The University of Essex Collection of Latin American Art (UECLAA) will formally be presented with full accreditation by the national Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) on Wednesday, 19 March.

The presentation will also see the addition of a new piece of work to the impressive collection, when Marcela Montes donates a work by her late husband Fernando, called Family, created in 1977.

Vice-Chancellor of the University Professor Colin Riordan will accept the accreditation from the MLA, which confirms that UECLAA has met stringent guidelines on how it is run, how it looks after the Collection and the services it provides to users and visitors.

UECLAA has more than 600 artworks and is the largest public collection of Latin American art in Europe. The MLA praised UECLAA's five-year development plan, which seeks to grow and increase access to the Collection.

UECLAA's partnership with Colchester's iconic new contemporary art gallery, firstsite:newsite, will provide opportunities for exhibitions from Latin America, artists' residences and commissions. The Resource Centre at firstsite will provide permanent computer access to UECLAA online, the digital catalogue of the Collection.

While some UECLAA works are currently displayed in the University's Albert Sloman Library, and around its Colchester Campus, UECLAA is currently exploring opportunities for a major fundraising campaign to provide a permanent display space on the campus.