Partner LoanNetwork

The Art Bridges Partner Loan Network is an initiative dedicated to bringing American art out of museum vaults and presenting it in communities across the United States. A significant portion of collections sits in storage, meaning that important works of art remain inaccessible to the public. While most museums would prefer to have these artworks on view, issues like financial constraints, limited gallery space, and staff capacity impact their ability to lend them out to other museums. To offset such restrictions, Art Bridges announced the Partner Loan Network, which presents a lending model that provides museums with the logistical and strategic support needed to circulate their collections.

• Bring artwork out of storage and into new communities
• Increase the diversity of artworks for museums across the country
• Fill the gaps in museum collections
• Interpret historical works in new and innovative ways
• Increase transparency of the process for borrowing artworks and expand access for museums of all sizes
• Foster community engagement and attract new audiences for borrowing institutions

Institutions identify selections from their collections in consultation with Art Bridges. The selected pieces are then prepared for distribution to other museums in groupings of 3-7 artworks. Art Bridges coordinates loan agreements, insurance, condition reporting, crating, packing, and shipping at no cost to borrowing institutions.

These long-term loans last for two years, after which the artwork groupings travel to another borrowing institution.

The lending museums provide label copy and reference images of the selected artworks if available. Additional materials (such as extended text, major themes, interpretation, and historical programming information) can be developed in partnership with Art Bridges and the borrowing institution.

Art Bridges supports these partnerships through direct funding payments to offset hard and soft costs. In addition, lending museums may contribute curatorial and interpretive resources.

Borrowing institutions are also encouraged to apply for Learning & Engagement funding to support programming and community engagement.

Art Bridges provides two phases of funding for the Partner Loan Network. The first phase supports the curatorial development of groupings, including final checklists and object assessments. Depending on the number of groupings involved, Art Bridges provides the lending institution with a fixed rate between $5,000 and $15,000.

Once the groupings are developed and checklists are approved, the second phase begins, during which Art Bridges provides $500 per object* to support the work associated with preparing the objects for travel.

Art Bridges also pays for all the direct costs relating to crating, shipping, installation and deinstallation, and insurance to the borrowing institution. Art Bridges registrars manage the loans and help secure the borrowing institution’s facility and security reports. Additional support may be requested for modest conservation, such as cleaning, backing, and ready-made framing.

*On occasion, exceptions can be made for unique works that are complicated to prepare.