Ceredigion County Council owns a collection of contemporary paintings, drawings and prints, displayed in public buildings throughout the county, which the Ceredigion Museum staff curate. One of the primary purposes of the collection is to make it available and accessible to members of the viewing public. The contemporary collection began in 1976 with the aim of accumulating art work with a local relevance, produced by artists living in Wales, whose works are seen to have a Welsh or international significance, as well as having artistic merit. Notable paintings include ‘Aberystwyth’ by Catrin Webster and ‘Thunderball’ by Royal Academy artist Terry Setch. The collection has developed and expanded through donations of several disbanded art collections. A few of the works have been donated by the artists and local people, or bequeathed by resident private collectors. Various contemporary works have been purchased from the art shows in the gallery, many with the support of the Friends of Ceredigion Museum. The collection is housed in a number of locations allowing it to grow and diversify whilst always retaining relevance to the local county, its cultural history and its people.