The Arts Council, the British Council and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) decided to undertake a review of the three collections, the Arts Council Collection, British Council Collection and the Government Art Collection, to explore the potential for efficiencies, cost-savings and enhanced public benefit.
The DCMS Select Committee report into arts and heritage funding, published in March 2011, made various recommendations about the Arts Council Collection and about how it might work with the other two collections. It was agreed that the review should be extended to include consideration of the Select Committee recommendations.
Mick Elliott, then Director of Culture at DCMS, completed the first stage of the review in July 2011 with the recommendation that it be taken further by an expert in collections management and policy.
Loveday Shewell, an experienced independent adviser working in the visual arts and museum sector, was commissioned in September 2011 to complete the review.
Arts Council England, British Council and Department for Culture, Media and Sport have compiled a response to the review which is available to download from the Arts Council website http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/browse-advice-and-guidance/review-arts-council-collection-british-council-collection-and-government-art-collection.
