The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) was alive to the sound of cash tills in January - and not just in the shop or cafe. Its temporary spaces were filled with the fifth edition of the commercial craft fair Collect (25-29 January), something unimaginable if it were a Sotheby's preview at the National Gallery or an outpost of Frieze at the Tate.
But given the weak financial prospects of contemporary artist-makers, this rare occurrence of market-meets-museum raises a few eyebrows. It helps that it is organised by the Craft Council, and the Art Fund is now also involved.
For this fifth edition, the Art Fund - clearly frustrated that previous exhortations for museums to buy with grants officers on hand had yielded slender acquisitions - made it easier than ever.
Ten shortlisted museums were invited to a pre-preview to compete for a pot of £50,000 before the collectors made it in. The prospect of a 100 per cent grant did the trick.
Hove Museum and Art Gallery paid £7,425 for Adam Paxon's Neckpiece 2007, Mima bagged a £25,263 monumental vase by Julian Stair, and Ulster Museum spent £8,865 on Silver Organism by Junko Mori. Meanwhile, the Whitworth Art Gallery bought a Norma Starszakowna textile for £9,800 with a little help from the Crafts Council Patrons.
The Art Fund is assessing the results, no doubt with an eye to stimulating purchases in the longer term.
Museums were buying even without the extra help. Mima acquired five works from the Scottish Gallery and Galerie Rob Koudijs, while National Museum Wales, National Museums Scotland, the Shipley Art Gallery and the V&A also bought several works.
Jane Morris is an arts journalist and editor
But given the weak financial prospects of contemporary artist-makers, this rare occurrence of market-meets-museum raises a few eyebrows. It helps that it is organised by the Craft Council, and the Art Fund is now also involved.
For this fifth edition, the Art Fund - clearly frustrated that previous exhortations for museums to buy with grants officers on hand had yielded slender acquisitions - made it easier than ever.
Ten shortlisted museums were invited to a pre-preview to compete for a pot of £50,000 before the collectors made it in. The prospect of a 100 per cent grant did the trick.
Hove Museum and Art Gallery paid £7,425 for Adam Paxon's Neckpiece 2007, Mima bagged a £25,263 monumental vase by Julian Stair, and Ulster Museum spent £8,865 on Silver Organism by Junko Mori. Meanwhile, the Whitworth Art Gallery bought a Norma Starszakowna textile for £9,800 with a little help from the Crafts Council Patrons.
The Art Fund is assessing the results, no doubt with an eye to stimulating purchases in the longer term.
Museums were buying even without the extra help. Mima acquired five works from the Scottish Gallery and Galerie Rob Koudijs, while National Museum Wales, National Museums Scotland, the Shipley Art Gallery and the V&A also bought several works.
Jane Morris is an arts journalist and editor
