mima wins prestigious prize

31st May 2008

mima has won a share of a £50,000 prize for contemporary craft from The Art Fund, the UK's leading independent art charity. Only four UK museums and galleries have been selected to win a share of the fund in the charity's new initiative, Art Fund Collect.

Launched by The Art Fund in partnership with the Crafts Council the prize aims to boost the quality and profile of public collections of contemporary craft across the country.

mima won for its choice of 'Monumental Vase V' by Julian Stair, bought for £25,263, which will now become part of its permanent collection. The pot's title is a deliberate reference to its towering scale which is made even more dramatic by the density of its intense grey colour and matt texture. The other winning museums are Hove Museum & Art Gallery in Brighton & Hove, The Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, and Ulster Museum in Belfast.

James Beighton, Curator of Craft at mima, said: "We are delighted to have received this valuable support and recognition from The Art Fund. Craft is central to mima's collecting and exhibition activities, and this award has enabled us to buy a work of international significance that reflects our own ambitions in programming. Through this award, The Art Fund is helping to redefine craft practice in this country, and allowing museums to engage in serious critical debates about its position and relation to other art forms."

David Barrie, Director of The Art Fund, said: "This new initiative offers the winning museums the means to make really significant purchases, which would otherwise certainly be beyond their reach. It will also give the British public the chance to discover some of the remarkable works of art being produced by craftspeople not just in this country, but around the world."

Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of the Crafts Council, said: "The Crafts Council is committed to creating opportunities for public collections to acquire craft. As Collect showcases the very best in contemporary craft, this initiative has been an ideal opportunity to get more craft into public collections for a broader audience to enjoy and appreciate."

A total of 23 galleries and museums from across the country applied for the scheme. 10 museums and galleries were shortlisted to gain privileged pre VIP preview access to Collect 2008, the international art fair for contemporary objects that took place at the V&A in London. By providing preview access to the fair the scheme gave the winning museums the unique and exciting opportunity to compete with private collectors to expand their regional collections, whilst also raising the profile of public collections of contemporary craft in the UK.

Art Fund Collect is the second prestigious Art Fund award won by mima. In November 2007 mima won £1 million from The Art Fund through the initiative Art Fund International, to expand it's collection of international contemporary art.

mima is one of the UK's leading galleries of modern and contemporary art and craft. The landmark building designed by Erick van Egeraat associated architects is situated in the heart of Middlesbrough and opened on 27 January 2007.

Exhibitions change every quarter. Admission is free.

Further Information

mima - visitor information

mima website