South Asian Decorative Arts & Crafts Collection Trust

The South Asian Decorative Arts & Crafts Collection (SADACC) Trust offers a unique display of arts and crafts from South Asia that is mainly focused on everyday objects. Gifts are available to buy and they have a selection of gifts where 25% of proceeds are for charity. The SADACC Trust says its mission is to present arts and crafts of South Asia which is rapidly declining as a result of globalisation. It is centred in the Old Skating Rink Gallery which is worth a visit itself.

A Brief History of the SADACC Trust

The SADACC Trust was founded in 2010 as a charity organisation. Two years later, it became affiliate of the University of East Anglia via the Sainsbury Institute for Art (SIfA). The SADACC is working with the SIfA on the establishment of the South Asian Study Centre and Museum. The SIfA is participating by utilising the SADACC collection and library for its educational programmes and proving its assistance in the formation of the Museum. The SADACC Trust on the other hand, is funding the Museum project but it also financially supports the SIfA postgraduate programmes.

As mentioned earlier, the SADACC Trust is housed in the Old Skating Rink Gallery which used to be a Victorian Skating Rink and a Vaudeville theatre. Besides housing the SADACC collections of South Asian arts and crafts, the Old Skating Rink Gallery is also housing the Country and Eastern Ltd which imports textiles, oriental rugs, furniture, wood carvings and a variety of decorative objects from Asia and helps fund the SADACC Trust’s work and projects.

The SADACC Trust’s Collection

The SADACC Trust’s collection consists of about 4,000 objects that are based on items collected in South Asia since the 1970s and in limited extent in Indonesia, Thailand, Burma and Afghanistan. Most of the exhibited objects present daily arts and crafts in South Asia and date mostly to the period between the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. The collection includes paintings, textiles, architectural details, prints, ethnographic and metal works, and much, much more. Besides permanent exhibition of the SADACC Trust’s collection, the Old Skating Rink Gallery’s visitors can also enjoy various temporary exhibitions.

Opening Hours

The SADACC Trust is open from Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm.

Admission Fees

Entrance to the SADACC Trust is free of charge. If you would like to support the SADACC Trust or/and make a contribution for the future South Asian Study Centre and Museum, you can purchase an item or two at the Country and Eastern Ltd.

Getting There