LONDON.- For the third year running, independent charity The Art Fund in partnership with the Crafts Council is calling upon curators to apply to Art Fund Collect - a competitive challenge giving selected curators the opportunity to acquire an ambitious new piece of contemporary craft for their museum or gallery.

Call for entries, Art Fund Collect 2010
Deadline 19 February 2010· Awards announced 13 May 2010
Curators from accredited museums and galleries across the UK are invited to apply to participate in Art Fund Collect, which takes place on the preview day of the Craft Council’s international fair Collect, held at London’s Saatchi Gallery from 14 to 17 May 2010. Applications to the scheme close at midday on 19 February 2010.

Selected by an expert judging panel, short-listed curators will be granted VIP access to Collect on Thursday, May 13, before the private view which happens later that day and a day before doors open to the public. Against the clock, participants will have just one hour to select a work they wish to purchase for their public collection. Each piece will then be inspected by the judging panel who will then select final winners. Chosen works will be announced on the day and purchased outright for each winning institution.

Andrew Macdonald, Acting Director of The Art Fund, said: "Over the past two years, Art Fund Collect has enhanced public collections with some really exciting works by makers at the top of their field; from cutting-edge Japanese glassware to intricate gold jewellery and bold ceramics. We look forward to receiving a new round of applications for Art Fund Collect 2010 and to see what craft treasures are acquired for the nation."

For more information visit www.artfund.org/artfundcollect