Contribute Artwork to the Rahr West Art Museum Collection

Scope of Collections
Rahr-West Art Museum's primary areas of collecting include 19th, 20th, and 21st century contemporary art and decorative arts with an emphasis on:

• American Art - 19th, 20th, and 21st century fine and decorative arts that coincide with the history of the mansion or define and contribute to an understanding of significant stylistic directions
• International and Regional United States and Wisconsin Art - Significant work of any of the above focused time periods that is by artists with an established reputation or art that is of a high standard by artists who primarily make their living as arts professionals
• Other - Other art and decorative objects that serve the mission of the museum and expand the educational value of the existing holdings, presenting a particularly favorable opportunity to collect

Criteria for Acquisition to the Permanent Collection
Each object must serve the interpretive or exhibition objectives of the museum. The museum must be able to adequately care for and store the object.

All objects considered for the permanent collection must meet the criteria stated below:

• Objects must have high aesthetic quality and intrinsic value for exhibit or study.
• Objects must compare with or complement the established collection.
• Objects would clearly expand the scope and educational mission of the museum.
• The condition of the object would not place an undue burden on the museum. Objects in poor condition must demonstrate rarity or an artistic or historic significance.
• Objects must not be encumbered in any way by the donor.
• Objects must have clear provenance, allowing the museum to have free and clear title.

Acquisition Procedures for Approval of Objects Proposed for the Permanent Collection

1. Proposed acquisitions must be examined by the director prior to recommendation to the Collections Management Committee. The director must submit a written recommendation to the Museum Board of Directors. The director must consider the acquisition policy when reviewing any acquisition for recommendation. The director has discretionary authority to refuse proposed acquisitions if they do not meet the collecting criteria of the museum.
2. All acquisitions are recommended to the Museum Board of Directors by the director with the acknowledgment and review of the Collections Management Committee brought to the board. The proposed acquisition must be accompanied by a written statement from the director supporting the acquisition of the object and its relevance to the collection.
3. All proposed acquisitions must be approved or denied by the Museum Board of Directors, considering fiscal responsibility and long-term care of the object. Final board action regarding each acquisition should be recorded in the minutes of the Board of Directors meeting and a copy of the minutes should be filed with the assistant director for placement with object records.
4. In the unusual case that the recommendation of the director conflicts with approval of the Collections Management Committee, all reasons for the recommendation or denial should be submitted to the Board of Directors for review and final decision.
5. In the unusual case that timing for the purchase of a significant acquisition is urgent, requiring action prior to a regularly scheduled board meeting, any action taken must follow the procedures in the museum bylaws for action without a meeting.