Art Gallery Assistance

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 14

Art Gallery Assistance

(N.Z Press Association) WELUNGTON, May 7. Details of a scheme . for assisting public art galleries to improve and extend their permanent collections were announced today by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Sir Leon Gotz) chairman of the Arts Advisory Council. The scheme involves subsidies on the purchase of significant works of art “The council has set aside £5OOO for an experimental sthetw which if successful will be expanded in scope and in the funds available.” Sir Leon Gotz said. The council had introduced the scheme because it wanted to help galleries to improve

and extend their collections by acquiring works previously beyond their means. “The higher the standard of work in New Zealand art galleries, the more fruitful will be the stimulus for artists.” ne said Su Leon Gotz said the subsidy scheme was an extension of the council’s existing efforts to help the development of the visual arts. These efforts included subsidising the cost of exhibitions of overseas art throughjut the country, commissioning works, buying paintings, ceramics and sculpture by contemporary New Zealand at lists,,awarding scholarships for study and travel and helping to bring distinguished figures in the. arts to lecture tn New Zeeland.

To qualify tar assistance under the new scheme, the minimum cost cd work of art must be £lOOO for galleries in the four main centres, or £250 for other galleries. The maximum subsidy would normally be 50 per cent, of the

cost, unless the work was particularly valuable and appropriate to the applicant's collection. Sir Leon Gotz said although the scheme was primarily intended to assist the acquisition of overseas artists’ work applications would be considered for aid in purchasing works, by New Zealand artists. "A gallery applying for assistance must state its policy for building up its collection and justify the proposed purchase under that policy. “It would also have to state the source from which the work would be acquired and its price, produce photographs Of the work and evidence of its authenticity and state its origin if known.” Sir Leon Gotz said that in making decisions the council would look for evidence that applicants were doing as much as possible to help themselves and it would be interested in the amount raised by donations.