Pro Community !

Pro Community is the generic term for the series of exhibitions put on by ARTKELCH annually. Works sourced from one or more indigenous art centres of one region are exhibited at various locations in Germany, the aim being to present the vast range of Contemporary Aboriginal Art to a large public and to sharpen their eyes for fine art as opposed to the touristic segment of indigenous art.
With its focus on indigenous art centres belonging to the artists or their communities (so-called community-based art centres), the touring exhibition provides a clear statement about provenance, authenticity and ethical sourcing of Aboriginal Art.

The Australian Embassy in Berlin has assumed the patronage of this exhibition series, for which we also provide an annual catalogue. In Europe this novel concept of exhibiting art is entirely unique.

Pro Community, with its 60-90 works of art exhibited across all locations annually, is regularly the largest commercial exhibition in the world of artists from the respective regions. Pro Community is therefore of great significance for these art centres in accessing the international art market for them. The specific structure of Pro Community results in the artists working more than one year in advance in preparation for this highlight, providing us with their best work.

The works from the annual touring exhibitions can be viewed in the exhibition archive; impressions from each exhibition at the various locations can be found in our news section and in the image gallery.

The exhibition locations are comprised of private and public museums, rented galleries and our own gallery in Freiburg as well as our Collectors Lounge near Stuttgart.

Should you be interested in participating in Pro Community as one of our exhibition partners, we’d be thrilled to hear from you. We´d be only too pleased to send you our exposé and discuss with you the advantages for your location.

Pro Community is supported by DESART and ANKAAA, the two main representative bodies of indigenous art centres, and by the Australia Council for the Arts, the arts funding and advisory body of the Australian Government.

Photos (from left to right):
Mr Thomas Roth, acting Australian Ambassador with Dr Stelzig, museum director of the SMV and Robyn and Matthias Kelch standing in front of a communal work done by the Spinifex men | Pro Community 2013 © Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde München
Art workshop at the Hohenfels Academy with artists from the APY Lands, Schule Schloss Salem | Pro Community 2011 © ARTKELCH
Artists’ visit to Freiburg | Pro Community 2011 © ARTKELCH