The government has issued a call for bids for art acquisitions for galleries

Every year, the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture adds to the public art collection, supporting artists, innovators and the cultural sector as a whole. These works are then used to decorate public institutions, diplomatic missions, museums and cultural organisations. In this way, the collection not only reflects the development of the contemporary art scene, but also contributes to the preservation of the national cultural heritage.

Applications are open to professional art galleries registered in Luxembourg. The gallery must have a permanent physical exhibition space open to the public and promote and develop the careers of the artists it represents. Municipal galleries and associations without commercial activities are not allowed.

As part of the application, a gallery may offer works by a maximum of three artists, each of whom must have a direct link to Luxembourg (citizenship, residency or proven cultural ties to the country). A maximum of three works may be submitted per artist and the value of one work must not exceed €23,000 (including taxes).

The application should include contact details of the gallery, biography of the artist, description of creative approach, as well as detailed information about the work: title, year of creation, technique, materials, dimensions, exhibition history and context of creation. Photographs in JPG or TIFF format are mandatory, as well as an indication of cost.

Papers should be emailed to appels@mc.etat.lu with the subject line "Appel à propositions d'acquisition - Session 1 2025 - [gallery name]". Applications will be accepted until 16 March 2025 and the review will take place in April. A decision will be announced at the end of April 2025.

The selection of works is carried out by a purchasing committee made up of experts from museums and art institutions. Their aim is to ensure the structured development of the collection, covering different areas of contemporary art and supporting both recognised masters and new talents.

If the work is purchased, a formal agreement is signed between the seller and the state, which transfers ownership to the state and also provides for a non-exclusive copyright licence. Once the agreement is signed, the work must be delivered by 15 July 2025, with shipping costs borne by the seller.

The Ministry of Culture also emphasises that all documentation can be transferred to the Lëtzebuerger Konschtarchiv to archive and preserve information on Luxembourg's art.

This programme therefore not only contributes to the development of the state's collection, but also gives local artists and galleries the opportunity to showcase their work nationally and internationally.