Yorkshire and East of England artists to be showcased around the world
The UK Government has acquired ten new works by eight artists from Yorkshire and the East of England for the Government Art Collection, to be displayed in embassies and government buildings worldwide as part of the Art X-UK initiative.
The Government Art Collection (GAC) has acquired ten new works by eight artists from Yorkshire and the East of England, marking the fourth instalment of the five-year Art X-UK project. This initiative aims to ensure the GAC reflects contemporary artistic talent from across the UK, with the new acquisitions including pieces by artists such as Grace Clifford and Issam Kourbaj. The works will be displayed in government buildings and ten British embassies overseas, including Washington DC, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and Paris.
Grace Clifford, whose work explores identity and heritage using everyday objects and industrial materials, has had her piece acquired by the GAC. Clifford, who received the Working Class Creatives Database x Yorkshire Sculpture Park Residency in 2023 and the Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award Scheme in 2025, highlighted the significance of her bronze pub stool being included in the collection. Issam Kourbaj, born in Syria and based in Cambridge, creates art that examines migration and displacement using fragile, layered materials and found objects.
The Art X-UK project, launched in 2022 as a five-year acquisitions programme, has so far collected over 170 pieces by 80 contemporary visual artists for the GAC. The initiative was piloted successfully in 2020–21 and aims to showcase the best of UK creativity while promoting the country’s creative sector internationally. The GAC, part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has emphasised the importance of regional talent in shaping the national collection.
Artists from the region have expressed pride and significance in their works being included in the GAC. One artist noted that her practice thrived in Yorkshire, supported by organisations like The Art House in Wakefield and Yorkshire Sculpture International. Another artist highlighted the recognition of disabled artists’ work in the region, while a third emphasised the importance of Norfolk’s vibrant artist network in her creative journey.