Wellington City Council has moved its most expensive piece, Charles Barraud's portrait of Te Puni, to the council’s public foyer for all to see.

New Zealand ratepayers own half a billion dollars worth of art, but only a token amount is on public display.

Local government figures show councils and council-controlled organisations own artwork worth at least $568,393,020, made up of at least 173,269 pieces, but only about 7 per cent is on show.

Auckland Council has the most valuable collection, making up almost half of the country's collection at $276,981,903.

Councils across New Zealand have accrued more than half a billion dollars of artwork. About 93 per cent of the pieces are not on public display.

The most valuable pieces include Richard Deacon's Nobody Here But Us sculpture, owned by Auckland Council, valued at $2.5m, and Ralph Hotere's Founders Theatre mural, owned by Hamilton City Council, valued at $2.2m.

READ MORE:

* The Colin McCahon artwork at Dowse Museum in Hutt you are not likely to see

* Council review of arts venues shows Wellington's 'culture capital' status threatened by prices, Auckland

* Ralph Hotere's Founders Theatre mural to stay put

Whakatane District Council has a tauihu, or waka figurehead, valued at $1.4m; Millennium Wall, owned by Gisborne District Council, is valued at $729,304; and Maori Before a Waterfall by William Hodges, owned by Invercargill City Council, is valued at $900,000.

FAIRFAX NZ Lower Hutt's Dowse Museum holds Colin McCahon's Through the Wall of Death: a Banner but is not likely to be seen anytime soon.

The figures were obtained by the Taxpayers' Union, which found many of the most expensive items were in mayoral offices, or collecting dust in storage.

Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams said much of the artwork had been donated or bequeathed to local authorities for the public to enjoy.

"But that's not happening. In addition, many larger councils designate an amount to be spent each year on new artwork, despite only a tiny fraction of their existing collections being accessible to the public."

MARK TAYLOR/FAIRFAX NZ Ralph Hotere’s Founders Theatre Mural, owned by Hamilton City Council, is among the most valuable pieces owned by a council.

After the information was requested, Wellington City Council made the decision to move its most expensive piece, Portrait of Te Puni – with an insurance value of $650,000 – to its public foyer for all to see.

Williams hoped the research would compel other councils to follow suit.

Hutt City Council had the third-fewest items on public display.

It owns 3181 pieces, valued at $13m, but the public sees only about 1 per cent. This month it was revealed that Lower Hutt's Dowse Museum holds Colin McCahon's Through the Wall of Death: a Banner, but it was not likely to be seen by ratepayers any time soon.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace said he was surprised so little art was on display.

He recently established an arts and culture committee, comprising councillors and members of the art community, to focus on arts in the city. It would address the issue of public display, he said.

Other councils with the lowest percentages of pieces on display include Whakatane District Council (0.2 per cent), Rotorua District Council (0.7 per cent), Wanganui District Council (1.3 per cent), Palmerston North City Council (1.8 per cent), Hamilton City Council (2.7 per cent), and Napier City Council (3.3. per cent).

Not all councils provided a list of their art, while others refused to provide the value of the most expensive items, on the basis that it might encourage theft or crime.

Wellington City Council owns about 491 pieces, valued at $4.9m, of which about 28 per cent is on display.

Mayor Justin Lester said a portion of the art was loaned out to various exhibitions in the city and other regions. About 100 items were usually on display in the Town Hall, which has been closed.

"It's unfortunate the Town Hall is out of action. The council's art policy is to ensure as much of the collection as possible is on display."