North Ayrshire Council’s fine art collection comprises of paintings collected by means of bequest, gift, purchase and commission. Collecting started in the era of the Burghs in the nineteenth century and continued through the time of Cunninghame District Council and now with North Ayrshire Council. Our policy is to collect art produced by local artists or of local scenes. However, some artworks fall outside this policy such as those from a bequest from the Scottish Arts Council. Artists represented in the collection range from the internationally famous, local professionals and gifted amateurs. North Ayrshire Council Heritage Service is responsible for the care and security of the Council’s art collection. Indeed, the majority of the collection is stored in the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre in Saltcoats where there is a regular change of art displays.