Interesting question and I can't believe your director is even concidering it.

Tell the people in the fundraising division  that if the object was in a private home, it "might" not be covered under your insurance policy. Don't know for sure if thats the case or not, but it might also give you some time to come up with a better answer.

You could also tell them that since they are allowing the painting to be used to the benefit of the donor, he is getting something in exchange for his donation and therefore the donor might not be able to write off the complete donation on his/her tax return. Again, I think there is a lot of gray, but it might convince the fundraising division that it could be a huge pain.


.Patrick R. Weissend

Director
Holland Land Office Museum
131 West Main Street
Batavia, NY 14020
(585) 343-4727
www.hollandlandoffice.com



-----Original Message-----
From: "Jackson, Gregory" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent 6/5/2008 11:03:21 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Art Loans to Individuals?

I'm sure everyone is scrambling to find you the text in various Museum

Ethics documents, but this should be considered VERY unethical.  You say

that you are associated with a major non-profit, but not what your

status is.  Unless you are privately owned, your museum is holding this

art in trust for the public.  Unless the donor is going to allow the

public into his house until 2010, you are betraying that trust.  



Greg 



-----Original Message-----

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On

Behalf Of Liz B

Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:07 AM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Art Loans to Individuals?



Hello,

I am the Curator at a museum associated with a major national

non-profit. Our 

museum has a large art collection including many paintings by Norman 

Rockwell. We typically only loan these works to other museums, but this

week 

I was asked (or should I say told) to loan one of the Rockwells to a

large $$ 

donor to display in his home until 2010. I offered other solutions such

as 

having a very high quality reproduction made for him to keep, but this

was 

rejected. All of my explanations as to why this is a bad idea are

laughed off 

and I am made to feel that I am overreacting. The painting was promised

to 

the donor by our Fundraising Division with no consultation to the

museum. My 

director understands my reluctance, but is not willing to put her foot

down 

and say no to them. Does anyone know of any type of formal written 

statement issued by a museum organization that says this is a no-no? I

have 

searched but was unable to find anything official. I am so worried about

the 

door we are opening if we go through with this loan! Am I overreacting

in this 

situation?? Anyone dealt with anything similar and have any suggestions?



Thanks,

Liz



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