Art in State Buildings 1995 to 2005 - The Office of Public Works

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
This year, the Office of Public Works celebrates its 175th anniversary. Since
1831, we have undertaken 'public works' on behalf of the Government –
projects in diverse areas such as architecture, engineering, facilities
management, famine and flood relief, heritage and parks management,
publishing, and procurement. One of our tasks has been the acquisition of
art works and commissioning of art projects for other Government
departments and public buildings.
Since the late 20th century, the OPW has endeavoured to implement a Per
Cent for Art Scheme in its building projects. In the late 1990s, the
Government endorsed a national Per Cent for Art Scheme and in 2004, the
Public Art: Per Cent for Art Scheme General National Guidelines were published to
encourage all Government departments with construction budgets to
implement the scheme in their projects.
The years 1995 to 2005 have been productive for the OPW's use of the
Government's Per Cent for Art Scheme. Over 4,500 art works have been
purchased and commissioned. Art has been integrated into architectural
projects at every opportunity and this is evident in public offices throughout
the country. The enthusiasm from other Government departments for the
implementation of the scheme in their projects has been encouraging.
The works illustrated in this catalogue are representative of the art works now
installed in hundreds of buildings in Ireland, and some Irish Government
offices abroad. The CD accompanying the catalogue provides a more
comprehensive listing of the works acquired in the ten-year period. With this
extensive overview of the decade, it is exciting now to reflect on how the Per
Cent for Art Scheme has provided us with the opportunity to acquire such a
wide range of contemporary Irish art.
Seán Benton
Chairman
OPW
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Art in State Buildings 1995 – 2005