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Over the last week, a rare Italian photography collection has been allocated to Tate, and an equally rare collection of 20^th century and contemporary ceramics has been accepted for the nation, both under the Cultural Gifts Scheme. The scheme was introduced by the Government in 2013 as a major initiative to encourage life-time giving to UK public collections.

Tate’s photography collection consists of a group of 40 rare prints by 6 major figures in 20th-century Italian photography. It marks the first time the scheme has been used to bring a group of photographs into the national collection. Their allocation to Tate also reflects the increasingly important role photography now plays in Tate’s collection and programme. A display now open at Tate Modern showcases a selection of these prints, including works by Piergiorgio Branzi (b.1928), Alfredo Camisa (1927– 2007), Giuseppe Cavalli (1904– 1961) and Luigi Veronesi (1908–1998).

The encyclopaedic collection of 327 ceramic items, formed by one of the most important British potters of the last 50 years, Alan Caiger-Smith, has been acquired for the nation and allocated to Great Dixter House in East Sussex. The collection ranges in date from 1959 to 2006 provides an unrivalled perspective on this artist’s career and documents an important chapter of British ceramic history.

The collection was offered under the Cultural Gifts Scheme by Alan Caiger-Smith with the wish that it be allocated to Great Dixter House: a Grade 1 listed Medieval manor house which is run by a charitable trust and supported by Heritage Lottery. 

Sir Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate, said: 
‘The Cultural Gifts Scheme offers an important new way for philanthropists to give works of art to the nation. Since 2000 Tate has made a strong commitment to photography and we are delighted to bring this very significant group of Italian photographs into the collection, displaying them initially at Tate Modern and later across the UK.’

Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair Arts Council England, said: 
‘The Cultural Gifts Scheme is an enlightened tax policy which enriches our museums and galleries, and these latest donations are no exception.’

Links and further information

Find out more about the Cultural Gifts Scheme

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