Thank you for your support of this Petition to save Hertfordshire’s Art Collection and keep it in public ownership.
 
The Council has conceded that Hertfordshire’s Schools Art Loan Collection is ‘likely to be one of the last collection of its type in local authority ownership.’  However, it continues to disregard its historic and cultural significance.
 
None of the paintings from this Collection were entered by the Council in the Public Catalogue Foundation (now Art UK), and so even many art professionals have been unaware of their existence. 
 
Hertfordshire County Council is now proceeding with its plan to dissipate the Art Collection and to sell many of the more important artworks.
 
The first 160 paintings are to be sold by auction in March through Cheffins.  A futher two auctions are due in April and May.
 
As a result, a large number of works by significant British artists will disappear from public ownership.
 
These include works by Barbara Hepworth, Joan Eardley, Anne Redpath, Robert MacBryde, John Minton, Edward Wadsworth, Julian Trevelyan, Michael Ayrton, Keith Vaughan, Carel Weight, and others.
 
Furthermore, the Council’s action:

• sends a worrying signal about the vulnerability of publicly-owned Council-held artworks
• denies Hertfordshire the chance to celebrate its place in British art as an important patron of twentieth century art
• deprives current and future generations of a rich artistic legacy
   

A sincere thank you for your support of the ethos of retaining this publicly-owned Art Collection for public benefit, and for the many comments posted.