The Joint Acquisition Programme is funded by a corporate gift of 2.75 million Australian Dollars (£1.26m) from the Qantas Foundation in the aim of increasing the international profile of contemporary Australian art as part of the national carrier’s role of championing Australia.
The gift will enable an ambitious five-year joint programme through which a range of major works by contemporary Australian artists will be acquired for the collections of MCA and Tate, owned and displayed by both institutions.
The artworks acquired will range across media and are expected to date from the late 1960s through to the present. This will significantly enhance both organisations’ holdings of Australian art, while transforming the opportunities for international audiences to connect with contemporary Australian art and artists.
Museum of Contemporary Art Director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, said: “One of our core missions is to present Australia’s contemporary artists in an international context, stimulate dialogue and raise their profile on the global art scene. So we are very excited about what this collaboration means for Australian artists.
“We are extremely grateful to Qantas – one of the MCA’s long-standing Major Partners – for their incredibly generous gift and visionary support of Australian artists. We are thrilled to be working with Tate – a world leader in collecting and presenting contemporary art from around the world.”
The MCA and Tate now plan to research and acquire a number of major pieces over the next five years.
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Museum of Contemporary Art Australia Director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, with Qantas flight attendants, photograph: Brent Winstone
