1. To encourage and facilitate the production and understanding of new and experimental art that is critical and questioning in relation to thinking and imagining about contemporary issues, social arrangements and institutions; consequently to generate and nurture new possibilities for both the form and media of twenty-first century art practice.

2. To act as a meeting point for artists, writers, curators, philosophers and thinkers of all persuasions, and as advocate and advisor to artists and producers; to extend its currently broad outreach, both local and remote, through an ongoing program of exhibitions, public talks, symposia, forums and publishing projects.

3. To function as a key organization in the national/international circulation and generation of contemporary experimental art and associated activities/research.

4. To facilitate the conceiving, making and exhibiting of new art in Adelaide; to attract new national/international art to Adelaide.

5. To create and sustain new projects through partnerships, collaborations and mentorships with cultural, educational and research institutions of all kinds.

6. To assist in the development and exposure of experimental art to local, regional, national and international audiences.

7. To extend and maximise the reach of contemporary experimental art to those in the broader community who have not hitherto been exposed to such activities and to encourage a pro-active engagement with both experimental art ideas and associated actions by all communities.

The AEAF achieves this through:

1. Its program of exhibitions/forums/publications

2. Its administration and organization of artist's studios and interactive projects, focusing both on long-term goals and short-term outcomes.

3. Its organization of workshops/symposia of enquiry around specific issues

4. Its organization of residency programs for artists, critics, writers and thinkers.

The Australian Experimental Art Foundation's mission includes the long-term fostering of artistic endeavour through:

5. Its assistance of artists with fully supported solo exhibitions at useful junctures in their careers.

6. Its curation of significant programs/projects with a view to fostering development in the careers of particular artists.

7. Its identification and clarification of patterns and tendencies functioning within both local and international art and its subsequent cogent engagement of local artists with such patterns and tendencies.

The AEAF building incorporates a large and flexible exhibition gallery, a specialist bookshop, and an artist studios complex. It also manages an artists’ residency program, know as the oratungaproject, at Oratunga Homestead in the Flinders Ranges, five hours’ drive north of Adelaide.

archiveaeaf

The AEAF also maintains and develops a highly significant archive of artists' books, a research library and a comprehensive visual archive of all AEAF initiated projects since 1974.

governance

The Australian Experimental Art Foundation is a not-for-profit incorporated association. AEAF Policy is determined by Council whose members are elected at an Annual General Meeting. AEAF Staff have Council membership through proportional representation with elected Council members.