A recent BBC investigation reveals that less than 5% of the over 500,000 artworks owned by 225 councils in England are on public display. Most of these pieces are stored away due to financial constraints and limited resources for museums, despite local authorities being significant funders of arts and culture.
Some councils, like Rugby, are actively working to display their collections, while others face challenges in managing their art due to closures and storage issues. The situation highlights the need for better access to publicly owned art and the importance of community engagement with these collections.