This support helps the V&A to carry out our commitment to develop and diversify our collection of objects from Africa and the diaspora. These holdings are freely available to everyone, both online and across our family of museums, sparking the imagination with outstanding examples of Global African creativity and providing researchers and artists with a sourcebook of knowledge and inspiration.
Works purchased with the support of the Global Africa Acquisition Group are shared with the public and placed on display in our suite of galleries housing the permanent collection and in our headline temporary shows. These works are also included in travelling exhibitions, feature in publications and are used for educational projects and new research.
Each member of the Global Africa Acquisition Group donates at least £12,500 per year which forms a vital fund for the acquisition of contemporary works from Africa and the diaspora. The group meets with the curatorial team annually to discuss which works will be acquired with the fund, and to learn about our collecting strategy and curatorial programming. Members of the group enjoy a close association with our curatorial team and the wider museum, joining V&A curators at various opportunities which demonstrate the impact of their support, such as behind-the-scenes events, artist studio and private collection visits, as well as art fairs in the UK and abroad.
The V&A also relies on the support of other philanthropic groups, including the Photographs Acquisition Group, which enables the museum to acquire photographs, and the Prints and Drawing Acquisition Group, which supports the acquisition of contemporary works on paper.
For more information about these acquisition groups, or to donate and join the Global Africa Acquisition Group, please contact:
Olivia Fry
Philanthropy Manager
o.fry@vam.ac.uk
+44 (0) 20 3949 4512