Cultural Comms client The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) has announced that applications for the 2025 TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund (TMRF) and Curator Course are now open. TEFAF is a not-for-profit foundation that champions expertise, excellence, and variety in the global art community. As part of TEFAF’s dedication to supporting the international art community, the organisation spearheads philanthropic and educational initiatives that bolster the symbiotic relationship between TEFAF and global institutions.
TEFAF MUSEUM RESTORATION FUND
TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund (TMRF) was established in 2012 to support and promote professional restoration and related scholarly research of significant museum artworks. Championing art in all its forms, applications for its grants are open to museums from all over the world, for artworks of any age.
Each year, €50,000 will be allocated to projects. The committee of independent experts usually selects two beneficiaries, each of which receives €25,000 to support a restoration project, which will be presented at TEFAF Maastricht and New York. Applications for 2025 are open until Monday 30 September. The online application requires images of the project, details of the conservation plan and a budget. The winning project will be announced in early 2025, with a special presentation at the TMRF stand during the Maastricht fair, supported by Aon.
Last year’s grants were awarded to the National Gallery of Ireland (Ludovic Mazzolino’s “The Crossing of the Red Sea”) and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, USA (Pietro Fancavilla’s “Nymph and Satyr”). Previous recipients include the Detroit Institute of Arts (Titian’s “Judith with the Head of Holofernes”); Singer Laren in the Netherlands (Whistler’s “The Girl in the White Muslin Dress”); Museum Kunstpalast Düsseldorf (Zurbarán’s “Saint Francis of Assisi in Meditation”); and the Musée Rodin in Paris (Rodin’s “Absolution”), among others.
TMRF provides an opportunity for institutions to secure funding to restore and potentially revitalize a work in their respective collections and expedite its public display. The fund supports the international art community’s vital work in preserving artistic and cultural heritage.
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TEFAF CURATOR COURSE
Newly introduced in 2024, the TEFAF Curators Course brings together the academic world and art market, offering emerging museum curators an unparalleled gateway to gain knowledge, insights and network opportunities with their international peers during TEFAF Maastricht. The course has been developed in partnership with the University of Maastricht and will expose curators to the expertise that makes up the TEFAF vetting and exhibitor communities along with globally renowned art world authorities. Applications are open via the University of Maastricht’s webpage and will close on 16 October 2024.
This prestigious programme is designed for museum curators eager to deepen their understanding of the art market dynamics and expand their networks. Over five days, participants will gain unparalleled insights from seasoned art market professionals, participate in hands-on assignments, and engage in high-level discussions about art market dynamics.
Emerging curators are invited to submit a CV, a letter of motivation, and a senior colleague's reference. Following this, a committee including curators from the Los Angeles County Museum, J Paul Getty Museum and Maastricht University reviews all applications before making its shortlist, which is then subject to references. Ten participants are selected annually to enhance their curatorial skills and broaden their professional horizons.
Past participants included The Cleveland Museum of Art, M+ Hong Kong, Museum Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, Österreichische Galerie Belvedere Vienna, Toledo American Art, National Gallery of Art Washington, Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery Glasgow, Minneapolis Institute, Zayed National Museum Abu Dhabi and Royal Museum Africa Brussels.
The course is led by Prof. Rachel Pownall, Founding Director of the Executive Master in Cultural Leadership with the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Guest lecturers include Sarah Hilliam, Director of Development at the National Portrait Gallery; Maastricht University’s Dr Donna Yates, a specialist in the illicit trade in cultural objects, art and heritage; and Anders Peterson of ArtTactic market research. Supported by AXA XL, the course runs from 12-16 March 2025, in Maastricht.
Arnika Groenewald-Schmidt is a curator at the Galerie Belvedere in Vienna who took part in the 2024 course. She comments, “The TEFAF Curator Course takes you on a kaleidoscopic journey into the art market; it initiates the professional dialogue between museum curators, art dealers and private collectors in a very personal way. I will benefit from this inspiring exchange for a long time.”
