Imagine an NEA as more than a funder on a program brochure, one that touched the lives of individual artists and emerging collectors by helping to bring artwork into people’s homes!

Well, the British Arts Council has a program that helps collectors buy low-priced art in installments (Zoe Slater, “Buying art in interest-free instalments,” Telegraph, November 28, 2009).

Set up in 2004 by the Arts Council, Own Art enables people to take home a piece of contemporary art straight way but then pay for it in 10 monthly interest-free instalments, borrowing anything up to £2,000. So far the scheme has made over 14,500 loans to purchase art valued in excess of £11.6 million. “It’s a simple idea that works for artists, buyers and galleries,” says Mary-Alice Stack, development manager for Own Art.

Adorable.