New Acquisition Fund for Collab
Architect raises the bar for design lovers
Neil Sandvold at the podium for the 2008 Collab Design Excellence Award. (Photo Kelly & Massa)
Neil Sandvold may now live on the Oregon coast, but the heart of this Philadelphia architect is with the design collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Working with the Museum’s development office, Sandvold, a former chair of the Collab Board of Directors, has established a groundbreaking acquisitions fund specifically for the design collection. He discussed it on a recent call.
What made you decide to create the fund now?
For the first time in its over fifty-year history, Collab has a dedicated gallery in the Main Building[i]. This is the ideal time to ramp up acquisitions of significant design items. Now more than ever, it’s important to diversify and expand the Museum’s collection, and target the work of designers globally.
What is the nature of this fund?
The Collab Acquisition Fund will provide a mechanism for curators to purchase pieces when they come up for auction or sale. The funds will be earmarked for this purpose. I believe that people will be receptive to donating to something tangible, now or in their wills.
Why is that important to you?
This is a legacy gift that will be used specifically for expanding the quality and quantity of design items at the Museum. I am challenging everyone who has ever been involved with Collab – current and former members, board members, sponsors and supporters – to target their support for design acquisitions.
Hasn’t the design collection steadily grown without this fund?
Absolutely. It has grown from several hundred pieces to several thousand, including some items that it has been my great pleasure to donate. When I was involved in Collab,[ii] we brought Jonathan Ive, Maya Lin, Karim Rashid, Ingo Maurer, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Marcel Wanders, and a host of other design luminaries and their work to Philadelphia over the years[iii]. I believe in Collab’s mission, passion for design, and commitment to educating the next generation. I hope that others who feel the same will join me in helping to grow the collection.
To learn more about the Collab Acquisition Fund, contact Development@philamuseum.org.
[i] Collab Gallery 219 is on the 2nd floor. It is the gift of Lisa Roberts and David Seltzer.
[ii] Sandvold served as Collab Board Chair four times in the late 1990s—early 2000s.
[iii] For a complete list of Collab Design Excellence Award honorees, go here.
