Fine Art Collection

1.0    Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for the acquisition or donation of original works of art.

2.0 Revision History

3.0 Persons Affected

3.1 All Casper College employees and students.

3.2 Casper College Foundation executive director and Foundation Gift Acceptance Committee.

4.0 Policy

The policy of Casper college is to ensure the following:

4.1 The college has an art-rich learning environment that stimulates the cultural, intellectual, and scholarly experiences of the campus community and visitors.

4.2 The college acquires or accepts donations of works of art that support the college’s mission.

4.3 The college abides by the UNESCO cultural property guidelines and federal, state, and local laws including NAGPRA, CITES, and the Endangered Species Act.

5.0 Definitions

5.1 Original Works of Art (Works). Paintings, sculptures, murals, drawings, prints, ceramics, mixed media, glass, digital media, photography, fibers, and a combination thereof that the artist personally rendered or were created under the supervision of the artist. Casper College only accepts original works.

5.2 Fine Arts Committee. This committee comprised of Casper College Visual Arts Department employees and director of museum to assist in the creation of an environment of education, contemplation, reflection, and discussion through original works. They ensure acquisitions enhance and balance the existing collection and maintain an inventory of the college’s art collection.

The Fine Arts Committee manages proposals to purchase, donate, or install works and recommends the acquisition, acceptance, and installation of works on campus to the vice president of academic affairs (VPAA), president, and foundation executive director. The foundation executive director signs the receipt for collections.

5.3 Donated Works. The college accepts donated works that meet the college’s mission and that it can install and maintain. Donors should provide initial and additional funding for installation and maintenance when possible. The college is not obligated to accept works offered. Accepted donations are the unconditional property of the Casper College Foundation for the use of Casper College and can be sold, deaccessioned, or exchanged.

The college will accept an offer of a group of works as long as the college is free to reject any part of the group that does not meet college standards. The president or the foundation executive director will discuss options with donors or executors if a restricted offer is made.

5.4 Public Space. Any space on campus that is accessible to the public without restriction.

5.5 Art Collection. Works acquired by Casper College that may be available for display in public spaces.

5.6 Teaching Art Collection. Works acquired by Casper College that the Visual Art Department uses for instruction.

5.7 Appraisals and Authentications. The process used to determine the value and legitimacy of works. A third party must conduct any appraisals to avoid the actual or appearance of a conflict of interest by a college employee. Donors must provide a certified appraisal if they want a value listed on the charitable donation letter sent by the foundation to the donor.

5.8 Accession. The process of adding and documenting the addition to a collection.

5.9 Deaccession. The process of legally removing works from a collection. The college may deaccession works that no longer meet the college’s mission or whose condition has degraded or cost to maintain exceeds its usefulness or relevance to the college.

5.10 Loaning Works. The temporary physical transfer of works without transfer of ownership. The college may loan works for exhibit, research, and public education to museums, non-profit educational or cultural institutions, or government agencies that are regularly open to the public. Other than for professional conservation treatments or specialized photography or digitization, the college does not loan works to individuals, clubs or similar organizations, or private corporations or to institutions unable to meet loan guidelines set by the American Alliance of Museums. The borrowing organization must receive pre-approval from the Fine Arts Committee if they want to sell photos of the works for a profit.

6.0 Responsibilities

6.1 The VPAA is responsible for maintaining compliance with this policy.

6.2 The Fine Arts Committee is responsible for recommending the acquisition, location, access, maintenance, and installation of works for instruction or display, maintaining an inventory of works, and recommending deaccessioning.

7.0 Procedures

7.1 Acquisitions and Donations

7.1.1 The Fine Arts Committee accepts proposals to purchase works or accept donated works. When adding works, the committee considers the following.

• If the works are original.
• If there is a clear and legal title to the works.
• The history of the works. The college will not acquire or accept donations of works with a questionable or unethical history.
• The installation and maintenance requirements. The committee may vote to not recommend accepting works that require display conservation or special storage or treatment unless funds are secured at the time of acquisition for these purposes.

7.1.2 The committee votes to recommend the purchase or donation of works. A simple majority wins. The Foundation Gift Acceptance Committee may accept works on behalf of the college.

7.2 Inventory, Installation, Maintenance, and Access

7.2.1 Upon acceptance of a works, the Fine Arts Committee creates a record for the works to include its history, deed or donation record, accession records, condition reports, location records, and general collection records. They assign an accession number and create a condition report upon delivery of the works.

7.2.2 The Fine Arts Committee, Physical Plant, and the artist (if necessary or available) ensure the proper installation and maintenance of the works. The Fine Arts Committee must consider the accessibility of the works when they select a location and installation.

7.3 Securing and Preserving

7.3.1 The main threats to works are exposure, vandalism, and deterioration. The college has security measures to protect works. The college weighs the accessibility of works to security and preservation measures.

7.4 Loaning

7.4.1 The Fine Art Committee reviews the loan proposal and the borrowing facility, and possibly a facilities report. The borrowing institution’s facilities must provide adequate assurance for the physical care and security of the requested works including proof of insurance during transportation and hosting. The Fine Arts Committee considers the condition of the works requested, risks of travel and temporary domicile, and merits of the loan contributing to knowledge. The Fine Arts Committee may approve the loan.

7.4.2 An appropriate college stakeholder approved by the Fine Arts Committee oversees the packing, shipping, and insurance (if applicable). The stakeholder completes a conditions report before packing and upon return of the works.

7.5 Deaccessioning

7.5.1 The Fine Arts Committee may recommend a work be deaccessioned or college or foundation employees may submit a request to deaccession a work to the Fine Arts Committee. A minimum of two years after accession is standard to wait before deaccession.

7.5.2 The Fine Arts Committee creates a report that includes the following information. The report and any documentation become part of the permanent record of the college’s art collection.

• Justification for the deaccession. Acceptable justification includes when the work has decayed or decomposed beyond repair or the repair would exceed reasonable financial costs; is hazardous to itself, other works, employees, or visitors to include works that emit toxic or hazardous vapors, powders, gasses, fluids, or extreme insect infestations; is inappropriate to college’s mission and vision and cannot be transferred to the teaching collection, or is not an original work. Deaccession may occur if there is an overabundance of redundant works or the college is unable to acquire new works because of limited resources and must reduce its current collection before acquiring new works.
• Recommended disposal methods and justification for the method chosen. Acceptable disposal methods include donating or trading the works with an appropriate non-profit organization where the works remain accessible to the public; reassigning the works to the teaching collection; public auction conducted by a third party; or destruction in a responsible manner with an impartial third party witness. This choice is only acceptable if it is cost-prohibitive to repair or restore the works or if the works are hazardous or toxic.

The college may not give, privately sell, or loan deaccessioned works to individuals or organizations, sell the works in a retail establishment, or destroy it in an irresponsible manner, such as tossing them into the trash, leaving them outside, or burying a toxic work. Board members or employees or their representatives or immediate family are prohibited from acquiring deaccessioned works through gift, purchase, or transfer. They may purchase works at a public auction if they did not have an advantage with the purchase.

• Documentation of a clear and unrestricted title and ownership or the college’s effort to establish clear and unrestricted ownership of any works with incomplete or no ownership records.
• Accession date and number. Accession numbers are permanent and must be retired upon deaccession.
• Description, photo, and notes on the works.

7.5.3 The Fine Arts Committee submits its report to the VPAA, president, and foundation executive director who jointly make the final decision to deaccession a work.

7.5.4 Deaccession occurs just before disposing of the item via the chosen method. The person responsible for the disposal notifies the Fine Arts Committee after the works have been disposed of. The Fine Arts Committee completes the record on the works.