Cultural objects worth £57m gifted to the nation

Fifty objects of cultural significance worth £57m were accepted for the nation and allocated to museums across the UK under the government’s cultural gifts and acceptance in lieu schemes in 2021-22.

The cultural gifts scheme is in its ninth year. In return for gifting objects to the nation donors receive a part reduction in tax based on the value of the donated item.  The Arts Council's Cultural Gifts Scheme & Acceptance in Lieu 2022 Reportstates that in 2021-22 there were 16 gifts and they include Joe Tilson’s Stele for Dionysos (Diptych B) and the majority of the prints plates and drawings from the Balakjian collection.

Acceptance in lieu allows inheritance tax to be paid by transferring important cultural  scientific or historic objects and archives to public collections. Highlights for 2021-22 include a Joseph Wright of Derby self-portrait allocated to Derby Museums and an early painting by Peter Doig allocated to...