Portable Works Collection
Multiple Artists
More than 2,000 studio artworks are installed in county-owned buildings.
Photographs, paintings, works on paper, small sculptures—these are among the 2,000-plus pieces in King County’s Portable Works Collection. Administered by 4Culture, the portable works collection features studio work in a broad range of media, by emerging and established artists from the region and beyond.
These pieces enliven county spaces as they rotate from one building to another, while some belong to site-specific sub-collections and move exclusively within those facilities, such as Harborview Medical Center and the Maleng Regional Justice Center. Artworks in the rotating collection typically remain in place for at least three years. They move when judges change courtrooms, space uses evolve, locations need a refresh, and when buildings open and close.
The Portable Works Collection is guided by a mission to enrich the county’s physical environment, celebrate its diverse communities, and incorporate the work and thinking of artists into public buildings, hospitals, health centers, and gathering places. Site-specific portable works are acquired using bond funds; all other portable works are purchased with 1% for Art funds from county construction budgets. Acquisitions are made via open call and invitational processes when needs arise and funds become available.
