Guidelines

The Foundation accepts loan requests from organizations for exhibitions, long-term loans in a permanent exhibition, and educational loans that provide promising new insights into the fields in which we collect art. We encourage exhibitions and research that coincide with ground-shifting concepts and will make every effort to accommodate loan requests. As a standard practice, the Foundation does not loan objects to individuals or to galleries or museums unable to meet standard American Association of Museums (AAM) guidelines.

 

 

All loan requests must be made in writing and submitted through our form portal. The loan request should include the following information:

  • The loan purpose
  • The loan period
  • The title, dates, and venue(s) of the exhibition
  • The organization purpose
  • The loan overview (scholarly contributions, themes, goals, and Foundation contribution)
  • Publication & outreach information
  • Funding details
  • Requested commitment date

 

Full details regarding insurance, security, transit plans, and facility reports for all venues must be provided for review before the loan can be approved. Objects are not loaned if there is an unreasonable risk to the Object(s) or if the Object(s) may be put to objectionable use that would reflect poorly upon the integrity of the Object(s) or the Foundation.

 

 

Our website explains our focus and priorities. We ask prospective borrowers to begin by reviewing them thoroughly to determine if their loan request is compatible with our mission and art collection areas.

Successful loans will satisfy the following criteria:

  • Advance the Foundation’s mission to challenge and shift perceptions, spark creativity and connect people across cultures through art
  • Bring new understanding to the developing and under-researched fields of art that are represented in our collection:
    • Art of the Spanish Americas
    • Digital & Electronic Art
    • Japanese Bamboo
    • Post-War Painting & Sculpture
  • Establish effective presentation, messaging and communications around the project
    • Exhibitions with a companion publication are encouraged
    • The Foundation offers grants for publications, academic programs and educational programming
  • Demonstrate advance planning and professional standards:
    • Domestic loan request made a minimum of 6 months in advance of the loan start date, preferably 12 months in advance of the loan start date
    • Venues meet AAM facility standards
    • Exhibition meets audience and time on view requirements
  • Create enterprising efforts to engage participants, stimulate conversation and facilitate learning for art and non-art audiences
  • Establish measurable outcomes that will be evaluated as part of the loan

Please see our Artwork Loan Form page for more information.

Questions about artwork loan opportunities or our terms and conditions should be sent to loans@thomafoundation.org.