an educational initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world practice. By bringing artists into direct dialogue with students and a broader audience, this series fostered deeper engagement and understanding of the art market’s dynamics. These combined experiences have significantly enriched my teaching approach while offering invaluable insights into the logistics, purpose, and broader role of art fairs within the ecosystem. This presentation will explore how my dual roles as educator and practitioner have informed one another, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the art market’s structure, purpose, and value. I will focus on pedagogical strategies that bring the art market to life for students and on practical lessons drawn from engaging with art market stakeholders through tailored events, networking opportunities, and educational initiatives like Meet the Artist.

Keywords: Art market, Education, Pedagogy, Engagement, Networking, Art fairs, Active learning, Experiential learning, Lecture and Podcast Series.