For museums and patrons
Public ownership. Private patronage.
Two very different roles in one proposed model. Here is what each would gain, what each would owe, and how each would be protected. Nothing here describes an existing agreement.
For museums
Benefits
- Funded display of suitable stored works
- Conservation, framing, insurance and transport costs covered
- Funded learning programmes and school visits
- New audiences and public recognition
Responsibilities
- Curators select works that can safely be shown
- Publish display terms and costs
- Report on public access and visitor numbers
- Keep humanitarian and cultural budgets separate
Safeguards
- Ownership always retained under stewardship
- Full curatorial and interpretive independence
- Right to recall works for care or research
- Provenance, restitution and conservation requirements come first
For patrons
Benefits
- A visible, lasting public contribution
- Recognition under transparent, published rules
- Help bring hidden works into public view
- Support programmes chosen on evidence
Responsibilities
- Separately identified humanitarian contribution
- Source-of-funds and eligibility checks
- Accept published reporting of contributions
- No expectation of ownership under stewardship
Safeguards
- No influence over grants
- No influence over museum interpretation
- Recognition follows verified contribution
- Independent audit of every stream
