African Arts Trust

African Arts Trust
Name	African Arts Trust
Founded	1990s
Location	London, United Kingdom
Area served	Africa, United Kingdom, Europe, North America
Focus	Art conservation, exhibition, cultural heritage, contemporary African art

African Arts Trust African Arts Trust is a UK-based charitable organization devoted to preserving, promoting, and connecting modern and historical visual culture from across the African continent with global audiences. The Trust operates through curatorial projects, conservation initiatives, and international partnerships that engage museums, galleries, universities, and cultural institutions. Its work spans collections management, traveling exhibitions, artist residencies, and scholarly collaboration across major cultural centers.

History

Founded during the 1990s in London amid growing institutional interest in African collections, the Trust emerged alongside institutions such as the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Barbican Centre, and Royal African Society. Early activities connected with exhibitions at National Gallery of Zimbabwe, National Museum Lagos, Institut Français, Zanzibar Stone Town Festival, and collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution and Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Trust responded to debates sparked by events like the Benin Bronzes discussions, the restitution dialogues involving the Musee du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, and policy shifts influenced by the 2005 UNESCO Convention. Its founders drew on networks that included curators and scholars from SOAS University of London, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Ibadan, and Makerere University. Over time the Trust worked with artists and cultural figures linked to movements associated with Nigerian National Museum, Ghanaian School of Art, Kenyan National Archives, South African National Gallery, Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA), and festivals like Dak’Art and FESPACO.

Mission and Programs

The Trust’s mission emphasizes conservation, ethical curation, and access through programs comparable with those run by institutions such as the Getty Foundation, Prince Claus Fund, Arts Council England, European Cultural Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Programs have supported conservation projects of artifacts from Benin Kingdom, Ashanti, Yoruba, Bamana, Dogon, and Ethiopian traditions, alongside contemporary commissions involving artists affiliated with El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare, Wangechi Mutu, William Kentridge, and Chéri Samba. Initiatives include traveling exhibitions, cataloguing drives with databases modeled after the ICOM Collections Management standards, residency exchanges with institutions like Rijksmuseum, Centre Pompidou, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and joint research with the African Studies Association, Royal Anthropological Institute, and the World Monuments Fund.

Collections and Exhibitions

The Trust has facilitated loans and exhibitions at venues including the British Museum, Tate Britain, Hayward Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, Whitechapel Gallery, Serpentine Galleries, and international sites such as the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Centre for Contemporary Art Lagos, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, and the National Gallery of Art. Exhibitions have featured works tied to historical figures and artifacts from collections associated with Kingdom of Dahomey, Benin Empire, Great Zimbabwe, and artists linked to movements represented by NSCAD University, CalArts, Goldsmiths, and Rhode Island School of Design. Collaborations enabled displays alongside collections from Victoria and Albert Museum, Horniman Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, Aga Khan Museum, and project loans to regional institutions like MOMA Durban and Cape Town Art Fair.

Education and Community Outreach

Educational programs mirror partnerships with universities and NGOs such as SOAS University of London, University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand, Makerere University, University of Lagos, African Arts Association, Institute of African Studies (University of Ghana), and community groups including Chale Wote Street Art Festival organizers. Outreach included workshops with craftspeople from Benin City, Kumasi, Dakar, Lagos Island, Zanzibar, and youth programs in collaboration with institutions like Tate Exchange, Design Museum, Victoria Miro, and community projects modeled on Art Bus initiatives and local festivals such as FESTAC '77 retrospectives.

Partnerships and Funding

The Trust’s funding and partnerships span cultural funders and philanthropic bodies including Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Getty Foundation, Prince Claus Fund, Arts Council England, European Union, FCDO, British Council, Arcadia Fund, and corporate sponsors that have worked with institutions like Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and galleries such as Lisson Gallery and Saatchi Gallery. Project partnerships extended to national museums and archives like National Archives of Kenya, Department of Museums and Monuments (Nigeria), Kenya National Archives, and international conservation bodies such as the International Council of Museums and the ICOMOS community.

Governance and Leadership

Governance structures followed charitable governance practices similar to trusteeships at National Trust, Wellcome Trust, and British Council frameworks, with boards including curators, legal advisers, and scholars affiliated with SOAS, Courtauld Institute of Art, University College London, Cambridge University Museums, and senior staff seconded from partner institutions such as the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum. Leadership consulted with advisory panels containing experts connected to UNESCO, African Union, Economic Community of West African States, and cultural ministers from countries represented in the Trust’s programs.

Impact and Criticism

Impact claims include enhanced cataloguing of collections, increased international visibility for artists from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and improved conservation outcomes in collaboration with bodies like the World Monuments Fund and Getty Conservation Institute. Criticism mirrored debates faced by institutions such as the British Museum and Musee du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac concerning provenance research, repatriation requests from communities in Benin City, Aksum, Kumasi, and Great Zimbabwe, and the balance between display and community control. Academic critiques referenced discussions in journals associated with Journal of African History, Third Text, African Arts (journal), and conferences hosted by African Studies Association and International African Institute.

Category:Museum organizations Category:Arts charities based in the United Kingdom