Tasmanian artists fear for art loan scheme amid job cuts
The department says no proposal has been put forward to end COLLECT, which offers interest-free loans of up to A$8,000 for Tasmanian artworks.
Artists and gallery owners in Tasmania are calling for the government to retain the COLLECT Art Purchase Scheme amid concerns that departmental job cuts could leave it without staff to manage it.
A restructure of the department responsible for Arts Tasmania is set to remove 250 jobs. The position responsible for administering COLLECT is understood to be among those affected, alongside several roles handling arts grants.
A spokesperson for Building Tasmania, previously known as State Growth, said no plan to end COLLECT had been put forward. Handmark Gallery owner Allanah Dopson questioned how it could operate without someone to administer it.
The scheme allows buyers to borrow up to A$8,000 without interest for Tasmanian-made artworks and repay the loan over 12 months. Handmade furniture and jewellery are also eligible. Sales carry an administration fee of 1.5 per cent, recovering much of the program's cost.
Painter Faridah Cameron said about 50 per cent of her paintings sold through COLLECT, including to buyers who might not otherwise purchase them. She said losing the scheme could cost her about half her income. Printmaker Mandy Renard also said the program accounted for about half her sales.
Figures on COLLECT's website show that purchases through the scheme since 2009 cover more than 6,700 artworks, with a combined value of A$22 million. Gallery co-director Emma Bett said some customers returned to buy another work after completing their year of repayments.
