Agreement
There have been a number of one-time and travelling dinosaur art shows; some of them went like clockwork, and too many were disasters, proving that enthusiasm for the endeavor is no substitute for professionalism. I am talking about professionalism on the part of the artists as well as the exhibiting institutions. I sincerely believe that the field is now mature enough to have learned from the calamities and that the haphazard nature of exhibit planning and participation that caused the problems in the past will not be repeated. The one thing an exhibitor can and must do to make sure of this is simple:
NEVER ACCEPT ARTWORK FROM ANYONE WITHOUT A SIGNED, COMPREHENSIVE LOAN AGREEMENT.
The one thing an artist can and must do to make sure of this is simple:
NEVER SEND YOUR ARTWORK ANYWHERE WITHOUT A SIGNED, COMPREHENSIVE LOAN AGREEMENT.
The arrangement between an artist and a one-time exhibition or travelling art show does not need to be complicated to be comprehensive. One of the most efficient and respectful institutions to organize and run a travelling art exhibit that my partner and I have ever worked with is the Canton Museum of Art (formerly the Canton Art Institute.) They have graciously allowed me to reproduce their loan agreement on the following pages. I reprint it here because it is a perfect example of an agreement which covers all the institution's needs in an efficient way, without taxing the artist who has to fill it out.
The artist can use this agreement to judge the points made in any loan agreement he or she may be offered. An institution may feel free to copy the form and substance of this agreement for its own use if it does not have an agreement and wishes to sponsor a temporary or travelling exhibit.