Our Parliamentary Art Collection

This project advances the current remit of investigating the role of artworks in the Parliamentary Art Collection for audiences’ reception. It delivers this by: i) exploring the history and socio-spatial architecture of Parliament, and Parliamentary Art Collection, to ii) contextually ground understanding of audience reception and interpretation of the artworks within the distinctive heritage space of Parliament. It will consider how other comparable institutions, such as Parliamentary collections internationally, engage with
issues relating to equality and diversity in their interpretation, collections, and audience development. The Parliamentary Art Collection offers an ideal space to consider the visual representation of power and democracy. Attending to critical, timely questions of social
inequality and justice in relation to collections and issues of display, this project explores how stories are told about art works, who visits, and meaning-making.