Government Art Collection
First ever display in a public gallery
An historic exhibition of works from the Government Art Collection (GAC) will open next year at the Whitechapel Gallery. The exhibition will be the first time the collection has been shown in a public gallery in its 113 year history.
The Collection’s 13,600 works dating from the 16th century to the present day are shown in public areas of over 450 UK government buildings across the globe. Special guest selectors who have a close connection with the artworks will choose works revealing hidden stories of the Collection, in a changing programme of shows running from June 2011 to September 2012.
The exhibition will then visit Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and Ulster Museum.
The GAC showcases British art in government buildings including Downing Street, the Home Office and British Embassies and Residences in nearly every capital city across the globe. The works promote British art and culture in the UK and overseas and are seen by the many thousands of visitors to these locations. Further information about the exhibition, including the names of guest selectors, will be announced in the coming months by DCMS and the Whitechapel Gallery.