The Contemporary Art Society (CAS) charity, which supports museums and artists across the UK, is setting up shop in Mayfair on 4 June. CAS is moving into a temporary space on Mount Street—lent by the London collectors Freddy and Muriel Salem—during London Gallery Weekend, selling works by artists such as Lubaina Himid and Roger Hiorns with proceeds going to the charity. The space is due to be open until August.
Artists will keep their usual cut of sales, confirms the director of CAS, Caroline Douglas, while a percentage from their gallery commission will go to the charity. Participating galleries include Greengrassi, Lisson Gallery, Maureen Paley, the Modern Institute, Thaddeus Ropac, Kate MacGarry, Sadie Coles, Corvi-Mora, the Approach and Hollybush Gardens. White Cube will also be taking part. Sponsors of the project include the auction house Christie’s; the art storage and transporter Momart; and the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
“It does feel like quite a new model of operation, bringing private philanthropy, commercial galleries, an auction house and a transporter together with a charity,” Douglas says of CAS's new pop up. “I stress that the artists' percentage of sales is untouched because so often artists are asked to give work away to support good causes, and our model is different," she adds. "The impetus behind this whole proposition was to do something that would really support the sector."
