18 august 2023, Flor Linckens
The KunstKoop: Art within Reach
Suppose you walk into a gallery or stroll through an art fair and are immediately struck by a work of art. It's love at first sight, but then you see the price tag. Collecting art is a beautiful passion, but it can sometimes pose a bit of a large investment in one go. The Dutch government supports galleries and contemporary artists, which is why the KunstKoop-scheme has been created: an interest-free loan from the Mondrian Fund and Santander Consumer Finance. That way, you can pay off a work of art or a design piece at your own pace, sometimes for a few tenners per month. In this way, the art world becomes a bit more accessible.
The KunstKoop ("BuyArt") is a unique arrangement that allows you to buy works of art on installment at more than 120 galleries throughout the Netherlands. We previously interviewed Wouter Meulendijk, who spoke about how the KunstKoop scheme has changed his perspective on buying art. Despite a recent move and renovation, he still dared to buy a work of art thanks to this arrangement. Meulendijk: “If the KunstKoop arrangment hadn't been in place, I would probably have given up. Now, I can pay in installments and I don't even notice it, really, while I can still enjoy the piece of art, every day."
The KunstKoop can also be a game changer for artists. Reaching a larger audience not only means more sales, but also more recognition and the opportunity to fully live off their passion. Artists get the chance to share their vision and talent with a larger group of people, which ultimately benefits the entire art sector.
If your application is approved, Santander will pay the full loan amount to the gallery, who will subsequently pay the artist. You can then repay the remaining amount in a maximum of 3 years. The Mondriaan Fund pays your interest. Curious what that would mean for you in a practical sense? Calculate your monthly amount with ease using the KunstKoop calculator.
Note: A number of conditions apply. For example, the artwork must have been made after 1945 by a living artist and must be purchased from one of the affiliated galleries. The artwork costs a minimum of 250 euros and a maximum of 7,500 euros and because it entails a loan, documents are required to confirm your identity and financial situation. View the terms and conditions here.
