Cultural Donations on the Rise
26 February 2015 at 10:17 am
Nearly $30 million worth of cultural items were donated to Australian galleries, museums and libraries in 2014 with the help of the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, according to new Government figures.
Minister for the Arts and Attorney General, Senator George Brandis said the success of the Cultural Gifts Program is the result of the generosity of donors whose contributions are helping to build our public collections and secure Australia’s cultural heritage for future generations.
The Cultural Gifts Program encourages private donations of items of cultural significance to public art galleries, museums and libraries by offering tax incentives for donors. Donated items include art works, historical objects and scientific and archival collections.
“I thank all those donors whose gifts through the Cultural Gifts Program in 2014 have helped over 100 national, state and regional galleries, museums and libraries to enrich their collections in ways that would otherwise not have been possible.
Institutions to benefit from donations through the program include the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, which was given Rosalie Gascoigne’s Spring 2 (1982), and the Art Gallery of NSW, which was given contemporary artist Lindy Lee’s installation Birth and Death (2003) made up of photographic portraits printed on Chinese accordion books.
A collection of four sketches by Francis Lymburner capturing the Ballets Russes company on their Australian tour in 1940 was given to the National Gallery of Australia and a collection of 7400 butterfly specimens was given to the Queensland Museum.
“A world-class arts and cultural sector requires support from the private sector as well as from Governments, and the Australian Government is committed to growing the level of philanthropic and corporate giving to the arts in Australia.,” Senator Brandis said.
