THREE North-East galleries are to become permanent homes to paintings and drawings by one of Britain’s greatest contemporary artists Frank Auerbach.

Works from a collection amassed by Auerbach’s friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud will go on permanent show at the Laing Art Gallery and Hatton Gallery in Newcastle and the Museum of Hartlepool, in Hartlepool.

The paintings were accepted under the Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) scheme in payment of inheritance tax, rather than donated, following Freud’s death in 2011.

Forty works in all are being distributed to museums and galleries across the country with the Laing and Hatton gallery receiving two and the Museum of Hartlepool one.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: "It is fantastic news that this collection of paintings and drawings by Frank Auerbach have found permanent homes thanks to the Acceptance in Lieu scheme and will be enjoyed by art lovers at museums and galleries throughout the UK.”