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The Art Fund believes that everyone should have the opportunity to experience great art at first hand, and has been campaigning energetically on behalf of museums and galleries from its earliest years.
As an independent, membership-based charity which receives no funding from government, The Art Fund is uniquely well placed to help shape arts policy and speak out on behalf of museums and their visitors.
The Art Fund campaigns under three broad headings:
- to promote acquisitions
- to secure proper government funding for museums
- to promote the widest possible public access to works of art
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Update on Southampton's proposed sale of artworks 21 December 2009 The Art Fund is pleased by Southampton City Council’s decision not to proceed with the proposed sale of art works from Southampton City Art Gallery in order to fund the development of the city’s Cultural Quarter. Whilst we are supportive of the city’s plans to enhance its cultural provision, The Art Fund views that raising the funds by selling important artworks from its collection would set a dangerous precedent. We very much hope the Council can find alternative sources of funding for the new Cultural Quarter and that its significant public art collections are kept in trust for the benefit of all. |
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The Art Fund's second Museums Survey is launched 20 October 2009 The results of The Art Fund’s second survey exploring how museums and galleries are faring in the recession have been released. Our survey finds that visitors again found museums to be good value for money over the summer. However, many publicly funded museums are now experiencing budget restrictions just at the point when their running costs are rising and the expectation is that tough times are ahead for the museum sector. The Art Fund’s next survey will focus on the collecting activities of museums and galleries.
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Art Fund statement in response to the Museum Association's Advice to Southampton City Council 24th September 2009 The Art Fund, the UK's leading independent art charity, backs the Museums Association's announcement that it has yet to be satisfied that Southampton City Council's proposed sale of artworks meets the requirements of the Ethics Committee. Andrew Macdonald, Acting Director, The Art Fund said: "The Art Fund agrees with the Museums Association that Southampton has yet to explore other avenues of funding – and that the selling of the works of art is an absolute last resort. We remain concerned that selling these works which belong to a publicly funded collection would set a dangerous precedent." More information on the Museum Association’s Code of Ethics and Southampton’s plans to sell works of art from its collection to fund a new cultural quarter can be found at www.museumsassociation.org |
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The Art Fund submission on the proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Culture and other Fields) Order 2009 4 September 2009 The Art Fund has responded to CyMAL's consultation on 'A Museum Strategy for Wales 2010-13'. CyMAL is a division of the Welsh Assembly Government that provides advice and support to Welsh museums. Overall, The Art Fund welcomes CyMAL's plans. However, it has raised concerns that the strategy focues largely on meeting minimum standards rather than on promoting excellence. It also points out that there is little mention of how new measures are to be funded. |
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