Contemporary Art Society Announces New Intiative

On the 23rd of November this year the Contemporary Art Society awarded its annual 60 000 pound prize for the acquisition of contemporary works to Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. This occasion is, sadly, the last time that this prize is to be awarded. It is not however the end of this sort of initiative on the part of the Contemporary Art Society. Launched on the 11th of December, the Society’s new initiative to aid in the acquisition of contemporary art in the regions will allow 69 different museums throughout the country to each make the case for the acquisition of a particular work. One of these appeals will be selected and the work purchased for the museum directly from the artist or their gallery, using funds allocated by the Sfumato Foundation charity. The ongoing need for this initiative was highlighted by the Society’s director, Caroline Douglas, who claimed it was now “practically impossible” for these museums to acquire great contemporary works without philanthropic support.

This article was written for the December/January edition for the paper. It features content appropriate to the intended date of publication, and hence it might not be possible to visit or see the events/objects mentioned anymore. We apologise for the delay in the publication of the article.