From the Post-Impressionists and Bloomsbury Group, through to internationally renowned figures of 20th-century art such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and David Hockney, to the YBAs and stars of the 21st century such as Olafur Eliasson, John Akomfrah and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, the Contemporary Art Society is proud of an extraordinary track record of outstanding purchasing.
Since its founding in 1910 the organisation has donated over 10,500 works to museums across the UK.
In Focus: Prints by Peter Doig
Through our Great Works scheme, the CAS has acquired 67 prints by the Scottish artist Peter Doig for the National Galleries of Scotland, alongside a commitment that one edition of all future prints made by the artist will also join their collection. Doig is a contemporary painter and printmaker known for his dreamlike landscapes that blur observation and memory, referencing personal experiences, popular culture, and art history alike.
Artist Spotlight: Sunil Gupta
Acquisition Schemes
Each year the Contemporary Art Society donates works of modern and contemporary art to museums and public galleries in the UK, which subscribe to us as museum members.
In Focus: Michael Landy's 'Multi Saint'
Michael Landy’s interactive and kinetic work Multi-Saint, represents the saints – St Catherine, St Lucy, St Peter Martyr, St Lawrence and St Michael – along with their identifying symbols. The sculptural assemblage also draws upon modern references, in particular, Swiss artist Jean Tinguely’s foot-pedal operated kinetic sculptures, which Landy first encountered as a student at Tate Britain in 1982.
This work was acquired for the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool through the CAS Collectiions Fund at Frieze 2025.
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