Now in its 5th year, The Outset /Frieze Art Fair Fund to benefit the Tate Collection enables Tate to acquire major works from the Frieze Art Fair by emerging and leading international artists. This year the purchasing fund is a total of £150K.
The new acquisitions will be announced by Tate’s Director, Sir Nicholas Serota, at Tate Britain on Thursday 11 October 2007.
Each year, two prominent international curators are invited to work alongside Tate curators to select works. This year, the international curators Udo Kittelmann (Director, MMK: Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Mann, Germany) and Lisette Lagnado (Curator NeMe: 27 Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil) will select the works with Tate curators Ann Gallagher, Jessica Morgan and Frances Morris.
The Fund is organised by Outset which was founded in 2003 as a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting new art. The charity focuses on raising private funding from its supporters and trustees for public museums, galleries and art projects.
With Tate's annual government funding for its acquisitions effectively frozen since 1982, and now worth a twentieth of its original value, the Fund helps provide a much needed contribution towards Tate’s ongoing campaign to develop its Collection. A significant number of works acquired through the Fund are currently on display at Tate Modern.
Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said: “The continuing reluctance of Government to increase the funds available for the purchase of works of art is making the acquisition of contemporary art increasingly challenging. We are particularly grateful to the continuing support of the Outset Frieze Art Fair Fund which has enabled Tate to significantly extend its Collection of work by new and emerging artists.
The 2007 The Outset/Frieze Art Fair Fund to benefit the Tate Collection is organised and funded by Outset Contemporary Art Fund with support from Laurent-Perrier Champagne.
Press Enquiries:
Erica Bolton. Bolton & Quinn
Tel: 020 7221 5000
Helen Beeckmans, Head of Press, Tate
Tel: 020 7887 4940
Notes to Editors
The Outset Contemporary Art Fund was founded in 2003 by Yana Peel and Candida Gertler as a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting new art. The charitable foundation focuses on bringing private funding from its supporters and trustees to public museums, galleries, and art projects. The fund uses its independent platform to give new audiences proximity to the visual arts, building long-lasting relationships within the international artistic community. The donors all have a particular interest in supporting the Tate's acquisition of international contemporary art.
The Frieze Art Fair is held every October in Regent’s Park, London. It features over 150 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. As well as these exhibitors, the fair includes specially commissioned artists’ projects and an ambitious talks programme.
