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Showing posts with label ARCA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARCA. Show all posts

January 10, 2026

Saturday, January 10, 2026 - ,,,,, No comments

Interview with Ibrahim Bulut, Senior Security Consultant and Museum Security Expert.

As part of ARCA’s ongoing effort to give prospective participants a deeper look behind the scenes of our Postgraduate Certificate Program in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection, Edgar Tijhuis* speaks with our faculty members about their work, their motivations, and the unique learning environment we create each summer in Italy.

This series aims to offer future participants a personal glimpse into the people who teach with ARCA, the community around it, and what to expect in the coming year.

To begin, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thank you, Edgar. My name is Ibrahim Bulut, and I work as a Senior Security Consultant and Museum Security Expert. For more than two decades I have been involved in protecting museums and cultural institutions, increasingly focusing on how we can make security both effective and human‑centered.

I did not start in art crime directly. My early career in security began in large, complex environments, including retail and public spaces, where I learned how people actually move, behave, and sometimes try to bypass systems. Over time I became more and more drawn to cultural heritage: objects and places that carry stories, identity, and memory. When you see how devastating a single theft, act of vandalism, or fire can be—not just financially but emotionally for a community—it is difficult to walk away from that responsibility.

My involvement with ARCA grew out of that commitment. I was invited to contribute my practical experience in museum security to ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Program, where I now teach on museum safety and security and on how to design security as an integral part of a site, rather than an afterthought. For me, ARCA is a place where practice, policy, and research genuinely meet.

You have been part of ARCA’s community for some time. Have you attended the annual Amelia Art Crime Conference or previous summer programmes? 

Yes, I have been part of ARCA’s community for several years, both through teaching and by participating in the Amelia Art Crime Conference. Coming to Amelia is always a special moment: you arrive in a small Umbrian town, but for a weekend it becomes a global hub for art crime and cultural heritage protection.

One of my memorable moments was a panel where practitioners and researchers openly discussed the tension between reactive and proactive security. We spoke very frankly about what went wrong in real cases—where alarms were ignored, where procedures were unclear, where technology was installed but not understood. That honesty is rare. For future participants, I would say: expect a community where people are willing to share not only their successes, but also their mistakes, so that others do not have to repeat them.

From your perspective, what makes ARCA’s Program truly unique and valuable?

From my perspective, ARCA’s program is unique because it combines three elements that rarely come together in one place: depth, diversity, and community.

First, the depth: the program is intensive and focused. Participants do not just receive an overview of art crime; they live with the topic for an entire summer, engaging with specialists from law, criminology, security, provenance research, and museum practice. Second, the diversity of the cohort is remarkable—participants come from police forces, museums, academia, NGOs, insurance, and the art market. This means every discussion is multi‑layered.

Finally, there is a genuine sense of community. Because the program is residential and located in a small town, people really get to know each other. That network is what many alumni continue to rely on years later when they face a new case, a suspicious acquisition, or a difficult security decision in their own institution.

How does the location in Italy — surrounded by centuries of cultural heritage — enhance the learning experience for participants?

Italy is not just a beautiful backdrop; it is a silent co‑teacher in the program. You are surrounded by layers of history—from Roman remains and medieval walls to Renaissance churches and museums packed with objects that have been looted, restituted, stolen, and recovered over centuries.

For participants, this environment makes our discussions very tangible. When we talk about balancing access and protection, you can walk outside and see that tension in real time: open piazzas, crowded churches, small local museums with world‑class works. It also allows us to discuss not only spectacular crimes, but also everyday vulnerabilities—unlocked side doors, poorly documented collections, or underfunded regional institutions.

Being in Italy, with its strong Carabinieri heritage unit and long experience in fighting art crime, also reminds participants that cultural heritage protection is not an abstract debate; it is part of national identity and public policy.

Are there particular site visits or practical elements during your course that you find especially valuable?

In my own course, I find two types of practical elements particularly valuable.

The first are structured site walks and risk assessments. We visit heritage sites or use case‑study layouts and ask participants to look with a security practitioner’s eye: Where would you enter if you were a thief? Which barriers are real and which are only symbolic? Where does technology help, and where does it create a false sense of safety? This exercise often changes how people see buildings they thought they already knew.

The second are exercises based on the barrier model for art crime prevention: mapping all the steps a criminal needs to take—from planning and reconnaissance, to access, to extraction, to monetization—and then systematically identifying where we can raise barriers. For many participants, this model becomes a very practical tool they can later use in their own institutions.

As we look toward the 2026 program, which developments or emerging issues in the field of art crime do you consider particularly important, and how will these be reflected in your course?

Looking toward 2026, I see several developments that are particularly important for our field.

First, we are witnessing more targeted and sometimes very bold attacks on high‑value, compact objects such as jewellery and small masterpieces. Recent incidents, including high‑profile museum jewel thefts, have shown how quickly and professionally some of these operations are executed. Second, the line between physical and digital risk is fading: access control, CCTV, and collection databases are increasingly interconnected, which creates new opportunities but also new vulnerabilities.

In my course, we will address these issues in three ways. We will look at recent cases and deconstruct how they happened and what could realistically have been done differently. We will work with scenarios around insider threats and contractor access, which are often underestimated. And we will discuss how emerging technologies—analytics, AI‑assisted monitoring, mobile credentials—can support security without creating an illusion of total control.

What key skills, perspectives, or tools do you hope participants will gain from your course? In what ways can they apply these insights in their professional or academic paths?

I hope that participants leave the course with three main things: a structured way of thinking about risk, a concrete set of tools, and greater confidence in their own voice.

In practical terms, they should be able to conduct or support a basic security risk assessment for a museum or heritage site, translate that into layered measures, and communicate the priorities clearly to management, insurers, and technical partners. They will also be exposed to practical instruments such as barrier models, incident debrief templates, and simple checklists for projects involving construction, temporary exhibitions, or loans.

Equally important is perspective: I want participants to see that good security is not about turning museums into fortresses. It is about enabling safe access—protecting people, collections, and reputation in a way that still feels welcoming and respectful of the site’s character.

If someone is considering applying to ARCA’s 2026 program, what advice would you give them? And why do you think now is a meaningful moment to engage with this field?

My advice would be: if you feel a real curiosity about how art, law, crime, and security intersect, do not wait. This field benefits greatly from people who are willing to cross boundaries between disciplines and professions.

You do not need to arrive as a security expert or a seasoned investigator. ARCA’s program is designed to bring together different strengths—some participants know collections and archives very well; others come from policing, law, or risk management. What matters most is a willingness to engage critically and to question easy narratives about art crime.

Now is a particularly meaningful moment to enter this field. We see renewed geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts, climate‑related disasters, and an art market that remains vulnerable to money laundering and fraud. At the same time, there is growing public awareness and political interest in protecting cultural heritage. People who can connect these dots—between security practice, ethics, and cultural value—will be badly needed in the years ahead....



About Ibrahim Bulut

Ibrahim Bulut is a Senior Security Consultant and Museum Security Expert based in Belgium. He has more than twenty years of experience in the security field, with a particular focus on museums and cultural heritage institutions. Over the course of his career, he has worked with a wide range of museums, historic sites, and public authorities on topics such as access control, incident prevention, emergency planning, and the design of secure yet welcoming visitor environments.

In addition to his consulting and training work, Ibrahim frequently collaborates with heritage agencies, research networks, and professional associations on the prevention of art crime and the development of barrier models for theft and vandalism. He is regularly invited to speak at international conferences and in the media on museum security, including recent discussions around high‑profile museum jewel thefts and the protection of historic sites. At ARCA, he teaches on museum safety and security within the Postgraduate Certificate Program in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection.


* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming. To apply for the 2026 programmes, request a prospectus via the email below or contact Edgar Tijhuis for other questions.

📌 ARCA Postgraduate Certificate Programmes (Italy | Summer 2026)

• Post Lauream I (22 May – 23 June 2026): PG Cert in Art & Antiquities Crime

• Post Lauream II (26 June – 26 July 2026): PG Cert in Provenance, Acquisition & Interpretation of Cultural Property

➡️ Take one track—or combine both in a single summer.




January 5, 2026

Monday, January 05, 2026 - ,,,,,, No comments

Interview with Marcel Marée - Egyptologist and curator in the Department of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum

As part of ARCA’s ongoing effort to give prospective participants a deeper look behind the scenes of our Postgraduate Certificate Program in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection, Edgar Tijhuis* speaks with our faculty members about their work, their motivations, and the learning environment we create each summer in Italy.

This series aims to offer future participants a personal glimpse into the people who teach with ARCA, the community around it, and what to expect in the coming year.

To begin, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am an Egyptologist and curator in the Department of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum. Through my curatorial work and easy access to sale catalogues, I began to notice recurring problems on the art market: artefacts with dubious histories, questionable practices by sellers, and a striking lack of transparency. As I researched further, it became clear that a significant number of antiquities in circulation can be traced back to recent looting events and are being laundered through false or misleading provenances.

In response, I founded the Circulating Artefacts (CircArt) project in 2018, which I have led ever since. The project applies rigorous provenance research to the trade in cultural heritage, with the dual aim of facilitating the recovery of illegally sourced artefacts and preserving the historical information that so often is lost through plunder and trafficking. The project is currently transitioning into an independent organisation under a new name, to be formally announced next year.

I regularly provide research, expertise, and training to heritage professionals and relevant authorities across Europe, North America, and MENA countries. I work closely with the Border Security and Management Unit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and am a founding member of its Heritage Crime Task Force, which responds to requests for investigative assistance from member and partner countries.

I take a strong interest in the role subject specialists can play in the fight against heritage crime. Early on, I became aware of ARCA’s pioneering efforts to build bridges among all parties in this endeavour – from prosecutors and law enforcement officers to archaeologists and representatives of the trade. I strongly support ARCA’s work, and our collaborations continue to develop and bear fruit.

You have been part of ARCA’s community for some time. Have you attended the annual Amelia Art Crime Conference or previous programmes? And do you have one memorable moment or insight you would like to share with future participants?

I have been actively involved with ARCA’s programmes since 2018, contributing courses and supervising several Capstone theses. One of the most striking aspects of the programme is the students’ exceptional motivation and intellectual engagement, which consistently elevates the quality and depth of the discussions. Their commitment plays a crucial role in shaping a vibrant and supportive ARCA community that extends well beyond the classroom.

What particularly distinguishes the programme is the diversity of participants’ professional and academic backgrounds. This creates a uniquely productive forum for constructive dialogue and meaningful skill-sharing, bringing together perspectives from heritage professionals, law enforcement, researchers, legal experts, and others working in relevant areas. This interdisciplinary exchange provides a solid foundation for developing the professional networks, shared knowledge, and practical infrastructure needed to effectively address the illicit trade in cultural property.

I have attended several of the annual Amelia Art Crime Conferences. They are intellectually stimulating and very motivational, offering a unique opportunity to engage with leading practitioners in the field, exchange ideas across sectors, and strengthen professional connections that often translate into lasting collaborations. People like us are thinly spread, so we rely on networking to maximise the impact of our work.

From your perspective, what makes ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Program truly unique and valuable?

ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Program is truly unique because it creates a sustained and structured framework for dialogue among professionals who rarely have the opportunity to learn with one another in such a focused area of interest. It brings together participants with widely divergent backgrounds and skill sets – archaeologists, law enforcement officers, legal scholars, forensic analysts, museum professionals, and art market stakeholders. This encourages them to engage not only across disciplines, but across professional cultures.

This kind of interdisciplinary exchange is not merely beneficial; it is essential. The illicit trade in cultural property operates across jurisdictions, sectors, and legal systems, and no single profession can address it effectively in isolation. ARCA’s programme fosters the shared vocabulary, mutual understanding, expertise, and trust required for meaningful collaboration, helping participants to better understand each other’s constraints, priorities, and modes of operation.

Equally important is the programme’s strong emphasis on practical skills and real-world case studies, which bridges the gap between theory and practice. By equipping participants with both conceptual tools and applied methodologies, ARCA contributes directly to improving the effectiveness of investigations, prosecutions, and preventative measures. In this sense, the programme does not simply educate individuals; it helps build the collaborative infrastructure that is indispensable for countering the illegal trade in art and antiquities. Enhanced communication and collaboration between all relevant parties is essential to achieve a higher success rate in counteracting the trade in stolen art and artefacts.

How does the location in Italy — surrounded by centuries of cultural heritage — enhance the learning experience for participants?

I have no doubt that the setting deepens the participants’ sense of inspiration and cultural awareness. That said, cultural heritage is everywhere, and the issues ARCA addresses are by no means confined to Italy.

What the location does offer is a tangible reminder of the long temporal depth and fragility of cultural heritage, and of the cumulative and irreversible impact that poor management and loss can have over time. Being immersed in a place where archaeology, architecture, archives, and living communities intersect will sharpen the participants’ awareness of what is at stake whenever cultural objects, or parts thereof, are removed from their contexts and enter illicit or poorly regulated markets.

In this sense, the Italian setting functions less as a backdrop and more as a quiet point of reference, reinforcing the programme’s core themes without overshadowing its global scope or analytical focus.

Are there particular site visits or practical elements during your course that you find especially valuable?

From my perspective as a speaker, what I find most valuable is the amount of time the programme allocates not only for the presentation of teaching materials in appropriate depth, but also for sustained discussion. This allows complex issues to be unpacked carefully, including the methodological ramifications of provenance research, the practical limits of what subject specialists can and cannot establish from the available evidence, and the ways in which their findings can be brought to bear on police action.

The extended format encourages detailed question-and-answer exchanges, in which finer points can be explored interactively rather than addressed superficially. These discussions often prompt critical reflection, challenge assumptions, and invite participants to contribute perspectives drawn from their own professional experience. For me, this combination of in-depth teaching and engaged dialogue is where much of the programme’s practical value lies.

As we look toward the 2026 program, which developments or emerging issues in the field of art crime do you consider particularly important, and how will these be reflected in your course?

One of the most alarming developments in the field is the growing use of digital technologies to fabricate or manipulate provenance documentation. These tools have significantly lowered the barrier to producing seemingly convincing ownership histories, making traditional forms of due diligence increasingly vulnerable to deception.

This development makes greater involvement of subject specialists – archaeologists, art historians – more pressing than ever. I see an increasing urgency to move beyond heavy reliance on circumstantial and document-based evidence and to strengthen analytical approaches based on evidence contained in the objects themselves. Stylistic and technical features, epigraphic and philological clues, iconography, material characteristics, the presence of dirt, wear, or alterations – all of these, and more, can provide trained specialists with robust indicators of recent illicit excavation at identifiable looting hotspots. Besides, objects should never be studied in isolation. It is vitally important to assess whether they form part of a broader pattern of material observable on the market.

In my course, I stress the need for methodological rigour in provenance research. Participants learn how experts can critically assess documentation, recognise the limits of paper trails, and understand how object-based analysis can provide concrete, defensible findings to help support investigations and enable law-enforcement action. This equips participants to identify old and new forms of deception in the antiquities trade. I will also argue that we need to expand and coordinate capacity to provide police with actionable specialist knowledge, often on short notice as objects are being detained for potential seizure. A new opportunity has arisen to build and harness this capacity sustainably, and this will be addressed in the course.

I will also remind participants that provenance research serves not only to support law enforcement in the recovery of objects, but also to safeguard associated historical data at risk of permanent loss. When specialists share knowledge without adequate reciprocity from the relevant authorities, valuable information is often lost unnecessarily – for example, data concerning other artefacts linked to the same suspect and thus potentially originating from the same archaeological locale. Failure to share information in both directions erases history, discourages specialist engagement, and undermines investigative opportunities. I have encountered multiple examples of this neglect.

The insistence of subject specialists on contextual knowledge may seem excessive, but law enforcement officers must understand that this information substantially enhances the evidentiary, historical, and cultural value of recovered artefacts – and that its loss is an avoidable calamity. Too often, police take for granted the support they receive from specialists, without acknowledging their own responsibility to help preserve clues about the contexts from which objects have been removed. This includes information about supply routes and other artefacts handled by the same actors. It is entirely understandable that professionals from different backgrounds may be blind to each other’s priorities, but this is precisely why sustained and thoughtful communication between these parties is so essential.

Last but not least, my course will demonstrate that enhanced scrutiny of the trade by subject specialists can help foster good practice in the market. When carefully managed, a public service for robust provenance research can establish a new benchmark for ethical trade, promoting higher standards of due diligence among sellers and buyers, and discouraging the circulation of illegally sourced objects. Proactive monitoring by specialists is crucial for ensuring accountability, benefiting all honest actors. Sellers and buyers can reduce their exposure to financial, reputational, and legal risks if they are willing to seek expert feedback in a transparent and auditable manner. To achieve this, we must improve the conditions that make such engagement possible.

What key skills, perspectives, or tools do you hope participants will gain from your course? In what ways can they apply these insights in their professional or academic paths?

The key aim is for subject specialists to recognise the vital role they must play in protecting cultural heritage from criminal exploitation. My course draws attention to a wide range of underused and overlooked methods and tools at their disposal. Academia remains a largely untapped resource in criminal investigations, yet specialists can make a crucial difference by providing law enforcement with reliable intelligence, based on thorough provenance research that only they are equipped to conduct.

The time when experts could conveniently distance themselves from the art market and its practices is over. For those who claim to be heritage professionals, turning a blind eye to heritage destruction is no longer an option. To suggest that this responsibility falls outside their daily duties or institutional remit is hardly justifiable. This sense of disconnect – or outright indifference – remains depressingly common, even in museums, the very institutions entrusted with safeguarding heritage. Such distancing not only fails to protect the past but also enables ongoing losses.

Through my course, participants gain not only the technical skills and analytical tools to assess an object’s archaeological origin and ownership history, but also the perspective and professional confidence to apply these tools responsibly. They learn how to turn their research into usable intelligence for law enforcement, inform prosecutions, and strengthen heritage protection, ensuring that their work has tangible impact both academically and in the real world.

If someone is considering applying to ARCA’s 2026 program, what advice would you give them? And why do you think now is a meaningful moment to engage with this field?

My advice to anyone considering participation in ARCA’s 2026 program is to be prepared to engage fully, not just with the material but with the ethical and practical dilemmas and challenges of protecting cultural heritage. Be ready to learn from experts across disciplines, to question assumptions, and to develop the skills and perspectives that will allow you to make a tangible difference in this field.

Now is a particularly critical moment to engage with the scourge of heritage crime. Around the world, cultural heritage is being destroyed and sold off on an unprecedented scale. There is a pressing need for more people to organise and tackle this problem effectively. The challenges are evolving, as new technologies make illicit practices increasingly sophisticated. Yet the tools, methodologies, and collaborative frameworks available to confront heritage crime are now also more robust than ever. There has never been a more suitable time for well-intentioned specialists to apply their expertise responsibly and make a real-world impact. And ARCA’s program provides the ideal foundation for those seeking to build a career in this field.

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* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming. To apply for the 2026 programmes, request a prospectus via the email below or contact Edgar Tijhuis for other questions.

📌 ARCA Postgraduate Certificate Programmes (Italy | Summer 2026)

• Post Lauream I (22 May – 23 June 2026): PG Cert in Art & Antiquities Crime

• Post Lauream II (26 June – 26 July 2026): PG Cert in Provenance, Acquisition & Interpretation of Cultural Property

➡️ Take one track—or combine both in a single summer.



December 30, 2025

Tuesday, December 30, 2025 - ,,,,, No comments

Meet Our Alumni: ARCA PG Cert Spotlight Series — Aubrey Catrone, Provenance Researcher and ARCA Alumna

Welcome to ARCA’s PG Cert Alumni Spotlight Series, a collection of in-depth Q&A interviews conducted by Edgar Tijhuis*, highlighting the professional journeys, achievements, and ongoing contributions of graduates from ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programs in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection. Through these conversations, we aim to showcase the diverse paths our alumni have taken—across academia, law enforcement, museums, research, policy, and the cultural heritage sector—and to share the insights, motivations, and experiences that continue to shape their work in safeguarding the world’s shared artistic legacy. 

What motivated you to enroll in ARCA’s Postgraduate Program?

From a young age, I was very passionate about art history and history in general. I believed, and continue to believe, that every work of art has a story to tell. And that story is rooted in an object’s unique history.

As an undergraduate, I really had no idea how to turn this passion into a career. That is until the field of provenance research captured my attention - the perfect avenue through which to marry my interests. And it was the discovery of the ARCA post graduate program that I knew would help me turn my passion into professional practicality.

Can you describe a moment in the program that had a lasting impact on you—personally or professionally?

When my class visited the Etruscan necropolis of Cerveteri, we saw evidence of looted tombs and pottery fragments strewn across the forest floor. This gave a chilling context to the laundering of art objects that have been ripped from their original locations and later emerge on the fine art market. And, it reinforced my passion for ensuring that art objects traverse the art market with a correct and complete biography.

What was your favorite course or topic, and why did it stand out?

While not a course when I originally took the course in 2015, but Marc Masurovsky’s provenance course has become a favorite of mine. Marc’s experience in the field is unparalleled. And, he fosters lively discussions where students can explore the intricacies of issues that are often reduced to a bulleted list of names.

How did the international nature of the program influence your learning experience?

The international nature of the program exposes students to a myriad of professional and cultural backgrounds. From those who have managed cultural heritage sites to law enforcement to auction house representatives, ARCA undermines the “victimless” crime narrative, exposing students to the myriad perspectives and long-lasting effects of art and cultural heritage crime.

Did the program change or shape your career path? 

Absolutely! I entered the ARCA Program seeking to better understand how I could enter the world of provenance research. During the program, I was exposed to foundational knowledge that I continue to use in my day-to-day practice. ARCA also introduced me to a community of professionals that helped shape my career path after the program. For example, I found volunteer and internship opportunities through the ARCA networking community. I am also still close with many of my classmates, even working with some on a regular basis, over ten years later.

What was it like to live and study in Amelia, Italy?

Given the location and size of the town, Amelia offered the perfect environment to live and breathe art crime while also fully immersing myself in a traditional Italian lifestyle.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the 2026 programs?

In my opinion, ARCA is the most practical post-graduate program focusing on art crime and cultural heritage protection available. All classes are taught by experience professionals with real-life experience in their course topics. For example, students learn how to identify and investigate red flags in provenance entries from experts who have worked on actual restitution and repatriation cases.

My advice here is to use this exposure to your advantage. The professors are in Amelia to share their knowledge and help train professionals who will advance ARCA’s missions. So - questions, network, and absorb what you can.

How has your understanding of art crime evolved since completing the program?

ARCA helped build the foundations of my understanding of art crime beyond the most well-known sensational cases or films. This is not entirely a world of smash and grab antics like most recently exhibited at the Louvre. In many cases that I work on, we are dealing with questions of fraud, misrepresentation, or lack of documentation. These are often crimes of opportunity that happen at all levels of the art market.

In one sentence: why should someone join ARCA's program?

ARCA welcomes attendees to a community that extends beyond the historic walls of Amelia in its pursuit to advance art crime and cultural heritage protection literacy.


About Aubrey Catrone

Aubrey Catrone is an art historian, appraiser, and provenance researcher. Aubrey earned an MA in the History of Art from University College London, specializing in the documented histories of art objects. With an art gallery and academic research background, Catrone founded Proper Provenance, LLC to provide her clients with the tools, not only to historically contextualize art, but also to shed light on attribution and legal title within the international art market. She is an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America with a specialization in Impressionist & Modern Art.

Catrone has researched artworks including paintings, works on paper, prints, and sculptures spanning Old Masters to Ultra Contemporary. She has appeared as a guest expert on the History Channel and published her scholarship in a variety of publications including RICS Journals and the Journal of Art Crime.

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* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programs. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming.

📌 ARCA Postgraduate Certificate Programmes (Italy | Summer 2026)

• Post Lauream I (22 May – 23 June 2026): PG Cert in Art & Antiquities Crime

• Post Lauream II (26 June – 26 July 2026): PG Cert in Provenance, Acquisition & Interpretation of Cultural Property

➡️ Take one track—or combine both in a single summer.




December 28, 2025

Sunday, December 28, 2025 - ,,,,,, No comments

Interview with Professor Saskia Hufnagel: Cultural Heritage Law, Art Crime, and the ARCA Experience

As part of ARCA’s ongoing effort to give prospective participants a deeper look behind the scenes of our Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection, Edgar Tijhuis* speaks with our faculty members about their work, their motivations, and the unique learning environment we create each summer in Italy.

This series aims to offer future participants a personal glimpse into the people who teach with ARCA, the community around it, and what to expect in the coming year.

ARCA professor Saskia Hufnagel
Saskia Hufnagel
To begin, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I started off as a German Criminal Lawyer in a little town close to the Dutch border and had nothing to do with art at all. In my practice I got very interested in cross-border crime and law enforcement dealing with it and was very lucky to receive a scholarship funded jointly by the European Commission and the Australian National University to pursue a PhD in the area of international law enforcement cooperation. 

After my PhD I spent some time as a researcher in Queensland and one of my PhD examiners who had regularly participated in ARCA events, Prof Duncan Chappell, encouraged me to write with him on the Beltracci case.
That was my first time at ARCA in 2011 and I loved both the research and the people very much. So much so, that I decided to combine my research areas of policing and transnational crime with art and antiquities and to establish myself in this new research field. 

I then moved to Queen Mary University of London to teach criminal law, policing and comparative criminal justice, but kept working with Prof Duncan Chappell. In 2016 we were awarded an AHRC Network Grant and started bringing people together who worked on art crime all over the world, including many from the ARCA community. In 2023 I was offered a Professorship in Australia and am now teaching and researching at the University of Sydney Law School. I am still fascinated by art crime and am researching and writing on it, in particular on art and money laundering. 

In 2024 Lynda Albertson and Edgar Tijhuis asked me to teach on the ARCA programme and I was absolutely delighted to do so. Teaching on the programme is a wonderful experience and for me the highlight of the year!

You have been part of ARCA’s community for some time. Have attended the annual Amelia Art Crime Conference? 

In the past 14 years, I have only missed two ARCA conferences and the time in Amelia each year is extremely important for my research as it is inspiring and envigorating, creating new contacts with wonderful people in the field and bringing me up to date with the newest research. There are so many memorable moments from these conferences, but the first conference I attended was really the one that changed my career, inspired me to keep working in the field and initiated friendships that have lasted now for many years (though new ones can be added to the list each year!).

From your perspective, what makes ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Program truly unique and valuable?

There is no other program like ARCA. University programs will situate a course mainly within one discipline, so you rarely get the same variety of interdisciplinary knowledge taught within this program elsewhere. Also, ARCA has contacts to some of the most knowledgeable academics and practitioners in the field and brings them together from all around the world to teach the programme.

How does the location in Italy — surrounded by centuries of cultural heritage — enhance the learning experience for participants?

The vibe of the location is very conducive to learning about art and antiquity crime. You see the tomb raiders hang out around the Etruscan tombs that you will be visiting and the taught becomes real. The threat to culture and the importance of preserving it are felt as particularly pressing in this environment. The beauty of the nature and the quality of food and wine obviously also help to bring the student community together and make it an unforgettable experience.

Are there particular site visits or practical elements during your course that you find especially valuable?

My course is pretty dull as law is often not that exciting and I am teaching the law around cultural heritage and the basics of criminal law, property law and international law. I try to make up for the technicalities by using a fair amount of pictures in my slides and doing very interactive classes where students learn by asking questions and engaging with me rather than by having to listen to me droning on about the law. There will still be a bit of that, but I try to keep it as ‘fun’ as possible.

As we look toward the 2026 program, which developments or emerging issues in the field of art crime do you consider particularly important, and how will these be reflected in your course?

2025 was obviously dominated by the Louvre heist and there is a lot one can learn from this case in terms of criminal law, but also international law and policing. This is obviously just one case and many other events have marjorly impacted cultural property protection in recent years, such as the wars in Ukraine and other parts of the world, making us think about import and export bans and how to enforce them. We will use current examples to explain the law and think about the complexity of the law. How many criminal offence were, for example, committed during the Louvre heist?

What key skills, perspectives, or tools do you hope participants will gain from your course? In what ways can they apply these insights in their professional or academic paths?

The law around cultural heritage/property is important for all areas of art crime research. I hope that students get an understanding of the basics of the law surrounding it to be able to understand, for example, why some moral obligations might not be legal obligations and to see the legal restraints around restitution as well as civil and criminal trials more generally. An understanding of the law is important whether you are a police officer or a gallerist. It sets the parameters within which eiter can move and do business and should be of interest to everyone.

If someone is considering applying to ARCA’s 2026 program, what advice would you give them? And why do you think now is a meaningful moment to engage with this field?

Amelia is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study with a very diverse group of students, people you would otherwise never – or not very likely – meet in your life. Make friends, support each other studying, have fun, enjoy the wide variety of teachers and subjects and take home a great deal of knowledge and a new little family. Art and antiquities crime is a very important field of research but still not many people know about it. Your mission is to change this and get the knowledge you gain at ARCA out into the world. Make people care.



About Saskia Hufnagel

Dr Saskia Hufnagel is a Professor at the University of Sydney Law School. Her research focuses on art crime, transnational and comparative criminal justice and global law enforcement cooperation. Her particular interests are the detection, investigation and prosecution of art crimes in the UK, Germany and Australia from a comparative legal perspective and international and regional legal patterns of cross-border policing. Saskia is a qualified German legal professional and accredited specialist in criminal law. She holds an LL.B. from the University of Trier and an LL.M. as well as a PhD from the Australian National University. 

After completing her PhD she worked at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, Griffith University, Australia, and was a Leverhulme Fellow at the University of Leeds. Before joining the University of Sydney she worked for nine years at Queen Mary University of London, teaching ‘Criminal Law’, ‘Art, Business and Law’, ‘Policing’ and ‘Comparative Criminal Justice’. Her publications in the field of art crime include the “Palgrave Handbook of Art Crime” (S. Hufnagel and D. Chappell, eds.) (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019); ‘Anti-Money Laundering Regulation and the Art Market’ (with Colin King) (2020) 40(1) Legal Studies and many other edited collections, articles and book chapters.


* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certificate programmes. To apply for the 2026 programmes, request a prospectus via the email below or contact Edgar Tijhuis for other questions.

📌 ARCA Postgraduate Certificate Programmes (Italy | Summer 2026)

• Post Lauream I (22 May – 23 June 2026): PG Cert in Art & Antiquities Crime

• Post Lauream II (26 June – 26 July 2026): PG Cert in Provenance, Acquisition & Interpretation of Cultural Property

➡️ Take one track—or combine both in a single summer.



December 20, 2025

Saturday, December 20, 2025 - ,,,,,,, No comments

Meet our Alumni — ARCA PG Cert Spotlight Series: Sue Berryman

Welcome to ARCA’s PG Cert Alumni Spotlight Series, a collection of in-depth Q&A interviews conducted by Edgar Tijhuis*, highlighting the professional journeys, achievements, and ongoing contributions of graduates from ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection. Through these conversations, we aim to showcase the diverse paths our alumni have taken—across academia, law enforcement, museums, research, policy, and the cultural heritage sector—and to share the insights, motivations, and experiences that continue to shape their work in safeguarding the world’s shared artistic legacy. 


Sue Berryman ARCA Alumni
Sue Berryman
What motivated you to enroll in ARCA’s Program?

My husband collapsed and died in March 2018. I was 80 years old at the time, but I was still working a lot as a consultant to the World Bank where I had been employed before retiring. I decided that this was an optimum time to pivot. What did I want to do? Professionally I was an economist. But I loved to write, I loved art, and I loved detection and crime. So, I thought: “I’ll write art crime novels”--knowing nothing about art crime. I stumbled on the ARCA program by accident and saw that it would give me exactly the training that I needed.

Can you describe a moment in the program that had a lasting impact on you?

This is a hard question!! There were so many experiences that had a lasting impact. Modules of the program; faculty; my (much younger) and lovely fellow students; the superb CEO of ARCA, Lynda Albertson; Amelia itself.


Sue Berryman during ARCA's Museum Security course
Sue Berryman during the Museum Security Course
What was your favorite course or topic, and why did it stand out?

Again, a hard question! Several modules were standouts: the module on real-world art crime from the perspective of a retired Inspector of Scotland Yard's Art & Antiques Unit; the module on museum security with a real-world security “stealth” audit in Rome; the units on variations in and nuances of art law; art insurance; the courses on looting of art (including, but not exclusively, Nazi looting).

How did the international nature of the program influence your learning experience?

Art and art crime are inherently international. Looted items cross oceans and countries, for example. A faculty and fellow students from multiple countries not only fit the nature of art crime, but gave us multiple perspectives on the issues.

Were you able to use insights from your own career in the ARCA program?

Absolutely! I attended ARCA in 2019, and, of course, countries and then virtually the world shut down for two years because of COVID. During the US shutdown, although I was alone, I was never lonely. I wrote two art crime books and a few lengthy vignettes to be integrated into a third book. So much of my writing was based on what I had learned in the ARCA program. ARCA gave me the fuel to create and prosper, despite the shutdown.

What was it like to live and study in Amelia, Italy?

Absolutely fabulous, though HOT in the summer. The wonderful CEO of ARCA made sure that we knew of local festivals, such as a religious procession where the townspeople decorated the sidewalks, using flour, ground coffee, fresh flower petals, and small pieces of colored paper to create designs. The piece de resistance, however, was the Palio dei Colombi. This is not a horse race like Siena's, but a historic medieval festival (rievocazione storica) held annually, celebrating Amelia's patron saint, St. Fermina, featuring crossbow contests (Balestrieri), parades with flag-wavers, historical costumes, and friendly rivalry between Amelia's historic districts (Contrade) for the coveted 'Colombi' (Doves) banner. Authentic and incredible.

Can you share a memorable interaction you had with faculty, guest speakers, or fellow students?

Again, there were so many!

· The retired head of Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiquities squad had described in class the identification, arrest, and trial of a Brit who had smuggled numerous looted Egyptian antiquities into the UK, many coated in resin and painted to look like tourist trash. 

· Our professor for art insurance divided the class into teams and asked us to create an art insurance skit, using our new knowledge to settle the claim. Someone on my team got the brilliant idea of a conceptual piece of art displayed at a local museum: dust bunnies artfully arranged that the daily cleaner thought were ordinary dirt and vacuumed up. I was useless at my team’s presentation because I was laughing so hard.

· On a very hot day, we tumbled like puppies out of our classroom in the cloister of the Church of St. Francis Assisi, heading for our beloved gelato shop to buy gallons of cooling lemon sorbet made from lemons from Naples the size of grapefruit.

· During the Palio festival, we ate at pop up restaurants all over town and walked out on an outcropping of Amelia’s hill to absorb the views of the surrounding countryside with a full moon rising.

· Again, during the Palio festival, we watched the long procession of townspeople dressed in beautifully made medieval costumes walk solemnly down the main street to the beating of drums.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the 2026 session?

This is a serious and high quality program with excellent standards. You work hard—readings, class presentations (papers, skits), short papers, and a longer paper due about two months after the end of the program. But, as with everything in life, if you invest focus and time, you get so much back. And all of this occurs in an in an enchanting country and in an enchanting Umbrian hill town that dates to the Etruscans. The head of the program is incredible. Yes, she expects us to work, but she ensures that we have fun and take advantage of being in a splendid part of the world.

How has your understanding of art crime evolved since completing the program?

My understanding of art crime has shot past headline stories such as the latest Louvre heist. It is substantially more complex and nuanced. The art world is Janus-faced. We all know the face of sublime human artistic achievement on one side. But on the other side, it is a poxy tart. Greed, revenge, moral shortcuts, all disguised by the rarified atmosphere of great art and exclusive transactions in the art market.

In one sentence: why should someone join ARCA's program?

This was the most profound experience of my life. If you want to learn about complexities of art crime (endlessly fascinating) and want unforgettable memories, JUST GO! You will never, never regret it.


About Sue Berryman

Dr. Sue Berryman taught at the Harvard Business School, worked as a senior analyst at the RAND Corporation, directed the Institute on Education and the Economy at Columbia University, and worked with the technical team of the World Bank. In her last few years, she has been writing art crime novels based on the wealth of learning facilitated by the ARCA Program.


* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming.



December 14, 2025

Sunday, December 14, 2025 - ,,,, No comments

Meet our Alumni — ARCA PG Cert Spotlight Series: Nikki Georgopulos, curator and assistant professor

Welcome to ARCA’s PG Cert Alumni Spotlight Series, a collection of in-depth Q&A interviews conducted by Edgar Tijhuis*, highlighting the professional journeys, achievements, and ongoing contributions of graduates from ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection. Through these conversations, we aim to showcase the diverse paths our alumni have taken—across academia, law enforcement, museums, research, policy, and the cultural heritage sector—and to share the insights, motivations, and experiences that continue to shape their work in safeguarding the world’s shared artistic legacy.

Nikki Georgopulos
What motivated you to enroll in ARCA’s Postgraduate Program?

I had just finished my undergraduate degree in history, and knew that a PhD in art history was on the horizon, but I was eager for more hands-on, object-based research before launching into my formal graduate studies. 

I had participated in a provenance research training program, run by prof Marc Masurovsky, and was hungry for more. Marc directed me to ARCA, and the rest is history! 

As a second-generation Greek-American, I was particularly interested in researching the fate of archaeological sites and properties in Nazi-occupied Greece; while World War II-era looting and theft was, by that time, already well-trodden ground, I was surprised by how little research had focused on Greece. ARCA’s coursework and thesis structure provided the perfect opportunity to dig into that topic.

Can you describe a moment in the program that had a lasting impact on you—personally or professionally?

It’s a close tie, but I will never forget walking the empty halls of the Musei Capitolini in the museum security course. Aside from being a totally transcendent aesthetic experience, having Dirk Drent walk alongside us and help us to see things through his eyes entirely changed the way I move through museums as a curator and art historian. Honorable mention goes to the visit to Cerveteri with Stefano Alessandrini; that day came so close to making me change my whole life plan to join his dig! Alas, a girl can dream.

What was your favorite course or topic, and why did it stand out?

The course that has stayed with me most was Valerie Higgins’ class on antiquities and identity. Though my subfield now as an art historian is far from those materials, Valerie’s methods were instrumental in shaping how I now think about cultural heritage in any form and its relationship to identity and geopolitics.

Did the program change or shape your career path?

After ARCA, I earned my doctorate in art history and went on to be a curator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Though I’m now a professor, I still dabble in curatorial work and teach in curatorial studies. What struck me throughout all of my graduate work was how absent the questions of heritage, provenance, and law were from my courses and the broader discourse in academic art history. ARCA taught me to think about artworks as objects with long lives, rather than direct and immediate portals between the moment of their creation and ours, and how those stories shift the very meaning of the objects over time. Being attuned to these questions – to the lives of these objects and their inherence in broader economic, political, legal, and social histories – has shaped the kind of art history I practice, both in my research and in my teaching. I’ve still never seen these topics covered in any great depth outside of the program, though I try to do ARCA proud and fold them into my own courses!

What was it like to live and study in Amelia, Italy?

It was tremendous. I was living on a shoestring and the generosity of others, and it was one of the happiest moments of my life. Amelia is such a warm and welcoming place; it strikes me now that that is only the case because of the deep respect and sense of reciprocity that the ARCA staff and faculty have engendered there. I saw every member of the ARCA community treat the town and its inhabitants with incredible care; it’s a place we all came to love and treasure. I’ll never forget my special table at La Locanda!

Can you share a memorable interaction you had with faculty, guest speakers, or fellow students?

This gives me a chance to follow up on the time spent with Stefano in Cerveteri. His knowledge and energy were so inspiring. As a teacher now myself, looking back on that day in the beating sun, what strikes me was that he even though he had likely spent hundreds of days just like that one at that site, he was still passionate about sharing it with the students, and his excitement was contagious. He also took real time to talk to us individually, encouraging us to pursue our work with his same vim and fervor.

ARCA 2023 Nikki Georgopulos,
Gerald Fitzgerald
and Summer Collins
I also met one of my best friends through ARCA, and though we now live far apart, that summer will always be a shared memory for us. I was in her wedding, and my father refers to her as his “other daughter.” Looking back, one thing that strikes me about the group of people I went through the program with is how diverse and disparate all of our experiences were. I was 23, still a kid in many ways, and spending such intense time with such a wide variety of people from different walks and stages of life was a true gift. I still read an email written to me by one of my fellow students, the inimitable Gerald Fitzgerald, when I’m feeling lost or down, and I doubt I would have ever met him without ARCA. I went into ARCA knowing that it would shape my education and professional path; I could never have anticipated how much the relationships I formed there would mean to me, even over a decade later.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the 2026 session?

It’s the same advice I give to all my students: show up as yourself, and have the courage of your convictions. Saying “yes” to even uncertain things brings so much unexpected joy and wisdom into life. Just do it!

In one sentence: why should someone join ARCA's program?

ARCA is a singular program in its interdisciplinarity, bringing together teachers and students from across so many fields and walks of life; whatever you may think you’re going there to learn, you’ll be constantly surprised and challenged by what the program has to offer.
Plus: Massimo’s macchiato is still the best I’ve ever had!
 
About Nikki Georgopulos

Dr Nikki Georgopulos is an art historian, curator, and educator specialising in European art of the nineteenth century. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory at the University of British Columbia. She previously served as the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow in the Department of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. She received her PhD in Art History & Criticism from Stony Brook University in 2020, and has held positions at the Morgan Library & Museum, the International Foundation for Art Research, and the Corning Museum of Glass.

* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming.

December 8, 2025

Monday, December 08, 2025 - ,,,,, No comments

Interview with Stefano Alessandrini, Forensic Antiquities Analyst and ARCA Professor

By Edgar Tijhuis*

As part of ARCA’s ongoing effort to give prospective participants a deeper look behind the scenes of our Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection, Edgar Tijhuis* speaks with our faculty members about their work, their motivations, and the unique learning environment we create each summer in Italy.

This series aims to offer future participants a personal glimpse into the people who teach with ARCA, the community around it, and what to expect in the coming year.

To begin, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

My love for archaeology and the history of ancient art began a very long time ago. And I think it was a sign of destiny. You have to consider that I was born in Fano, the city where the bronze statue of the victorious athlete — looted and now at the Getty Museum — was found by our local fishermen. As a child I played with Roman amphorae found in the sea, some of which decorated the gardens belonging to friends of my father. When my family moved to Rome, I joined the youth group of the Gruppo Archeologico Romano, and one of our missions was the excavation and recovery of the necropolis of Cerveteri.

In Cerveteri I had my first encounter with the terrible phenomenon of clandestine excavations, and I decided that my future would be to fight to defend Italy’s cultural heritage. I remember that we would go into the tombs and steal the tomb robbers’ excavation tools! I continued like this throughout my life, defending my country, and I have had the honour of collaborating with the Ministry of Culture on many occasions.

Many years ago I met Noah Charney, who suggested that I join ARCA and organise specific visits to Cerveteri to teach about the trafficking of archaeological artefacts from the Banditaccia World Heritage Site. From that moment on, I combined my passion with that of ARCA's and now, together with Lynda Albertson (ARCA’s CEO), I also lead a course on open source intelligence, as well as serving as the docent to Cerveteri during ARCA's art law course. It is an extraordinary experience, because we can exchange knowledge at an international level with leading experts in this field.

How have you been involved in other excavations?

Before joining ARCA, for many years I took part in summer excavation and survey camps organised by the Gruppo Archeologico Romano in some areas of Southern Etruria (the necropolises of Tolfa and Fosso Maggiore, the Roman villa of Fontanaccia, and the medieval settlement of Tolfaccia). For more than twenty years I have been a member of the Gruppo Archeologico del Territorio Cerite, which organises excavations at several important sites including the Roman town of Castrum Novum, the Laghetto di Cerveteri necropolis, and the Roman baths of the Aquae Ceretane. 

Through these I am very happy to have enabled participants in the ARCA course to see firsthand how an Italian archaeological excavation takes place (and some students later returned volunteering to excavate themselves). I think this is a great experience to share, to understand even more clearly the collective importance of defending our cultural heritage.

From your perspective, what makes ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programme truly unique and valuable?

Joining ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate is an extraordinary experience in many ways. First of all, it offers the unique opportunity to learn about the various fields involved in protecting cultural heritage and combating art crime. It allows students and conference participants to meet experts and scholars of great importance in person, many who of whom have experienced firsthand the fight against organised crime in the art and antiquities trade. 

Amelia, moreover, is an exceptional town with 2,500 years of history, which helps you understand how much our soul needs contact with such an important past: we are what our ancestors have left us as an inheritance.

How does the location in Italy — surrounded by centuries of cultural heritage — enhance the learning experience for participants?

The incredible history of Italy offers a one-of-a-kind life experience. Students who come from countries with different cultures will find in Amelia (and in all the nearby regions) exceptionally open with important testimonies of our past: Roman and medieval towns, castles, churches, museums, beautiful natural places, and much more.


Are there particular site visits that you find especially valuable?

I consider the visit—together with my lecture—in Cerveteri very important, because it is an extraordinary symbolic place for understanding the very serious problem of archaeological plunder and what fuels clandestine excavations. But it is also a place of rebirth and recovery: in fact, I take students to see the excavations carried out by our group and some works of ancient art that Italy has finally recovered from American museums. First among them is the fantastic Euphronios Vase, which is now the star of the museum in Cerveteri.

Moreover, we at ARCA are the only ones who can enable, in collaboration with the GATC, our students to take part in one or more days on an archaeological excavation such as that of the Roman town of Castrum Novum (a fascinating experience, which offers a great opportunity for cultural exchange among people of various nationalities).

As we look toward the 2026 programmes, which developments or emerging issues in the field of art crime do you consider particularly important, and how will these be reflected in your course?

As an archaeologist, I think the phenomenon of clandestine excavations is always relevant, even if—at least here in Italy—things have improved after the trials and the battles won against several very destructive traffickers and their vast networks. But many problems remain: the use of metal detectors in Europe is destroying the data from many archaeological sites, and it fuels the terrible market in ancient coins (almost always without provenance) and we still have many thefts from museums, churches, and private homes throughout Europe. 

We must teach people to be attentive in the art market and to identify suspicious signals about the provenance of works offered for sale by dealers and auction houses. ARCA is one of the best organisations in the world in this field for identifying problematic transactions and problematic art market professionals. Those who come to take our courses will have a lively and exciting experience of investigation and study.

What key skills, perspectives, or tools do you hope participants will gain from your course? In what ways can they apply these insights in their professional or academic paths?

First and foremost, I would like my course to convey my passion and love for the cultural heritage of our past and to teach how everyone can contribute to its defense, which is so important worldwide. Our course provides an excellent foundation for exploring the often problematic world of ancient and modern art and the relevant legal frameworks. 

One of the most interesting components is helping our students develop open-source intelligence (OSINT) skills, essential for anyone seeking to study or investigate art crime because so much evidence of illicit activity now exists in publicly accessible digital spaces. Trafficked artworks often surface in online auctions, social media posts, dealer catalogues, museum databases, and archival sources scattered across jurisdictions but learning how to tie them together is a skill.  

By honing these methods researchers can begin to trace the movement of cultural objects, identify networks of traffickers, verify provenance claims, and detect inconsistencies that may signal criminal activity, all of which can certainly help to find work and experience in the museum sector and in public, private, or foundation collections, or in the field of antiques and auctions. 

If someone is considering applying to ARCA’s 2026 programmes, what advice would you give them? And why do you think now is a meaningful moment to engage with this field?

Put all your passion into it and never stop in your search for knowledge: study books, but above all observe and experience every aspect of cultural heritage, and engage with the art trade through visits to archaeological and historical sites, exhibitions, and auctions. 

We are certainly living through a very important period for the recovery and return of looted works of art. In many countries, an awareness is developing of the need to safeguard their own history. Cultural heritage, moreover, is always in danger because of wars and sensational thefts. These are battles that ARCA specialists fight every day at an international level. Our students will thus be able to gain experience and develop their own areas of expertise in their own part of the world or in their own discipline.  Lastly, having met so many wonderful people, I never would have met had they not connected with ARCA, I can say that their life will be changed and they will experience fantastic cultural adventures which will enrich their life and their soul.

About Stefano Alessandrini

Dr Stefano Alessandrini is an Italian cultural heritage protection specialist with 30 years of object-based archival and forensic provenance research experience. He is a Subject Matter Expert for the Italian Ministry of Culture and an expert in archaeology and ancient art for the Court of Rome, supporting the court's legal trafficking dossiers and restitution cases.

Since 2010, he has lectured and conducted forensic research related to art and antiquities crime within ARCA, focusing on transnational crime mapping and cross-border intelligence. He holds advanced qualifications in cultural heritage protection (Roma Tre / MiBACT / Carabinieri TPC) and a degree in Art Heritage History and Conservation, graduating cum laude. His work bridges Italian cultural property law, cultural diplomacy, and practical restitution and repatriation efforts, and he has published on art crime and recovery strategies

* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology theory modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming. 




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