Art Policy – October 26, 2015

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ART POLICY

Policy Type:

Management

Initially

Approved:

October 26,

2015

Policy

Sponsor:

Vice-President,

Finance and

Administration

Last

Revised:

October 26,

2015

Primary

Contact:

Art Committee

Review

Scheduled:

May 1, 2025

Approver:

Board of Governors

OVERVIEW

The University’s Art Collection exists for the present and future benefit of both the University

community and the general public.

This Policy and its Procedures will ensure that: (a) the management and scope of the Art

Collection is reflective of the University’s Strategic Objectives; (b) the care of Artwork meets the

University’s Standard of Care; and (c) future growth of the Art Collection will be subject to: (i)

adequate resources to ensure the University’s responsibilities are met and (ii) artistic merit in the

context of the University’s campus and community.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is for the Board of Governors of the University to delegate the

responsibility and authority for the implementation and management of this Policy to the Vice-

President, Finance and Administration.

This Policy will ensure that the University’s Strategic Objectives are considered and followed

when decisions are made by the Art Committee and the University, more broadly, with respect to

the University’s Art Collection.

SCOPE

This Policy applies to all University employees and to all Artwork that is currently in the

University’s Art Collection and Artwork that the University is considering for acquisition or

borrowing.

POLICY STATEMENT

GENERAL

1.1.

Employees may only acquire, borrow or loan Artwork on behalf of the University

in accordance with this Policy and its Procedures.

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1.2.

All donations of Artwork must be approved in writing, prior to the acquisition, by

the Art Committee, the University’s Development Office and/or Executive

Leadership Team in accordance with University policies.

1.3.

If there is uncertainty as to whether a piece is considered Artwork, the Art

Committee will either make the decision or refer the question to the Executive

Leadership Team for a final decision.

1.4.

The following Artwork is not included in the Art Collection:

privately owned Artwork that is brought onto campus by employees,

students or any other person and which does not require the consent or

approval of the Art Committee or other appropriate authority pursuant to

the University’s Signing Authority Policy to do so;

posters, leaflets, banners or other promotional materials whose primary

purpose is marketing;

Artwork used exclusively for instructional purposes; and

Artwork managed through the University’s Archives.

1.5.

The University is committed to acquiring and managing Artwork in accordance

with relevant Provincial, Federal, and international laws, conventions and

treaties.

1.6.

The University will not knowingly acquire Artwork that is stolen or otherwise

illegally acquired or that has been collected under circumstances that are

exploitative or unethical.

1.7.

Artwork on loan to the University is subject to the Standard of Care, unless

otherwise agreed to in the Artwork’s loan agreement.

1.8.

The University is committed to making Artwork available for future generations to

enjoy.

1.9.

The University will take steps to provide access to images of and public

information about the University’s Art Collection, subject to the availability of

resources and compliance with relevant law and University policies.

COMPOSITION OF ART COMMITTEE

2.1.

The Art Committee will consist of the following members:

Members:

i. Associate Vice-President Financial Services & Risk Management

or designate;

ii. Executive Director of Development or designate;

iii. University Librarian or designate;

iv. Chair of the Department of Interior Design or designate; and

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v. One divisional member appointed by each University Vice-

President. Divisional members will have demonstrated a

commitment to the arts prior to their appointment to the Art

Committee.

Chair:

The Vice-President, Finance and Administration will select a

chair from among the members of the Art Committee.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF ART COMMITTEE

3.1.

The Art Committee is responsible for the management of the Art Collection and

all Artwork, including but not limited to acquisitions, borrowing, loans and

deaccessions, maintenance, restoration, insurance coverage, copyright licences,

fair market appraisal requirements, storage, logistics and display.

3.2.

The Art Committee’s responsibilities are subject to other University policies

where Executive Leadership Team approval is required such as the University’s

Signing Authority Policy.

3.3.

If the Art Committee does not have authority under the University’s Signing

Authority Policy or other University policy to acquire or deaccession an Artwork,

the Art Committee will make a recommendation to the Executive Leadership

Team.

3.4.

The Art Committee will ensure Artwork displayed at the University is integrated

into the University environment with care and consideration.

3.5.

The Art Committee’s decisions will be based on the criteria outlined in this Policy

and its Procedures.

3.6.

The Art Committee or Executive Leadership Team will make decisions about the

loaning or borrowing of Artwork in accordance with the Procedures to this Policy

prior to any commitment being made on behalf of the University.

3.7.

The Art Committee is responsible for the ongoing examination of the University’s

Art Collection including the periodic review, registration and storage procedures

and the annual verification of the recorded inventory of the Artwork against actual

holdings.

3.8.

The Art Committee, whenever possible, will obtain copyright licenses for the

University for both currently held Artwork and for new Acquisitions of Artwork.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

4.1.

Members of the Art Committee are subject to both the University’s Conflict of

Interest policy, and to the Conflict of Interest provisions of the Procedures to this

Policy.

Art Policy – October 26, 2015

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ACQUISITION OF ARTWORK

5.1.

The University will acquire Artwork only in accordance with this Policy and the

Procedures to this Policy.

LOANING/BORROWING

6.1.

The University will loan and/or borrow Artwork only in accordance with this Policy

and the Procedures to this Policy.

DEACCESSIONING OF ARTWORK

7.1.

The University will deaccession Artwork only in accordance with this Policy and

the Procedures to this Policy.

DISPOSAL OF ARTWORK

8.1.

The University will dispose of Artwork only in accordance with this Policy and the

Procedures to this Policy.

DEFINITIONS

(1)

Artwork:

means all forms of original art, including but not limited to

paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture,

installations, digital and electronic works, and artifacts.

Artwork may also be part of the fabric of buildings, such as

windows, or may be displayed outdoors. Artwork may be a

single item or an integral unit made up of components.

(2)

Art Collection:

means all of the Artwork that the University owns or that is in

the University’s care and control

(3)

Art Committee:

means the Art Committee created in accordance with this

Policy and its Procedures

(4)

Deaccession:

is the formal and final removal of Artwork from the University’s

Art Collection.

(5)

Disposal:

is an administrative function that may include the sale,

exchange, destruction or repatriation of Artwork by the

University after a decision has been made to deaccession the

Artwork

(6)

Policy:

means the Art Policy

(7)

Procedures:

means the procedures to this Art Policy

(8)

Standard of Care:

means the University’s degree of care and maintenance of

Artwork that would be expected of an institution which is not a

professional museum or gallery and whose primary purpose is

not the collection or display of art. For further clarity, it means

the degree of care and maintenance that is equivalent to the

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level of care and maintenance that is provided by the

University generally for its facilities.

(9)

University

means Mount Royal University

RELATED POLICIES

•

Acceptance of Donated Gifts Policy

•

Contractual Signing Authority Policy

RELATED LEGISLATION

•

Cultural Property Export and Import Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.C-51;

•

Historical Resources Act, R.S.A. 2000, c.H-9

•

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works;

•

UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export

and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970;

RELATED DOCUMENTS

REVISION HISTORY

Date

(mm,dd,yyyy)

Description of

Change

Sections

Author

(Position Title)

Approver

(Position Title)

10/26/2015

NEW

Director, University

Secretariat

01/21/2020

Editorial

Template Update,

Position Title Update

Policy Specialist

University Secretary

10//06/2023

PEC to ELT

1, 3

Policy Advisor

General Counsel and

University Secretary

HISTORICAL NOTES

The following University departments were involved in the initial drafting of this Policy: Financial

Services, Library, Marketing and Communications, Physical Resources, Interior Design,

Development, Risk Services and Legal Services.