Established in 2003, Melbourne Art Foundation is a not for profit organisation established to promote and support contemporary art and living Australian artists. Committed to servicing the needs of artists, galleries, collectors and visitors, the Foundation leads the way in building national and international audiences and markets for the work of Australia’s living contemporary artists, bringing together the commercial, social, cultural and environmental threads that underpin and sustain the vibrant Australian visual arts ecology.
Melbourne Art Foundation produces the biennial Melbourne Art Week and flagship event Melbourne Art Fair.
The Foundation sponsors a range of programs during Melbourne Art Week for the benefit of living artists, to facilitate public discussion and develop new audiences for contemporary art. These programs include major commissions, project rooms featuring emerging and independent artists, and art spaces, public talks, collector programs, guided tours and the celebrated Art Fair opening night; Vernissage.