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Yinka Shonibare MBE curates the Arts Council Collection
Our latest Touring Exhibition, Criminal Ornamentation, explores the cultural and social dimensions of the use of pattern in art.

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National Partners Programme
The National Partners Programme aims to establish a network of museums and galleries to exhibit and respond to the Collection over a three-year period, raising the profile of the Arts Council Collection with the public.

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Sculpture at Longside
Located within the grounds of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Longside has been home to sculpture in the Arts Council Collection since 2003.

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Curators' Days
The Arts Council Collection organises six events for UK-based curators each year. Designed as an informal forum for networking, learning and sharing, the events bring together curators from galleries across the country.

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Welcome to the Arts Council Collection
The Arts Council Collection is the most widely circulated national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art in the world and plays a vital role in supporting galleries across the UK through loans, touring exhibitions and curatorial skills.

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In My Shoes: Art & the Self since the 1990s
A timely opportunity to consider the legacy of a key aspect of 1990s British art, current Touring Exhibition In My Shoes, explores the ways in which artists based in the UK have represented themselves in their work since the 1990s.

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The Arts Council Collection: COVID-19 Information

COVID-19:  We’re currently operating with a reduced team so may take a little longer than usual to reply - please refer to our revised FAQs to find out how best to contact us during this period.

We will continue to explore ways of sharing the Collection across our digital platforms during this period of exhibition closures. Please sign up to receive our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and Twitter for regular content updates and to enjoy digital highlights from the Collection.

Discover the Collection
Lay back, keep quiet and think of what made Britain so great

Boyce, Sonia

Lay back, keep quiet and think of what made Britain so great

1986

60 Minutes Silence

Wearing, Gillian

60 Minutes Silence

1996

The Crowning

Shonibare, MBE, Yinka

The Crowning

2007

Totality

Paterson, Katie

Totality

2015

Movement in Squares

Riley, Bridget

Movement in Squares

1961

Is it okay to be black?

Anderson, Hurvin

Is it okay to be black?

2015

Baylham Mill

Bell, Graham

Baylham Mill

1940

Head VI

Bacon, Francis

Head VI

1949

New Stones - Newton's Tones

Cragg, Tony

New Stones - Newton's Tones

1978

Spirit Jar

Perry, Grayson

Spirit Jar

1994

Gedser

Tillmans, Wolfgang

Gedser

2004

Born Winged Animals and Honey Gatherers of the Soul

Wardill, Emily

Born Winged Animals and Honey Gatherers of the Soul

2006

Popcorn Shells

Ofili, Chris

Popcorn Shells

1995

Indian Room, from 5 Rooms

Hodgkin, Howard

Indian Room, from 5 Rooms

1968

Nunhead

Hiorns, Roger

Nunhead

2004

Expulsion from Number 8 Eden Close

Perry, Grayson

Expulsion from Number 8 Eden Close

2012

+ and -

Hatoum, Mona

+ and -

1994

Girl in a Green Dress

Freud, Lucian

Girl in a Green Dress

1954

Self Portrait with Fried Eggs (from Self Portraits series 1990-98)

Lucas, Sarah

Self Portrait with Fried Eggs (from Self Portraits series 1990-98)

1996

We Two Boys Together Clinging

Hockney, David

We Two Boys Together Clinging

1961

Slow Movement

Caro, Anthony

Slow Movement

1965

Fork Face

Hart, Emma

Fork Face

2017

Icon

Hepworth, Barbara

Icon

1957

Regine

Warren, Rebecca

Regine

2007

Hippy Dialectics

Mellors, Nathaniel

Hippy Dialectics

2010

Latest News

Birmingham MPs select artworks in new ACC National Partners show, Women Power Protest


5 Nov 2018

Ahead of the opening of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s new National Partners exhibition, Women Power Protest, MPs Jess Phillips (MP for Birmingham Yardley), Preet Kaur Gill (MP for Birmingham Edgbaston) and Dame Caroline Spelman (MP for Meriden) visited the museum to choose their favourite artworks.

The three MPs were given a sneak peek at the exhibition which was programmed as part of the Arts Council Collection’s (ACC) National Partnership Programme and brings together artworks from the...
Read more...

New Acquisitions
15 days

Perretta, Imran

15 days, 2018

b. 1988

IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Walter, John

IMPOSTER SYNDROME, 2017

b. 1978

Dark Continent: Semiramis Performanc...

Shani, Tai

Dark Continent: Semiramis Performanc...

2018

b. 1976

Droid Torture

Walter, John

Droid Torture, 2016

b. 1978

Inhibitor

Walter, John

Inhibitor, 2018

b. 1978

A Virus Walks Into A Bar

Walter, John

A Virus Walks Into A Bar, 2018

b. 1978

The Gender Song

Ifekoya, Evan

The Gender Song, 2014

b. 1988

Interlocutor

Bradley, Rachal

Interlocutor, 2018

b. 1979

Spoon II

Tompkins, Hayley

Spoon II, 2012

b. 1971

Pose Work for Sisters

Donachie, Jacqueline

Pose Work for Sisters, 2016

b. 1969

Untitled (Figure carrying Zip)

Peter, Mick

Untitled (Figure carrying Zip), 2015

b. 1974

Trailers (RoCH Fans and Legends)

pui san lok, susan

Trailers (RoCH Fans and Legends), 2015

b. 1972

RoCH Fan

pui san lok, susan

RoCH Fan, 2015

b. 1972

Moodrings, Crystals and Opal Coloure...

Xa, Zadie

Moodrings, Crystals and Opal Coloure...

2016

b. 1983

Co-Factor (Staffordshire King)

Walter, John

Co-Factor (Staffordshire King), 2018

b. 1978

Circle Square

Howard, Rachel

Circle Square, 2015

b. 1969

Figure in Blue

Johnson, Claudette

Figure in Blue, 2018

b. 1959

Tell me the story Of all these thing...

Zaman, Rehana

Tell me the story Of all these thing...

2017

b. 1982

Triskelion and Virus Particles

Walter, John

Triskelion and Virus Particles, 2016

b. 1978

Untitled

Lowndes, Gillian

Untitled, 1976

b. 1936

Brazen Serpent

Darling, Jesse

Brazen Serpent, 2018

b. 1980

'Throbbing Gristle' Partner, Vol. 1,...

Tutti, Cosey Fanni

'Throbbing Gristle' Partner, Vol. 1,...

1980

b. 1951

God's Bog

Finn-Kelcey, Rose

God's Bog, 2001

b. 1945

Forest of Dean 4

Meecham, Charlie

Forest of Dean 4, 2018

b. 1951

HIV Lifecycle

Walter, John

HIV Lifecycle, 2017

b. 1978

Innate Sensing Mechanism (Crab)

Walter, John

Innate Sensing Mechanism (Crab), 2017

b. 1978

YessSIR! Back off! Tell me who I am ...

Brooks, Flo

YessSIR! Back off! Tell me who I am ...

2018

b. 1987

A Problem of Departure

Cuddon, Katie

A Problem of Departure, 2013

b. 1979

Studio, 1995

Donachie, Jacqueline

Studio, 1995, 2016

b. 1969

Fist (Blue Shape)

Walter, John

Fist (Blue Shape), 2018

b. 1978

Ritual Without Belief

Ifekoya, Evan

Ritual Without Belief, 2018

b. 1988

Untitled

Cuddon, Katie

Untitled, 2016

b. 1979

Butts Only (that’s the sound that ...

Brooks, Flo

Butts Only (that’s the sound that ...

2018

b. 1987

What Remains – Possessions

Coldwell, Paul

What Remains – Possessions, 2015

b. 1952

Shame

Cuddon, Katie

Shame, 2014

b. 1979

Burning Love

Hong, Young In

Burning Love, 2014

b. 1972

Listener

Cuddon, Katie

Listener, 2015

b. 1979

RRR

Disley, Frances

RRR, 2018

b. 1976

Zany Capsid

Walter, John

Zany Capsid, 2017

b. 1978

Zinc Fingers

Walter, John

Zinc Fingers, 2016

b. 1978

Chief Financial Officer (Bette Davis...

Mellor, Dawn

Chief Financial Officer (Bette Davis...

2013

b. 1970

Forest of Dean 1

Meecham, Charlie

Forest of Dean 1, 2018

b. 1951

Uncoating (arrows)

Walter, John

Uncoating (arrows), 2017

b. 1978

Digital Light Pool CXVIII

Tompkins, Hayley

Digital Light Pool CXVIII, 2018

b. 1971

An Ensemble of Packaging Sequences

Walter, John

An Ensemble of Packaging Sequences, 2017

b. 1978

A Mapping in White

Coldwell, Paul

A Mapping in White, 2013

b. 1952

Cytoplasm (Rio Capsid)

Walter, John

Cytoplasm (Rio Capsid), 2017

b. 1978

Chair

Tompkins, Hayley

Chair, 2011

b. 1971

Forest of Dean 2

Meecham, Charlie

Forest of Dean 2, 2018

b. 1951

Forest of Dean 5

Meecham, Charlie

Forest of Dean 5, 2018

b. 1951

Allostery

Walter, John

Allostery, 2017

b. 1978

Front Desk Manager (Whoopi Goldberg)

Mellor, Dawn

Front Desk Manager (Whoopi Goldberg), 2013

b. 1970

Bouncer

Walter, John

Bouncer, 2017

b. 1978

Ritual Without Belief

Ifekoya, Evan

Ritual Without Belief, 2018

b. 1988

Museum Director (Judith Anderson)

Mellor, Dawn

Museum Director (Judith Anderson), 2013

b. 1970

SVN Stacks/Moon Marauder

Xa, Zadie

SVN Stacks/Moon Marauder, 2015

b. 1983

Exhibition

Cuddon, Katie

Exhibition, 2014

b. 1979

Gut Feelings (Stromatolith)

Hendry, Holly

Gut Feelings (Stromatolith), 2016

b. 1990

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The Arts Council Collection is the UK's most widely seen collection of modern and contemporary art.

With more than 8,000 works by over 2,000 artists, it can be seen in exhibitions and public displays across the country and beyond. This website offers unprecedented access to the Collection, and information about each work can be found on this site.