supporting artists' professional development
It is a great pleasure to discover a work of art or craft that elicits such a strong response that "you just have to have it!" Whether you intend to buy modestly priced work or seriously collect major pieces by artists of significant reputation, collection of art and craft significantly assists in the development of artists’ careers.
Buying directly from a visual or craft artists’ studio can be an educational and mutually rewarding experience. Some artists welcome visitors to their studios and have established a sales area especially for the purpose. Others may use ‘alternate’ venues such as markets, cafes, their own internet site and cooperative exhibition venues.
Many professional advocacy and support organisations, artists’ associations, media based organisations, and state government arts funding bodies now have databases with information about visual and craft artists. Some are accessible online, others require a phone or written request.
The Artists Gallery on the NAVA website will link you to many artists.
It is important when buying work from an artist to accept that there are best practice guidelines about the buyer/seller relationship. These guidelines help protect both the artist and the buyer from unscrupulous conduct.
NAVA Resources:
Exhibiting, Selling And Collecting Art And Craft, Chapter 1. NAVA Code of Practice, 2nd edition, 2004. ISBN 0 9751929 0 6
Read the Chapter here.
Buy the full publication.
Valuing Art, Respecting Culture. Protocols For Working With the Australian Indigenous Visual Arts and Craft Sector. Published by NAVA, written and researched by Doreen Mellor with a legal section by Terri Janke. Published 2001, 110 pages. ISBN 0 9585 474 0 8. This publication is no longer available in hard copy.
Read Valuing Art, Respecting Culture (complete document).
Read Valuing Art, Respecting Culture (executive summaries).
