about us
our work with public collections
Acquisitions Scheme
Gifts & Bequests
The Eric & Jean Cass Gift
The Annual Award
National Network
Museum Members
Whitechapel Gallery: Collection Displays
Testing Media
public programme at central street
membership events
national noticeboard
annual fundraiser
art consultancy
artist members
support us
news
Our Work With Public Collections
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Founded in 1910, the Contemporary Art Society exists to encourage an appreciation and understanding of contemporary art by a wide audience and to donate works by important and new artists to museums and public galleries across the UK.
Each year we donate new works of modern and contemporary art to 65 museums and public galleries in the UK, which subscribe as `Museum Members'. We purchase new works by artists of the current generation who are attracting national and international attention early in their careers, and broker donations of works of modern and contemporary art from our network of private collectors and philanthropists for museums and their audiences.
In order to donate works responsibly, these activities are strengthened through our `National Network' which offers professionals working with modern and contemporary art collections, a programme of specialist events, seminars, conferences and research, where knowledge, networks and skills are developed to ensure the most dynamic and accessible use of collections for audiences nationally.
For further information please contact:
Museum Acquisitions & Public Programmes Manager - (on maternity leave)
Christine Takengny
Museum Acquisitions & Public Programmes Manager (maternity cover)
Lucy Bayley
Direct dial: +44 (0)20 7017 8403
lucy@contemporaryartsociety.org
National Network & Strategic Projects Manager
Robert Dingle
Direct dial: +44 (0)20 7017 8405
robert@contemporaryartsociety.org
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Acquisitions Scheme
The Contemporary Art Society exists to support and develop public collections of contemporary art in the UK. In doing so, we support artists through the purchase and acquisition of new works, which are gifted to public collections in museums and galleries across the UK where they are enjoyed by the widest possible audience.
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Gifts & Bequests
Gifts, bequests and legacies are a vitally important part of the Contemporary Art Society’s work to develop public collections in the UK.
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The Eric & Jean Cass Gift
One of the most important philanthropic giftings in our 102 year history.
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The Annual Award
The aim of the Contemporary Art Society’s Annual Award is to support museums to commission new work that will remain within the museum’s permanent collection. In offering this significant investment the Contemporary Art Society wishes to draw attention to the benefit of bringing artists and museums into closer working relationships, including working with collections in dynamic new ways.
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National Network
National Network Membership offers access to the only UK wide programme that generates new ideas and shares existing knowledge relating to the institution of the museum and the development of public collections of contemporary art.Join
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Museum Members
Do you want to develop your permanent collections with contemporary art? Are you interested in developing your collection through a gift of a work of contemporary art from the Contemporary Art Society or through our commissioning programmes? Join
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Whitechapel Gallery: Collection Displays
As part of the Whitechapel Gallery’s on-going programme to open up public and private collections to wider audiences, the Gallery presents a curatorial collaboration with the Contemporary Art Society.
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Testing Media
The Contemporary Art Society and the Art Fund are delighted to announce their new partnership – creating a new £60,000 fund called Testing Media to help museums to acquire works of contemporary art for their collections.