BUSINESS is being asked to back a pioneering project that will blow the cobwebs from Kent’s art treasures.

Thanks to generations of benefactors, especially in the 19th century, Kent has around 2,200 oil paintings in public ownership.

But only a few ever see the light of day. Some hang in galleries, a few adorn the walls of buildings such as County Hall, crematoria and schools. The rest are deteriorating in basements and storerooms.

The situation is not unique to Kent. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of paintings are kept in storage.

Kent-based ex-diplomat and banker Fred Hohler was appalled by the absence of catalogues and the fact that, apart from a few curators, few people knew what oil paintings the nation possessed.

So he set up The Public Catalogue Foundation to spearhead a crusade to photograph and catalogue every oil painting in public ownership in the UK.

He thought he would not be able to raise enough money centrally to fund a national scheme so he decided to approach it on a county-by-county basis.

Prince Charles gave the charity his blessing and the Government backed the project with a cash injection.

Dr Hohler enlisted the support of Christies, the art dealer with experience of catalogue production, and a specialist was hired to photograph the paintings. Kent was supposed to have the first catalogue. But production was held up and Leeds enjoyed that honour.

However, Kent will be second, with hardback and paperback copies due out in September/October. Catalogues for more than 50 other areas will follow over the next five or six years.

It costs around £70,000 to produce each catalogue and Kent has nearly raised that sum thanks to donations from individuals, Kent County Council, and companies.

But, speaking to a business audience in the Stone Court Hotel, Maidstone, Dr Hohler said £8,000 was still needed and appealed to them to bridge the funding gap.

He said that any company pledging a substantial donation could become a catalogue sponsor. Donors of £1,000 would have their name printed in the catalogue. And he hoped that firms would consider giving catalogues as corporate gifts.

He said: "We have one of the greatest collections of oil paintings in the world but 80 per cent are never seen. I was fed up going to galleries without catalogues and thought I would do something about it."

Even if paintings were lost or stolen, it was important to have a photographic record for everyone to enjoy.

Sales of catalogues are expected to raise nearly £3m for art conservation over the next few years. When catalogues go on sale, the hardback will cost £45 and the paperback £15.

Simon Lace, museums manager for Maidstone council, revealed that it owned 510 paintings but only 75 were on display.

The Foundation was one of the most important projects for museums in the county. "I am very grateful for this project because it will enable us to look at our collection properly," he said.

Elaine Craven, boss of Earl Street Employment in Maidstone, urged business to support the project.

She said: "They take out of society, they must put something back. Art is important because it's our cultural heritage and that of future generations."