Gifts for art lovers

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If your clients are passionate about art, a branded wall calendar that’s full of prints might seem like a logical choice.

But, with more people relying on electronic calendars, your gift could end up in the recycling box. Worse, 150 branded art calendars cost close to $250 from website mapleleafpromostore.ca. Taxes and shipping are extra. There are more colourful options.

Low cost, high impact $20/client

Every major city has at least one art gallery. Admission to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa is $12 for adults. A family pass for two adults and three youths (age 12 to 19) is $24. The Vancouver Art Gallery costs $20 for adults, and a family pass for two adults and four children is $50.

Read: Rules for donating art

If your client is a contemporary art fan, then a subscription to Canadian Art magazine is thoughtful. For $24 per year, you’ll be remembered every time a new issue arrives in the mail. For clients who enjoy spirited debate, C Magazine is an international publication dedicated to discussions on art, and features essays, reviews and artist profiles. A one-year print subscription is $26, while the digital version is $15.

Medium cost, medium impact $90/client

A basic, annual membership to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa costs $90. It includes unlimited entry to the gallery, invitations to exhibit openings, a discount at the store and parking, as well as a newsletter subscription. Meanwhile, a basic, annual membership to the Vancouver Art Gallery costs $75 for a Vancouver resident, or $55 for an out-of-town member. It includes free admission to the gallery and all presentations, a discount at the store and a newsletter subscription.

Read: How to buy art

Giving artwork can be challenging because everyone has different taste. A gift certificate for art or framing services from a local gallery allows your client to make his own choices, while supporting a local business. Framing varies by size of print, type and style of frame, but can cost upward of $150 at a reputable framer.

High cost, high impact $600/client

A Patron’s Table at the Canadian Art Foundation’s Gallery Hop Gala and Auction in Toronto costs $6,000 for a table of 10. Each ticket includes admission to the gala, dinner, a number to bid on the live and silent auctions, a one-year subscription to Canadian Art magazine and an opportunity to treat your clients to an evening with the who’s who of the national art scene.

Or, the Art Basel show in Miami Beach, Fla. is a must-attend show for contemporary art lovers. The four-day show is held each December, and includes 250 galleries that exhibit from around the world. A day ticket costs US$45, and a ticket for the entire show is US$100. A round-trip flight from Toronto, hotel and rental car costs approximately $1,300.

Read: 18 art investments that have paid off

by Lisa MacColl, an Ontario-based financial writer