MA Ethics Committee rules on Bolton disposal
Rebecca Atkinson, 28.03.2011
Committee publishes advice on the proposed sale of 36 artworks from museum collection
The Museums Association’s (MA) Ethics Committee has published a response to the proposed sale of 36 works by Bolton Council.
The council hopes to raise £500,000 from the sale, with the money used to relocate and improve its museum’s storage facility.
The Ethics Committee met earlier this month to discuss Bolton Council's proposal for its financially-motivated disposal. The council supplied details of the proposed sale and also provided supplementary information in response to specific questions from members of the committee.
On the basis of that information, the committee discussed whether or not the sale met the requirements of the MA’s code of ethics.
In its response, the committee said it was satisfied that the sale was not intended to generate short-term income and, when used to fund a new store, would significantly improve the long term public benefit from the remaining collection.
However, the code of ethics states that financially motivated disposals should be a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored. The committee said: “In the absence of a thorough fundraising strategy it cannot be demonstrated that other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored.”
It also recommended that the council undertake public consultation now that full details of the works proposed for sale has been published. One painting up for disposal is by Bolton artist Alfred Heaton Cooper, and the committee said that this might not fall outside the museum’s stated core collection.
Finally, the committee advised that if the sale does take place, then the proceeds should be placed in a restricted fund. It said Bolton Council should also provide evidence that the proceeds are being used to fund the creation of “significantly improved storage”.
Maurice Davies, head of policy and communication at the Museums Association, said: “The Ethics Committee looked at the proposal in great detail and considered extensive information provided by Bolton Council. The committee recognised Bolton's commitment to significantly improve storage of the museum collection and that it intended to meet a substantial part of the cost from its own resources.
“The committee concluded that proceeds from the sale of collections would be solely and directly applied to the remaining collection and bring sustainable long term public benefit, as the Code of Ethics requires.
“However, the committee felt that Bolton had not been able to demonstrate that alternative sources of funding had been thoroughly explored, as the code also requires. The committee also recommended more public consultation, now that the list of works being considered for sale is available. In addition, the committee questioned whether one of the works is in fact outside the core collection.”
Links
Click here for the MA's response to proposed sale (word)
Click here to read more about the sale of collections
Download full list of artworks Bolton Council proposes to sell (word)
The council hopes to raise £500,000 from the sale, with the money used to relocate and improve its museum’s storage facility.
The Ethics Committee met earlier this month to discuss Bolton Council's proposal for its financially-motivated disposal. The council supplied details of the proposed sale and also provided supplementary information in response to specific questions from members of the committee.
On the basis of that information, the committee discussed whether or not the sale met the requirements of the MA’s code of ethics.
In its response, the committee said it was satisfied that the sale was not intended to generate short-term income and, when used to fund a new store, would significantly improve the long term public benefit from the remaining collection.
However, the code of ethics states that financially motivated disposals should be a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored. The committee said: “In the absence of a thorough fundraising strategy it cannot be demonstrated that other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored.”
It also recommended that the council undertake public consultation now that full details of the works proposed for sale has been published. One painting up for disposal is by Bolton artist Alfred Heaton Cooper, and the committee said that this might not fall outside the museum’s stated core collection.
Finally, the committee advised that if the sale does take place, then the proceeds should be placed in a restricted fund. It said Bolton Council should also provide evidence that the proceeds are being used to fund the creation of “significantly improved storage”.
Maurice Davies, head of policy and communication at the Museums Association, said: “The Ethics Committee looked at the proposal in great detail and considered extensive information provided by Bolton Council. The committee recognised Bolton's commitment to significantly improve storage of the museum collection and that it intended to meet a substantial part of the cost from its own resources.
“The committee concluded that proceeds from the sale of collections would be solely and directly applied to the remaining collection and bring sustainable long term public benefit, as the Code of Ethics requires.
“However, the committee felt that Bolton had not been able to demonstrate that alternative sources of funding had been thoroughly explored, as the code also requires. The committee also recommended more public consultation, now that the list of works being considered for sale is available. In addition, the committee questioned whether one of the works is in fact outside the core collection.”
Links
Click here for the MA's response to proposed sale (word)
Click here to read more about the sale of collections
Download full list of artworks Bolton Council proposes to sell (word)
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