Alperstein Designs: About the Makers
Where: Art designed in Australia, products made in Australia and China
Who: Owned by a (non-Indigenous) Australian family
When: Established 1996
Memberships: Members of the Indigenous Art Code and the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia
Values: Supporting Aboriginal artists, Australian made, keeping traditional culture alive
Alperstein Designs are members of the Indigenous Art Code.
The purpose of this Code is to establish standards for art dealings between Dealers and Artists to ensure:
(a) fair and ethical trade in Artwork;
(b) transparency in the process of promotion and sale of Artwork; and
(c) that disputes arising under the Code are dealt with efficiently and fairly.
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Alperstein Designs are also members of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia. This organisation serves and represents artists, individuals and organisations that produce, promote, protect or support Aboriginal Art and the cultures that create and nurture that art.
About
Established in 1996, Alperstein Designs are a family-owned business based in Melbourne, Australia that collaborates with Aboriginal artists around the country to create homewares, accessories, art prints and gifts. The artists are paid royalties for every sale of a product that features their artwork. Scroll down to learn more about royalties.
Artists
Alperstein Designs partner with the following artist groups in Australia:
Warlukurlangu Artists
Photo credit: Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation
One of the primary art centres Alperstein works with is Warlukurlangu Artists. Warlukurlangu is a not-for-profit organisation that is 100% owned by Aboriginal artists. Operating since 1985, the organisation is made up of artists from Yuendumu and Nyirripi, two remote communities in the Central Australian desert. The name 'Warlukurlangu' is taken from a fire dreaming site outside Yuendumu and translates to 'belonging to fire' in the local language, Warlpiri.
You can learn more about this artist group here.
Royalties
The artists receive ongoing royalties for the use of their artwork. Royalties are based on confidential license contracts between Alperstein Designs and the artists and art centre. The agreements are renewed periodically, and the artists always retain copyright of their original artworks. The artists are always consulted before the products go into production to ensure they are happy with the product and how their art is being presented. All Alperstein Design products come with information about the artist and artwork so you can learn about the story behind it.
Benefits of Royalties
It is common for artists to receive more income from royalties than from the sale of their original artworks. Royalty payments can continue to provide an income long after the artwork has initially been chosen for a product. Artists are able to nominate family members to receive their royalties after they pass away, enabling their family to have an ongoing income.
Australian Made
Alperstein Designs have a number of products that are manufactured in Australia including framed art prints, tote bags, soap and skincare. You can view their Australian made collection here.
Shop Alperstein Designs homewares, accessories and gifts here.