COLLECT Educational Mission: London, UK 2023

EDUCATIONAL MISSION – COLLECT 2023, London, UK

CLICK HERE for COLLECT 2023 Overview

International Art Fair for Modern Craft and Design,  London, UK

Somerset House, London, UK                   March 1 – 6, 2023

The Crafts Council, UK founded Collect in 2004 with the aim to build the profile and sales for collectable craft and to promote the very best galleries and artists in the field. It continues to be the only gallery-presented art fair dedicated to modern craft and design in the United Kingdom.

Collect is located at Somerset House in central London.  Collect occupies several large gallery wings at Somerset House, overlooking the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. Collect is well-positioned at the start of the international cultural calendar and presents an opportunity to discover and invest in exceptional work produced in the last five years by living artists, much of which is made especially for the Fair.

Through the years Collect has been instrumental to defining and growing the market for contemporary craft. Collect celebrates over 400 artists presented by galleries coming from across the globe to this London stage. Half of the exhibitors come from outside the UK, with an impressive spread of European galleries as well an increased range of galleries from Asia.

Program

Since 2019, Craft Alliance has led exploratory missions to Collect. Our most recent mission being in March 2022, after two years of being preempted by the global pandemic. Craft Alliance coordinates an educational mission with craft industry partners from Atlantic Canada, which includes gallery tours, studio and museum visits, along with participation at Collect. For 2023, Craft Alliance will be travelling to London on an educational mission of artist/makers to attend Collect 2023 with a future plan to exhibit at Collect, hopefully in 2024.

Craft Alliance currently has funding support from the Nova Scotia government to support 5 contemporary makers from Nova Scotia to attend Collect. Applicants from Nova Scotia must be permanent residents of the provinces to receive funding assistance. Applicants from outside the province of Nova Scotia are welcome to participate, however, those participants are not eligible for this specific funding support, and would be required to seek their own funding sources from their home province or self-fund their participation.

Craft Alliance will coordinate a small group of contemporary makers to attend Collect 2023 in London, England from March 1 to March 6, 2023.  Craft Alliance work with our provincial crafts council partners to identify and select participants for the program.

The educational mission will include travel to London, UK to attend Collect. Participants will attend workshops and a lecture series hosted by Collect, and tour galleries and studios in the greater London area. Participants must participate in all elements of the mission program.

This mission is an opportunity for Atlantic Canadian contemporary craft practitioners to learn key principals of marketing their work to International galleries, museums and collectors in the global markets of the UK and Europe.

Dates / Timeline – Submission of Application (Key Dates)

• January 27, 2023 Confirm participants
• February 1, 2023 Travel Bookings Confirmed
• February 15, 2023 Pre-mission information by February 15, 2023
• March 1, 2023  Travel to London
• March 2, 2023 Collect Gala Preview
• March 3, 2023 Tour of Studios
• March 4, 2033 Tour Galleries & Return visit to Collect
• March 5, 2023 Tour Museums in London
• March 6, 2023 Return to Canada

Educational Program

A complete program and itinerary will be developed by Craft Alliance that will include workshops and travel to various sites around London to experience how contemporary craft is presented in this market. All participants must participate in all aspects of the mission for the entire period of the program.

Estimated Costs

The total estimated cost of the travel is between $2,800. – $4,800. Canadian dollars per person. Participants that are covered by our Nova Scotia funding will be reimbursed at 50% of actual receipts to a maximum contribution of $2,400.

Important Note: Participants must cover 50% of all costs, no matter what the contribution from funders. This is often overlooked by some previous participants.

Extended Stays – Anyone wishing to arrive in London at an earlier date or stay later is free to do that, at their own cost.

WHY the Broad Range in Potential Costs??

Based on current flight and hotel costs, it is possible to complete the educational mission travel within a budget of about $3,000. Canadian dollars. This will depend on when flights are booked, routes taken and departure city.  Seat selection and baggage costs range depending on the airlines and flight selected and are more expensive on international flights.

All costs within the UK have a 20% VAT Tax added into prices and currency exchange rates with the Canadian Dollar and Pound Sterling are currently around 1.65, so these costs can easily inflate the budget.  The mission will require a minimum of 5 nights.  There is now a direct flight form Halifax to London, which is a day-time flight.

Hotels are very expensive in London – Participants interested in sharing hotel rooms with another participant can easily save $600., over the entire stay.

Financial Assistance: What is Covered?

• Approved applicants from NS will receive funding assistance of 50% of the cost to attend Collect up to a maximum contribution of $2,400. CAD per person. Budget estimates are noted above. Participants must be permanent residents of NS to receive funding. Eligible costs include; airfare, hotel, meals, ground transportation, admission to events and tours.

 Please do not apply, if you are unable to commit to the financial requirements & costs as indicated.

• Participants not covered by funding assistance may consider seeking alternative sources of funding within your own province for travel assistance. If you are unsure about how to proceed, please contact us immediately.

Project Contact:

Bernard Burton, Executive Director

Craft Alliance Atlantic

bernard@craftalliance.ca

We would like to acknowledge the financial support received under the Nova Scotia Creative Industry Fund for this project