The Curatorial Purchase Program identifies and acquires artwork by living or deceased artists that enhance the AFA Art Collection.
The AFA sets aside funding annually to strategically purchase works of art that address specific gaps in the collection that could not otherwise be acquired through other acquisitions programs.
Examples of reasons why desirable artworks could be ineligible within the Art Acquisition by Application program include:
- ineligibility due to artist residency requirements
- the age of the works (historical or produced more than five years ago)
- the artist is deceased
All Curatorial Purchase acquisitions are reviewed by the AFA Acquisitions Working Group and approved by the AFA Board of Directors.
Deciding on artwork to purchase
All decisions are guided by the Criteria Governing Acquisitions within the Collections Development Plan to ensure transparency, accountability and protection from undue influence or bias.
Learn more about AFA curatorial criteria and development policies.
How can I sell artwork to the AFA?
The best way to have the AFA assess your artwork for purchase (or artwork by an artist that you or your gallery represents) is to submit through the art acquisition by application program.
This is an annual program open to Albertan artists
Artists ineligible for art acquisition by application
Please contact the AFA to discuss your specific situation.
If your artwork is eligible under current criteria for curatorial purchase, you will be asked to submit the following for consideration by the Acquisitions Working Group:
- an Artist CV, which includes information on formal and informal training, exhibitions, awards and any collections (private and public) holding artworks
- a listing of artworks to be considered (include title, date, medium, technique, dimensions and proposed value)
- digital images of all artworks to be considered (labeled to correspond with your list)
- an artist’s statement
- any additional information as requested by staff
Please note that consideration by the Acquisitions Working Group does not guarantee artwork purchase.
How much do you pay for artwork?
The AFA only acquires artwork at fair market value. Fair market value is established by the record of sales of the artwork of the specific artist and comparable artwork by other artists who are peers working in similar media.
If a record of recent sales is not available to verify fair market value, an appraisal may be made in writing by an independent, qualified appraiser. The appraiser must not be in a position to realize any financial gain resulting from the purchase of the artwork.
