Thank you for signing this Petition in support of keeping Hertfordshire’s Art Collection in public ownership for the benefit of all. And apologies for the delay in posting this update. On 5th June Hertfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Panel acknowledged the Petition but a majority voted to endorse the Council’s plans, despite concern from several Councillors and calls for more time. However, there are welcome differences in the plans given in the Council’s current Report in response to the Petition, as compared to its previous Report. The Petition and the publicity it gained, have helped to bring about some notable shifts in the Council’s plans. • Previously the Council was going to ‘sell 500 medium value works’ and ‘sell 46 high value nationally significant works.’ It now seems to be prioritising Hertfordshire museums and galleries for some of these works, although it still says that ‘the remainder will be auctioned.’ • Regarding the rest of the Art Collection, the Council now says it is likely that more of these artworks will be retained within Hertfordshire. • The Petition asked the Council to make public the independent report on the Art Collection it commissioned in 2016. The Council has now made part, but not all, of this report available on its website. • This independent report warns that using ‘relevance to Hertfordshire’ as a basis for reducing the Collection, as the Council is doing, makes little business sense and would result in the loss of many culturally significant artworks. • Previously most of the sale proceeds were to go into ‘a central pot.’ The Council now says the proceeds will be ‘in the first instance invested in the retained collection.’ • The need to fund the conservation of four nationally significant sculptures had been given as part of the Council’s reason for the sale/disposal of most of the rest of the Art Collection. Its current Report now confirms what the Petition said - that ‘a proportion of this investment may be secured from external funding sources.’ • The Petition highlighted that Hertfordshire’s Schools Art Loan Collection is one of very few remaining such collections. The Council now recognises that it is ‘likely to be one of the last collection of its type in local authority ownership.’ However, the Council continues to disregard the artistic and historic significance of Hertfordshire’s Schools Art Loan Collection as a whole, and its importance to the cultural heritage of the County. As the 428 artworks currently under consideration are from the 1,496 works of the Schools Art Loan Collection, if the Council proceeds with its plan to sell or gift these 428 artworks, then nearly a third of the Schools Art Loan Collection will be dissipated, and the Collection as a whole, with its wonderful story and heritage, will be lost forever. The Art Collection could be displayed, used and enjoyed through Hertfordshire’s public museums and galleries. There are also new and planned public galleries in the County, including the £7.75 million ‘world-class’ St Albans Museum and Gallery which opened two weeks ago. Hertfordshire County Council says it is continuing its discussions with interested organisations, so the overall outcome for the Art Collection is still under consideration. Meanwhile, many thanks for your support of this cause. For more information or to get in touch, please email: savehertfordshireart@gmail.com -