The financing scheme represents a good example of cooperation between arts and business in the interest of the arts, Hiller said. Under the scheme, the state plays a "modern role" in supporting the arts and the corporate sector plays a "progressive role," he added.
A study commissioned by the National Cultural Fund and carried out between December 2007 and January 2008 shows that around 40 percent of Hungary's 4,824 large companies play active roles in promoting culture and an additional 3 percent plan to act as sponsors in the future, Hiller said. The total amount spent by these companies on promoting culture was over HUF 4.3 billion last year, he added.
The ministry will provide funding for the Contemporary Art Collection on the condition that the collection spend HUF 5-10 million every year to purchase works by artists involved in the ministry-backed Gyula Derkovits scholarship scheme, and that it grant three artists scholarships to study abroad each year, Hiller said.
Gábor Kovács and István Hiller
Gábor Kovács Art Foundation founder Gábor Kovács said 17 companies have already joined the initiative and contracts are currently being drawn up with an additional 20.
At least 100 works will be bought by 100 different artists each year. The Gábor Kovács Art Foundation will present works purchased in 2008 at the KOGART house at the end of the year, and 75 of these will become part of the Contemporary Art Collection, with the remaining 25 to be offered for sale at auction.
The committee to select the works to be purchased will be chaired by Fertőszögi and its members will include director of the Saint Étienne Modern Art Museum and board member of the Gábor Kovács Art Foundation Lóránd Hegyi, editor-in-chief of the magazine New Art Péter Sinkovits, chief museologist of the Hungarian National Gallery György Szücs and department head of the Fine Arts and Applied Arts Lectorate Tibor Wehner.
