Education and Training

The ADDG is dedicated to educating both individuals and companies in the art market.  The high value of art and an increasingly complex trading environment means high risk.  We conduct training in three ways. You can commission a private session, online or in the classroom. Second, you can bring us in to train or lecture your group or organisation.  Third, you can attend one of our training events.  We put on bespoke events and are also invited to speak around the world on due diligence and best practice in art-related matters.  See below for some of our  past lectures and events.

Hamburg, February 2020

In a final event prior to the lockdown, Pandora Mather-Lees was invited as one of six expert speakers on the subject of art on superyachts in Germany. The German Superyacht Conference is organised by Martin Hager of the publication Boote Exclusiv and was held at the prestigious skyline conference centre of the Haven Hotel in Hamburg.

London, January 2020

Pandora Mather-Lees spoke at Superyacht Investor conference on a panel convened by Yacht Art Management to highlight considerations necessary with art on board yachts.

Monaco, September 2019

In September at the Monaco Yacht Show, both Daniel Taylor and Pandora Mather-Lees presented at a seminar for captains, crew and management in the Superyacht industry on risks with fine art on the move. Daniel spoke on reputation management in what is an extremely high-profile industry where reputations are very much on the line and privacy concerns paramount. Pandora moderated with a fictional case scenario also covering the new regulations concerning looted antiquities and cultural heritage objects crossing into EU borders following the introduction of Regulation (EU) 2019/880 where penalties will be imposed for improper due diligence on the importation of goods into the EU. Taylor Hampton Solicitors sponsored the event alongside other key industry figures who highlighted the need for due diligence in art transactions and movements involving superyachts. They included Arius an art technology and data company, Frankentek Yacht Security, Hedley’s Group logistics, Liberty Global Markets insurance and Simon Gillespie of Gillespie Conservation Studio.

London, November 2019

Pandora Mather-Lees presented at an art collectors’ business breakfast hosted by Lyon & Turnbull Auctioneers at the British Academy. The breakfast was convened for a viewing of the latest sale and included speakers on various subjects in buying and selling of artworks and logistics in international trade. Pandora discussed the hazards of taking art onto superyachts.

Antwerp, October 2019

ADDG member Pandora Mather-Lees presented two workshops at the IFASIC global art insurance conference in Antwerp in October to educate the insurance industry on the risks with insuring high value objects in international waters. The event was focused on Fine Art & Specie insurers, underwriters, brokers and adjusters and applies too, to the Hull & Marine Insurance industry.

London, July 2019

This Summer in July ADDG Founder Member Daniel Taylor spoke on reputation management in the art world showing case studies from artists, intermediaries and dealers. This included a case handled by Taylor Hampton concerning art historian and writer Sarah Thornton who was defamed by a critic of her book. The lecture formed a dual presentation in conjunction with Peter Massey-Cook of Compliance Compass who spoke about Professional ethics, speak up programmes and the impact of ethical failure as it applies to the art business world. The presentation was given as part of Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s Art Crime Summer Study Programme during which delegates meet four days a week mornings and afternoons, to examine a subject close to the ADDG’s heat, the unique topic of art-related crime in its various forms and its implications for the international art market.

Athens, June 2019

Pandora Mather-Lees presented a lecture on the risk with art on superyachts in Athens. Hosted by Quaynote Conferences, the East Mediterranean Superyacht Conference explores aspects of superyachts operating in and around the Eastern Med and includes delegates from brokers, charterers, marinas, the many professions supporting the industry and of course captains and senior crew members.

London, April 2019

Malcolm Taylor and Jessica Franses were delighted to give training to the Art Law and Business MA Students at Christies on art due diligence.
The course covered the five core areas for due diligence on artworks, latest relevant cases, due diligence on parties to a transaction, due diligence in transactions, contractual law points, legal remedies with a particular focus on the need for ADR and mediation in art disputes and key market developments

Vancouver, April 19

Pandora was invited to Vancouver in April by a Family Office to provide training for a new investment in an art technology start up.

The training comprised the full two day programme and has enabled the team to understand the characteristics of art world, art history as a discipline and the importance of art in society. Training a company in its entirety is a challenge but a retreat is important to bring staff together and refresh and inspire them when they return to the workplace.

Monaco, April 19

Pandora Mather-Lees gave training on conservation and maintaining art on yachts and on 9th April 2019 in Monaco at The Yacht Club – Pandora Mather-Lees and Daniel Taylor of Taylor Hampton Solicitors gave presentations and at a discussion group held at the prestigious Yacht Club de Monaco. Talks were held on risks with fine art including CITES, National Treasure Laws, Art Restoration, Conservation and data, Logistics and Security. Taylor Hampton was speaker sponsor on the importance of confidentiality clauses in yacht management contracts and reputational management risks. The event was organised with ACREW professional yachting organisation and was an INSIGHTS event for family offices, yacht mangers, crew and captains as well as local Monegasque bankers handling clients with art portfolios.

London, March 19

James Petts of The 36 Group gave a presentation at The Fraud Lawyers' Association on the topic of art fraud and agents, addressing the unusual features of the art market (such as the secrecy that often attends the sale and purchase of works of art) that make transactions involving art vulnerable to fraud by agents, as well as the different kinds of agency relationships that often arise. The presentation dealt with some notable cases, both in the U. K. and overseas, in which agents in art transactions had defrauded their principals, the relevant legal principles applied by the courts, and the importance of careful pre-transaction due diligence in minimising the risk of such fraud in the first place. Francis Eastaugh of Art Analysis & Research spoke on the topic of using scientific methods to prevent and detect forgery in art, referring to some notable cases in which their work had been instrumental in unearthing a major art forgery network.

London, January 2019

Superyacht Investor is an annual conference for professionals in the superyacht industry hosted by Alasdair Whyte at the Landmark Hotel in London. This year, Pandora moderated a panel about fine art on superyachts along with industry professionals Karolina Blasiak, Tilman Kriesel and Helen Robertson. The panel explored the need for due diligence in handling fine art in terms of installation, placement, transport and climate control.

London, October 2019

Lizzie Lockard, Ambassador and Special projects for ARTIVE explains some of the key Title and Provenance research take home points that arose out of the case studies that were explored in the Masterclass on buying and selling art held on 16th October 2018 at PwC UK

London, October 2019

Family Office Art Masterclass hosted by PwC on Buying, Owning and Selling Fine Art, The Pitfalls and solutions. Our Team were proud to announce participation in an art due diligence masterclass being given to family offices, wealth advisers and fiduciaries alongside PwC’s Luxury Asset Advisory team at PwC UK. The event commenced with two scintillating presentations given by Art Recovery expert Christopher Marinello on Stolen and Looted Objects and the impact of Title claims and by forensic expert Francis Eastaugh on Fakes, forgery and authentication. The presentations were followed by two interactive panel discussions with ADDG and PwC specialists covering two different case scenarios, one where a family office principal is arranging the sale of fine art for their client and the other where a wealth advisor is looking to acquire a new art portfolio for a client new to the art market.

London, June 2018

Art Forensics specialist Francis Eastaugh was delighted to present to Christie’s Education summer business course students about forensic examination of artworks, art authentication and due diligence. The course aimed to raise awareness for budding art collectors and art professionals about the value and importance of effective due diligence in today’s art market. The following topics were covered: the key areas of object related risk, what good due diligence looks like, how scientific investigations can impact understanding of pricing, case studies on detecting forgeries, protecting the value of good works and the challenges of condition for modern artworks.

London, June 2018

“Science- Proof Forgery”– Dr Nick Eastaugh’s talk on science advances to deal with fraud

AAR’s Dr Nicholas Eastaugh gave a talk on 26th June at 6.00pm at the Freemason’s Hall on the “Science-Proof Forgery”. This talk examined how modern-day forgers are using technical methods to try to disguise their forgeries and make them science proof. Eastaugh considered modern case examples where some forgers are using historically appropriate pigments, obscure historical materials and are incorporating ageing features that are difficult for forgers to replicate, all designed to trick scientists and experts. Eastaugh examined whether it is becoming harder to detect these highly sophisticated fakes and the scientific strategies and methods that can be employed to stay ahead of the forgers.

London, April 2018

LECTURE ART LOGISTICS DUE DILIGENCE: Case studies including the Luxury Yacht Environment:

Pandora Mather-Lees was delighted to conduct a morning’s seminar for Masters students on Sotheby’s Institute MA in Art Business, Artworld Logistics and Operations Unit. This was the final lecture of the programme attended by 22 students who were taken through various aspects and pitfalls of logistics. The topic was centred around best practice in moving and caring for valuable paintings and design objects on Superyachts. Pandora recently convened a symposium with the National Maritime Museum on the Protection of Art at Sea and many of the hazards were shared for the first time with the students who have to study the important aspects of logistics and how it underpins the art world. Logistics is an area which is so critical to the art world, where participants get to see what is moving where, what is selling and to work with objects first hand. Few realise the importance of certain issues such as being alert to confidentiality, constant changes in cross-border regulation, potential theft and consignment fraud, plus the need to provide continuity in aspects of condition so as to avoid liability. This facet of art trading and its hazards from attempting to move objects bearing endangered species – materials such as ivory, crocodile and rosewood – to seizures of masterpieces from superyachts worth millions. Many of the problems can be avoided through training and education; simply making those with the burden of handling the objects, aware of what can go wrong.

London, 30th April

Art Due Diligence Training - Risks, & Legal Obligations for Art Market Professionals at Christie's Education

Jessica Franses was delighted to provide a training seminar for the Art, Law and Business Masters’ students at Christie’s Education on due diligence, risks and legal obligations. The course was designed to go through the three key stages of due diligence, to show the different types of potential legal disputes that can arise following missed steps within the due diligence process, to highlight the red flags that can arise and the legal duties and obligations that an art professional should be aware of at each stage.

Greenwich, January 2018

Protection of Art at Sea Symposium. Art on Superyachts was postponed due to snow and happened on 2nd May 2018 at the National Maritime Museum.

In January 2018 Pandora Mather-Lees (ADDG’s art consultant) launched a training symposium for Art at Sea: Protection of Art and Superyachts. The symposium involves various experts across the industry on the practical care of art, from conservation, design and logistics to legal and insurance issues. It will now take place on 2nd May 2018 at the National Maritime Museum. MORE INFORMATION

London, November 2017

36 Group Civil and the ADDG jointly hosted an expert panel discussion on risks and solutions for managing high value art for private clients.

The training involved a consideration of two case studies that probed various common risks associated with high value art. Expert participants from the ADDG included Francis Eastaugh of Art Analysis and Research, Daniel Taylor of Taylor Hampton solicitors on defamation and reputation issues and 36 Art’s Simon Harding and James Petts on art law, wills and probate and property law issues. Several different experts in Tax, Insurance, Valuations, Shipping, Customs, Art Conservation and Auction practice contributed to the panel discussion.

London, September 2017

The ADDG held its first Roundtable discussion on art security and logistics in moving art across international borders.

The Roundtable was attended by leading service providers across the arts sector who assist art collector and art dealer clients with logistics and security issues. Our event was led by our ADDG security expert at Virtus Risk Management, Frank Morey and Ian Hall, chaired by Malcolm Taylor (our arts mediation specialist) and organised by Jessica Franses of Vitruvian Arts Consultancy Ltd and Pandora Mather-Lees of PML art consulting Ltd. 36 Art of The 36 Group hosted the event. We have published our first market intelligence report on security and logistics. To read more about this and see an excerpt, please go to our Reports section on our Publications and Resources page.