Right About Now

3 December 2021 - 13 December 2021

Please note due to unforeseen circumstances this exhibition will now close from Monday 13 December.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary year, the Arts Council Collection is delighted to present Right About Now at No.9 Cork Street. 

Starting with a small group of paintings in 1946, the Arts Council Collection began with the goal of establishing a national collection for the UK. Today, in its 75th year, it cares for over 8,000 works by close to 2,200 artists.

Right About Now highlights a diverse selection of recent acquisitions from the Collection and features 33 works by 18 artists. From multi-part installations to painting and moving image, the works displayed joined the Collection in 2019–2021 and represent some of the best and most ambitious modern and contemporary British art.

Arts Council Collection continues to bring art to every corner of the country through loans to museums, galleries, schools, hospitals and other public institutions, as well as through its touring exhibitions. Many of the works acquired in the last two years that are not displayed in this exhibition are already committed to loan. They are now on display in exhibitions across the UK and abroad, at venues as far-reaching as Cardiff, Penzance, Sunderland and The Hague, the Netherlands.

The Collection is committed to supporting artists from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, most often at an early stage of their career, to reflect the rich, diverse culture of the UK. Beyond our 75th year, we will continue to extend our reach to have a greater impact, establishing the Arts Council Collection as everyone’s national Collection.

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Of the 98 artworks acquired in 2019–2021, many of the remaining 65 not represented in Right About Now, are already on display or committed to loan in exhibitions across the UK and abroad, fulfilling the Art Council Collection’s mission to bring art to every corner of the country through loans to museums, galleries, schools, hospitals, and other public institutions, as well as through its own touring exhibitions.

Details of these artworks and where to see them can be found below.

Recent Acquisitions on Loan

Jessie Flood-Paddock

Jessie Flood-Paddock's Snack 16, 2015 and Snack 20, 2015, will be showing as part of Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by Women since 1945, at Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, University of Nottingham until 9 January 2022
Grace Schwindt

Resting, 2018 and Bird with Stretched Neck, 2018 by Grace Schwindt showing as part of Where We Are Now at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens until 14 November 2021
Clifton Wright

Clifton Wright's Self Portrait series, 2017-2018 showing as part of Where There's Space to Grow at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, 8 January - 13 March 2022
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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.