Dear All

Bob and Roberta Smith RA OBE had offered to meet with the Council, together with interested national and local arts institutions, to help devise a different way forward for the remaining Schools Art Loan Collection. 

However, the Council is not open to seeking a different solution.

Last week 139 further artworks were sold at auction, with another auction planned for May.

The results of last week’s sale have not yet been published but we believe the proceeds were a little over £20,000 gross.  Such a small amount of money realised for the loss of 139 artworks that could have been used and enjoyed in the county.

The Council already had the funds it said it needed through the first auction, so this further sale of artworks seems needless, tragic and unethical.

Furthermore, next year is Hertfordshire’s Year of Culture ‘to celebrate, share and explore Hertfordshire’s arts, culture and heritage.’
 
This would surely have been an ideal opportunity to celebrate, share and use the remaining Schools Art Loan Collection.

Instead, with 291 sold and 112 gifted, a quarter of the artworks have already gone.

With regard to the rest, the Council was originally going to ‘offer 700 low value works … to local interest groups and the general public in Hertfordshire … through donations and public sale.’ 

It now says it is going to distribute these works for free to schools and other organisations, although it is not yet clear how the works will be distributed and what the the terms of ownership will be.

Meanwhile, the integrity, history, and social and cultural importance of Hertfordshire’s Schools Art Loan Collection is systematically being destroyed.

Thanks for your continued support.

We’re also on Twitter @savehertsart