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45:(DCMS). The GAC's artworks are used to decorate major government buildings in the UK and around the world, and to promote British art, culture and history. The GAC now holds over 14,000 works of art in a variety of media, including around 2,500 oil paintings, but also sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, textiles and video works, mainly created by British artists or artist with a strong connection to the UK, from the sixteenth century to the present day. Works are displayed in several hundred locations, including
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85:, arguing that the expenditure would save a greater amount of money that would otherwise be spent on decorations. Up to the late 19th century, government ministers and ambassadors could decorate their rooms with their own personal art collections, but the GAC became more important as the social background of people holding government posts changed into the 20th century meant that could no longer be expected.
340:
Around two-thirds of the collection is on display in government buildings, with some items loaned for exhibitions, and the remainder at its premises in central London for conservation or awaiting re-display. Until 2020, the main premises were in Queen's Yard off
345:, but there were plans to move to new premises in Whitehall in 2020. Wherever possible, the GAC lends works of art to exhibitions in public museums and galleries throughout the UK and abroad. The GAC also collaborates with other departments, such as the
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building in central London, the GAC commissioned a programme of public art by seven contemporary artists, and new commissions for its interior spaces. In 2005, new works of art were commissioned for the Deputy High
Commissioner's offices in
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535:
441:
131:, who served until 1976, and expanded the collection from several hundred to over 8,000 works. The GAC expanded its remit to include more modern works: its first work by a living artist was
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92:
to buy artworks to decorate diplomatic posts outside the UK, with advice from an "Overseas
Picture Committee" including the directors of the major public London collections at the
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400:
Works of art continue to be added to the collection. In 2008, the GAC received £551,000 each year from the government, a sum that includes an acquisition budget of £220,000.
30:
457:
772:
143:
was commissioned to create new works for the
British embassy in Rio de Janeiro in 1949. By the 1970s, the GAC's modern artworks outnumbered the historical works.
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408:
Purchases and commissions are made with the support and agreement of the
Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection, whose members are appointed by the
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425:
42:
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Galleries, as well as the
Director of the GAC and a senior civil servant from the DCMS), together with several additional independent members.
29:, 1813, one of the works of art held by the Government Art Collection, has been displayed in Venizelos Mansion in Athens, the residence of the
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161:(MoD) had a separate art collection, which was dispersed to other public galleries and collections, including some to the GAC, in 2017.
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The collection includes works by many well-known
British artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, including works by or after
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18:
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120:. As well as buying works, the GAC has also received many significant donations, some direct from the artist.
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124:
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dated to between 1527 and 1550. The collection also includes prints of cartoons by artists such as
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104:. Initially, most of the works it acquired were historical portraits, such as a portraits of
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Other government bodies hold their own collections, distinct from the GAC. For example, the
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41:(GAC) is the collection of artworks owned by the UK government and administered by the
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53:, regional government offices in the UK, and diplomatic posts outside the UK.
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389:. Commissions were completed in the DCMS between 2006 and 2007 and at the
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154:. The collection was named the "Government Art Collection" in 1981.
17:
353:, in commissioning new works of art. The GAC has two casts of a
150:
served as the director of the GAC from 1978 to 1997, and then
88:
In 1935, an annual "picture fund" of £250 was authorised by
81:, proposing to spend £150 to acquire five painting for the
451:, c.1585-1595, in the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.
61:
The GAC dates its establishment to 5 December 1899, when
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Secretary of State for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
564:
After Turner: Venice, Fog
Blowing up from the Adriatic
127:, was appointed in 1946; he was succeeded in 1949 by
412:. The Advisory Committee is currently chaired by
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718:
611:Collection in focus: Government Art Collection
49:, ministerial offices and reception areas in
8:
471:, 1683, in the British Embassy in The Hague
241:, and more contemporary artists such as
773:Department for Culture, Media and Sport
603:
434:
43:Department for Culture, Media and Sport
635:Government Art Collection at Number 10
361:, one of which has been loaned to the
783:Art collections in the United Kingdom
668:
666:
395:Department for Constitutional Affairs
123:The first curator of the collection,
7:
698:"Venues: Government Art Collection"
660:, Government Art Collection website
309:. The oldest work is a portrait of
79:Permanent Secretary to the Treasury
685:Ministry of Defence art collection
14:
647:Government Art Collection website
556:
534:
514:
495:
476:
456:
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625:, Jenny Kingsley, 24 March 2017
490:, 1704–1705, at Lancaster House
351:Foreign and Commonwealth Office
197:, 20th century artists such as
436:Examples of works from the GAC
420:members (the Directors of the
1:
673:The Government Art Collection
637:, Penny Johnson, 1 March 2012
623:The Government Art Collection
509:, 1715, at the Cabinet Office
139:, acquired in the 1940s; and
675:, fco.gov.uk, 17 August 2018
587:Parliamentary Art Collection
189:, Victorian artists such as
31:British Ambassador to Greece
23:Lord Byron in Albanian dress
799:
726:"Pictures for politicians"
658:History of the Collection
529:, 1836, in Downing Street
397:) in 2009 and in London.
355:bust of Winston Churchill
102:National Portrait Gallery
39:Government Art Collection
527:Margaret Sarah Carpenter
94:National Gallery, London
582:Government Wine Cellar
484:The Judgement of Paris
63:the 2nd Viscount Esher
34:
125:Richard Perry Bedford
33:, for several decades
21:
730:www.newstatesman.com
570:, at Lancaster House
549:William Powell Frith
544:The Crossing Sweeper
343:Tottenham Court Road
191:William Powell Frith
541:Updated version of
416:and comprises five
391:Ministry of Justice
383:European Commission
159:Ministry of Defence
67:Permanent Secretary
551:, 1893, in storage
503:Battle of Blenheim
404:Advisory Committee
75:Sir Francis Mowatt
35:
566:, watercolour by
426:National Portrait
319:George Cruikshank
790:
759:
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756:Official website
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592:Royal Collection
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333:("Ape") and Sir
331:Carlo Pellegrini
307:Denzil Forrester
271:Rachel Whiteread
231:Eduardo Paolozzi
215:Barbara Hepworth
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778:Arts in England
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488:James Thornhill
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469:Godfrey Kneller
461:
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414:Sir David Verey
406:
381:); and for the
329:caricatures by
295:Hurvin Anderson
251:Yinka Shonibare
239:Elisabeth Frink
195:Lucien Pissarro
183:William Hogarth
179:James Thornhill
175:Godfrey Kneller
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118:Godfrey Kneller
71:Office of Works
59:
27:Thomas Phillips
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11:
5:
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748:External links
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129:Richard Walker
83:Foreign Office
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47:Downing Street
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283:Bridget Riley
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267:Lubaina Himid
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259:Grayson Perry
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255:Michael Landy
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247:Zarina Bhimji
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235:David Hockney
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733:. Retrieved
729:
705:. Retrieved
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523:Ada Lovelace
521:Portrait of
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483:
463:Portrait of
447:Portrait of
417:
407:
399:
393:(previously
367:
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323:Victor Weisz
299:David Remfry
287:Martin Creed
275:Damien Hirst
223:Lucian Freud
207:Laura Knight
168:
156:
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132:
122:
98:Tate Gallery
87:
60:
38:
36:
22:
15:
568:Alfred East
507:Joshua Ross
449:Elizabeth I
370:Home Office
363:White House
347:Home Office
335:Leslie Ward
279:Tracey Emin
263:Chris Ofili
227:Peter Blake
148:Wendy Baron
90:HM Treasury
73:, wrote to
767:Categories
598:References
418:ex officio
385:Office at
377:(formerly
311:Henry VIII
291:David Nash
211:L.S. Lowry
171:Peter Lely
165:Collection
141:John Piper
106:Charles II
100:, and the
337:("Spy").
203:Paul Nash
199:John Nash
137:John Nash
133:Ripe Corn
112:, and of
51:Whitehall
687:, gov.uk
576:See also
465:James II
422:National
387:Brussels
349:and the
243:Emma Kay
114:James II
735:9 April
613:, ArtUK
375:Chennai
368:At the
365:twice.
69:to the
57:History
707:19 May
702:Art UK
379:Madras
325:, and
96:, the
357:, by
737:2019
709:2023
430:Tate
428:and
321:and
305:and
237:and
201:and
193:and
185:and
37:The
547:by
525:by
505:by
486:by
467:by
146:Dr
135:by
116:by
108:by
25:by
769::
728:.
717:^
700:.
665:^
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711:.
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