OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí

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About Us

The OPW is responsible for the management of the State art collection, which now comprises almost 6,000 works by over 1,250 artists, located in State buildings throughout Ireland. OPW's funding for art in State buildings comes from per cent for art schemes for capital projects, which involves setting aside 1% of all construction budgets, subject to certain limits, for artistic features.

Responsibilities

• Implementation of the per cent for art scheme as set out specifically in Government Decision - S.29498, 13/05/97 and the Recommendations of the Public Art Research Project Steering Group Report to Government (1997).
• Maintenance of the Government art asset register - Department of Finance Circular 19/96.
• Responsibility for, and management of, the State art collection located in State buildings.
• Maximising public information, awareness and access to the State art collection by way of publications, exhibitions and database inventory.
• Accepting and granting loans and gifts of art works as required.
• Valuation of gifts under the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995 on behalf of Government Departments.

The OPW's Art Management Group set up in 1990, is responsible for carrying out the OPW's functions in relation to the State art collection. In addition, the Group's expertise is available to Government Departments and other public bodies for advice on the purchase, acquisition, maintenance, commissioning, restoration and valuation of art works. The Group is supported by the Art Management Office.

Information on art acquisition policies and procedures are available in the OPW Art Management Handbook - publication launch in October 2002. The OPW has also published comprehensive illustrated catalogues of all art works acquired by the OPW for State buildings from 1922 to 1995 in three volumes titled Art in State Buildings.

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