UK Government to build Permanent Mobile Museum to bring Art to Communities Everywhere
A total of £1.6 million, formed of £800,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and £800,000 matched by arts access charity Art Explora, will be used to build a state-of-the-art vehicle and tour three national collections per year, including the Government Art Collection (GAC).
Designed by renowned British architect Ab Rogers, this colourful new vehicle will be the first dedicated mobile museum in the country and is part of the Culture Secretary’s plan to ensure arts are available everywhere for everyone.
From 2027, Art Explora will tour the new mobile museum with three 12-week exhibitions each year. GAC artworks will feature in one exhibition annually, with national and regional partners including Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Birmingham Museums Trust and National Museums Liverpool among other national museums delivering the remaining programme to ensure the widest possible reach across the UK.
The Government Art Collection was established in 1899 and is a national collection of historic, modern and contemporary British art that is displayed in government buildings in the UK and around the world. The works are seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, promoting British art and contributing to cultural diplomacy. Through an extensive public engagement programme, the GAC brings artworks into the heart of communities and works with UK and international partners to support creative exchange and skill development for young people.
Ahead of this, a three month pilot tour will take place in the South West and North West with an existing mobile museum. This will bring a curated selection of works from the collection to communities across England this summer, including many who have never had the chance to experience a national gallery up close.
The exhibition brings together a selection of artworks from the Government Art Collection that explores the sea’s influence on people, places and communities. Through themes of exploration, migration and climate change, the works reflect the many ways the sea has shaped the UK and the wider world.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "I am determined that great art isn’t just for the few but for everyone, no matter where they live. The Government Art Collection belongs to the whole country, and this tour is an exciting step towards making that a reality.
By taking the collection directly into communities, to parks, schools, libraries and public squares, we’re breaking down the barriers that have kept people from experiencing the art that belongs to everyone. This is what ‘Arts Everywhere’ really means in practice, and I’m proud that we’re making it happen."