Ethics Committee advises on three proposals for financially-motivated disposal
Patrick Steel, 14.03.2011
Museums Association's Ethics Committee met today to discuss Bolton sale
The Museums Association's Ethics Committee met today to discuss proposals for financially-motivated disposal by Bolton Council and two others, one of which is also a local authority.
Bolton Council supplied the committee with details of the proposed sale of 36 paintings from its collection, including two Picassos, and also provided supplementary information in response to specific questions from members of the committee.
On the basis of that information, the committee discussed the formulation of its advice on whether or not the sale meets the requirements of the Museums Association's code of ethics.
Bolton will receive the committee's deliberations in the next fortnight, and the committee will publish the advice following that.
The committee also discussed advice on two other proposals, which it has been asked to look at in confidence. One of the proposals, from a local authority museum, was deemed not to have met the requirements of the code because the proceeds from the sale were not going to be spent solely and directly for the benefit of the museums collections, as stipulated in paragraph 6.15 of the code.
The other proposal was deemed to have met the requirements.
Maurice Davies, the MA's head of policy and communications, said: "We encourage museums considering financial-motivated disposal to seek our advice at the earliest possible stage of decision making.
"This is indeed what happened in the case that was accepted, as it was not too late to reshape elements of the proposal so that it met the strict requirements of the code."
Click here for information on the MA's thinking on sale of collections
For more details of Bolton's proposals, please click here
Bolton Council supplied the committee with details of the proposed sale of 36 paintings from its collection, including two Picassos, and also provided supplementary information in response to specific questions from members of the committee.
On the basis of that information, the committee discussed the formulation of its advice on whether or not the sale meets the requirements of the Museums Association's code of ethics.
Bolton will receive the committee's deliberations in the next fortnight, and the committee will publish the advice following that.
The committee also discussed advice on two other proposals, which it has been asked to look at in confidence. One of the proposals, from a local authority museum, was deemed not to have met the requirements of the code because the proceeds from the sale were not going to be spent solely and directly for the benefit of the museums collections, as stipulated in paragraph 6.15 of the code.
The other proposal was deemed to have met the requirements.
Maurice Davies, the MA's head of policy and communications, said: "We encourage museums considering financial-motivated disposal to seek our advice at the earliest possible stage of decision making.
"This is indeed what happened in the case that was accepted, as it was not too late to reshape elements of the proposal so that it met the strict requirements of the code."
Click here for information on the MA's thinking on sale of collections
For more details of Bolton's proposals, please click here
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