Smarter Loans Consultation
The Museums Association (MA) would like to invite you to take part in its
Smarter Loans consultation.
The Museums Association is currently working on Smarter Loans, producing a set
of guiding ethical principles for museum loans with supporting advice. The aim of
the work is to maximise the potential of loans to provide greater public access to
museum collections. Smarter Loans aims to encourage a flexible and pragmatic
approach to loans in order to support more museums to lend and borrow, and to
improve the impact of loans for the public.
Over the last few months a working group made up of colleagues from a range of
museums across the UK have produced a draft set of principles and guidance.
The MA would like to seek the views of the sector on this work to ensure the final
document, which will be published in January 2012, broadly reflects sector
thinking.
1. What type of museum do you work in?
N/A. Arts Council England is the lead body charged with developing the arts,
museums and libraries in England. Our mission is Great art for everyone. We
work to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in
artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives.
Although not a museum, the Arts Council does have a collection which was
established in 1946 for the purpose of promoting and enriching the nation’s
knowledge and appreciation of contemporary art, through touring exhibitions
and loans to galleries and public buildings throughout the country. The
following responses are written from an overview perspective, rather than
reflecting the day to day management of the collection.
2. Does your museum currently lend?
Yes
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If you have answered yes, does your museum have a Loans Policy
available for potential borrowers?
The Arts Council Collection is managed by the Hayward Gallery, Southbank
Centre and is based in London and at Longside, Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
It is the largest national loan collection of modern and contemporary British
art in the world. It is the most circulated of Britain’s national collections and
can be seen in exhibitions in museums and galleries across the UK and
abroad. Works are also loaned to a wide range of public buildings, such as
schools, universities and hospitals.
Art from the collection is made available through the Long loan scheme, the
Exhibition loan scheme and the Hayward Gallery Touring Exhibition.
If you have answered No please tell us why you don’t currently lend
material
N/A
3. Does your museum currently borrow material?
No
If you have answered No please tell us why you don’t borrow material
The focus of the collection is very much on loans out, but there is also an
increasing emphasis on peer group partnerships with other national
holdings such as the British Council Collection and the Government Art
Collection.
4. Having read the draft Smarter Loans principles would your museum
be willing to sign up to them?
Yes. The principal purpose of the Arts Council Collection is to broaden the
appreciation and public awareness of modern and contemporary British art.
This is achieved by getting as much work on display as possible:
 through the formation of exhibitions for tour by Hayward Touring
 showing at Longside in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
 loans to exhibitions organised by other bodies
 loans to museums, galleries and other public buildings across
England
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The Collection also aims to demonstrate best practice in relation to the
handling, conservation, care, and storage of works of art.
Although the Arts Council Collection is not eligible for the Museum
Accreditation Scheme, it does subscribe to the same ethical and
professional standards and keeps publicly owned assets within the public
domain.
The Principles align closely with these aims. In addition, with their emphasis
on engaging new and wider audiences, inspiring learning and enjoyment,
partnership and sustainable practice, the Principles link in well with Arts
Council England’s mission, vision and goals as set out in Achieving great
art for everyone and the recent companion document Culture, knowledge
and understanding: Great museums and libraries for everyone:
 Excellence is thriving and celebrated in museums and libraries
 More people experience and are inspired by museums and libraries
 Museums & libraries are sustainable, resilient and innovative.
 The leadership and workforce are diverse and highly skilled
 Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the
richness of museums and libraries.
5. Are there any potential barriers to you signing up to the Smarter
Loans principles?
There are no fundamental barriers. The Principles align with the Arts
Council’s mission, vision and goals and with the core purpose of the Arts
Council Collection, which is to be circulated on regular short and long term
loan to publicly accessible spaces.
The more technical Principles (six-10) would need to be reviewed against
the specific aims and criteria of the ACC’s various loan scheme initiatives.
For example, the long-loan scheme to public buildings is fee charging
(although not to museums and galleries).
6. Does the document contain enough information to support your
organisation to consider lending and borrowing (more)?
Yes.
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7. Do you have any comments on the specific areas of advice?
Who should we be lending to?
The most common loans are between museums; however museums are
increasingly working in partnership with a much wider range of
organisations to increase public access and enjoyment of collections. If
there is demonstrable public benefit in doing so, museums should consider
loans to any venue that can provide public access and is able to meet the
required standards of security and care. This follows the practice of the
Arts Council Collection, works from which are already on long- term loan in
a range of public buildings across the country.
Planning for loans
Reference should be made to Accreditation and its collections based
requirements.
Managing Risk: conditions for loans
This strikes an appropriate balance whilst underlining that the underpinning
desire is to facilitate loans.
Capturing the benefits of loans
This is an important element, providing the basis for case–making internally
and externally.
Any additional comments
Appendix 1 - the references and links to the Government Indemnity Scheme
and the National Security Adviser need to be updated to refer to Arts
Council England rather than the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council (A
meeting with Arts Council staff who contributed to the working group to
discuss how a final publication would relate to the Government Indemnity
Scheme has been arranged). Reference to Accreditation could also be
added.
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Overall the Principles and guidance strike the right note and level of detail
for the key target audience: those who have never engaged in loan activity
or do so only infrequently.
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