Arts council collection teams up with the McLaren group

Sculptures by some of Britain’s leading artists, including Jacob Epstein, Anthony Caro, Eduardo Paolozzi and Richard Deacon, have gone on show at the McLaren Technology Centre from Thursday 26th April 2007.

The display launches a unique partnership between the McLaren Group and the Arts Council Collection, which has been organised in collaboration with Outset Contemporary Art Fund. The Collection’s curators, working closely with McLaren Group Chairman and CEO, Ron Dennis, will select major works for a series of displays at the McLaren Technology Centre. The displays will aim to show a broad range of works from the Collection, including sculpture and video.

In turn, the McLaren Group will make a contribution to the Collection’s acquisitions budget, enabling the Collection to increase its already important support of the young and emerging artists working in Britain. In addition an emerging artist will be chosen for an annual commission by McLaren, in collaboration with Outset and this year this will be awarded to Nathaniel Rackowe.

A special feature of the partnership will be an outreach programme for McLaren Group employees and families including artist talks and a Staff Open Day.

Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group said: "McLaren is synonymous with cutting-edge technology whilst the Arts Council Collection works with and acquires work from cutting-edge artists. We intend that the exhibition will create debate about contemporary art amongst McLaren’s employees as well as stimulate their individual creativity."

Caroline Douglas, Head of the Arts Council Collection said: "This is an exciting new venture for the Collection, and one which will bring obvious and immediate benefit in terms of new purchases and our support for the vibrant arts scene in this country. It is a highly benign collaboration which maintains the independence of our acquisitions process at a time when the Collection’s ambition is greater than ever."

Candida Gertler of Outset said: "We are proud to have actively shaped this alliance which brings corporate funding to the Arts Council in a meaningful way. The model underscores our Foundation’s mission of facilitating public art through engagement with pioneering private partners and we hope that it encourages others to follow McLaren’s lead".