The province of Gelderland's art collection

The province of Gelderland's art collection encompasses about 2600 artworks, predominantly by Gelderland artists. The artworks are presented in the province's office buildings in Arnhem, in the public space and in the offices of employees.
Several disciplines and movements are represented in the collection. As a result the collection offers a broad overview of forty years of modern and contemporary art in Gelderland. Included in the collection are works by renowned Gelderland artists such as Cees Andriessen, Ad Gerritsen, Robert Terwindt, Maria Roosen, Berend Strik, Erik Odijk, Wouter van Riessen and Roland Schimmel.
Besides contemporary fine art, a collection of applied artworks is also included in the provincial art collection. This collection of objects, such as ashtrays, vases, cutlery and glassware, was especially composed for the 'Gesamtkunstwerk' Huis der Provincie (House of the Province) during its construction in the 1950s.

Artpolicy
The province of Gelderland collects, manages and preserves a collection of modern and contemporary art by artists that, in some form or other, have a connection to Gelderland.
The collection policy is in accordance with the province's general policy on fine art. The province considers fine art to be an important contributor to quality of life and the quality of our everyday surroundings. A pleasant and inspiring environment for both visitors and employees is created by presenting fine art in provincial government buildings.
The province aims to contribute to bridging the gap between contemporary art and the general public and wishes to actively support fine art. One of the ways to achieve this is by acquiring artworks for the provincial art collection. These yearly purchases not only stimulate the visual arts in Gelderland, but also contribute to building a collection that offers a complete picture of Gelderland art production through the years. Furthermore, the province enables biennial exhibitions of contemporary Gelderland art that are held at one of the larger Gelderland museums.The provincial art collection supports Gelderland museums and artists that are represented in the collection by participating in art loans to museums both in the Netherlands and abroad. The provincial art collection regularly commissions artists and designers to produce new work.

History
The province of Gelderland's art collection originated in the second half of the last century. From the 1970s onward the province has been actively building a collection that focuses on contemporary Gelderland art.