Irish Life Art Collection
Re-curating, conserving, and restoring an art collection developed across the 20th Century
Business to Arts is charged with the management of the existing corporate art collection of Irish Life. In particular, we are required to guide and advise on new acquisitions for the collection, ensuring that the collection as a whole is reflective of the ethos and culture of Irish Life.
Since 2020, Business to Arts has worked with Irish Life to assess, catalogue, and reinvigorate their corporate art collection.
We have overseen the establishment of the Irish Life Art Committee which has the responsibility for the day-to-day care of the collection and is dedicated to guiding and supporting Irish Life’s strategic plan for the arts.
We have ensured the safe storage and maintenance of the collection, advising on best practices throughout the redevelopment of Irish Life’s headquarters on Abbey Street.
We have also sourced and delivered the highest quality of bespoke, specialised conservation work with a large-scale conservation project of two Desmond Kinney murals.
In response to the need to make the collection more appealing to staff and leverage it to engage with Irish Life employees to enhance their working environment, we have drawn out aspects of the collection to connect staff working across multiple locations in Dublin and Dundalk. Staff can now engage with the collection in a meaningful way either through the works on display or through a dedicated microsite which enables them to learn more about the artists in the collection.
- Establishment of the Irish Life Art Committee
- Successful management and curation of Irish Life's corporate art collection within its buildings in Abbey Street and its new customer care centre in Dundalk
- Comprehensive assessment and cataloguing of the collection
- Safe conservation and storage of the collection during headquarters redevelopment
- Implementation of specialised conservation work to maintain the collection's quality
- Development of a future acquisitions and commissions strategy
- Enhanced the overall aesthetic and cultural representation of Irish Life through its art collection
- Provided employees, clients, and visitors with an engaging and visually appealing environment
- Strengthened Irish Life's reputation as a supporter of the arts and cultural preservation
- Demonstrated the company's commitment to maintaining high standards of conservation and curation
- Created clear purpose for the collection and strategy for future acquisitions
