Plan to display more of Sunderland's £10million art collection after figures reveal just 14% of works are on show

Sunderland City Council has less than a fifth of its art collection on physical display, but city leaders say plans are in place to improve public access in future.

A mixture of the council’s art objects are currently displayed at venues across the city, including paintings, sculpture, glass art, decorative art, ceramics and more.

Almost all artworks in the council’s collection are available for the public to view online by searching via the Tyne and Wear Archives & Museums website and council-owned artworks can also be viewed by prior appointment in some cases.

According to a freedom of information request (FOI) to Sunderland City Council, only 14% of the local authority’s art collection is on public display, with 86% not on display and no items on private display.

FOI data from the council confirms more than 7,600 art objects are “not on physical display at the present time”, with numbers and types of art listed including:

:: Decorative arts – 3,305

:: Paintings – 424

:: Watercolours – 1,989

:: Prints – 1,911

:: Sculptures – 15

Sunderland City Council, in the FOI response, said it was “impossible” to put all art on display at one time but that the local authority tries to display as much as possible via rotation, as well as considering the “conservation needs of sensitive works”.

The local authority has also taken opportunities to increase its capacity to display artworks in future, including the use of grant funding to improve offerings at existing cultural venues such as the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.

City leaders are also considering potential opportunities at future flagship venue The Culture House, which is expected to be constructed at Keel Square in the city centre.

Cllr Linda Williams, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for Vibrant City, said the council was looking to “maximise the contribution” culture and heritage can make to local communities and the city’s economic regeneration.

Cllr Williams said: “The council has recently announced it has been successful in securing development phase funding of £299,425 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to proceed with plans to rejuvenate and develop the museum over the next five years.

“Plans will include the establishment of two new galleries, providing additional space to showcase the museum collection, glass, pottery and artworks that are currently stored within the museum.

“As we develop these plans over the coming months, we will also be exploring opportunities to bring the collection out to communities alongside improved conservation and interpretation activity.

“This is in addition to opportunities which may be developed as part of the council’s significant investment in Culture House as we look to maximise the contribution that culture and heritage can make to life in the city for all our communities and to the city’s economic regeneration.”

According to recent accounts figures, Sunderland City Council’s art collection was valued at £9.98million in March 31, 2021.

As the council’s art collection is not valued in its entirety, with only items worth more than £10,000 identified separately for insurance purposes, the true value would be a higher figure.

When parts of the art collection are not on physical display, Sunderland City Council has encouraged residents to view the artworks digitally.

The local authority also confirmed it had no plans to sell any of its art collection.

The artworks can be accessed through the Tyne and Wear Archives & Museums website at: www.twmuseums.org.uk/collections/collections-search