New regional centres for Arts Council Collection

Arts Council England (ACE) is preparing to establish three additional long-term partner venues for the Arts Council Collection of modern and contemporary British art, which currently includes nearly 8,000 artworks by more than 2,000 artists. The regional partnerships, which will begin in 2015, supported by ACE strategic funding, will build on the Collection’s existing relationship with the Southbank Centre. ACE aims to create “a legacy with regional partners at a time when regional museums and galleries are under considerable pressure”. The funding will also support an enhanced programme at Longside Sculpture Gallery and a special acquisition fund for artists working outside the capital. ACE will identify the regional partners through an open call application process which will require them to demonstrate plans for creating “long term visible homes for the Collection” with supporting digital activity to maximise the reach of the Collection and access to it. The partners will also work with the Southbank Centre on wider education and learning activity programmes. News of the regional partnership venues has coincided with the announcement of 26 new acquisitions to the collection for 2013/2014, which span video, sculpture, paintings, screen prints, photographs and installations from artists including Charles Avery, Ed Atkins, Pablo Bronstein, Roger Hiorns, Georgia Hayes, Dan Hays and Raphael Hefti.