MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT

The Minister for Tourism and the Arts, Michelle O’Byrne, has said that the COLLECT Art Purchase Scheme has lent almost half a million dollars for the purchase of new Tasmanian artworks in its first year of operation.

COLLECT is a twelve-month interest-free loan program, which enables Australians to buy contemporary Tasmanian art and thereby support the state’s thriving arts industry.

“In these challenging economic times, COLLECT has supported the careers of 77 different artists.

“The scheme has far exceeded the targets set for it in the first twelve months, with the State Government lending a total of $482,456. This is a fantastic stimulus to Tasmania’s art market,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“Loans for 155 people have been approved, for the purchase of a total of 190 Tasmanian artworks,”

“Thirty percent of these people live interstate and this means that COLLECT has supported the export of Tasmanian art right across the country, boosting the profile of our art and our artists in the process,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“The remaining works adorn the walls and houses of Tasmanians across the state, stimulating imaginations and enriching lives,”

“It should be noted that this is a loan scheme, so repayments are made every month to offset the loan total. At present there are currently no outstanding defaults on these loans – a remarkable statistic,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“The COLLECT Scheme is the only scheme of its kind operating in Australia and has put Tasmania at the national forefront of Arts policy,”

The scheme has enjoyed national media attention, and has been:

· Profiled on national broadcaster ABC Radio, in Hobart, Melbourne and Canberra

· Featured in a number of newspaper articles in The Australian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Financial Review, Brisbane Times, The Examiner and The Mercury

· Highlighted in national publications such as Craft Australia, Art Collector, Art Monthly and Inside Out magazine’s Decorators’ Secret Handbook.

“COLLECT Art is another example of this Government’s significant support of the arts and Labor’s proud record of assisting the creative industries,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“This Government understands the importance of the arts to our culture and our economy, and it is only under a Bartlett Labor Government that Tasmania’s world-renowned artistic voice will grow stronger,”

For further information about the COLLECT Art Purchase Scheme and the full list of participating galleries visit: www.collect-art.com.au