The Museums Association’s (MA) ethics committee has called on Bolton Council to undertake more public consultation and explore other sources of fundraising ahead of the sale of 36 works from its museum collection.
The council hopes to raise £500,000 from the auction. The money will be used to improve and relocate the museum’s storage facility from Bolton Enterprise Centre.
Maurice Davies, head of policy and communication at the MA, said: “The committee recognised Bolton Council’s commitment to provide long-term benefits by significantly improving its storage facility. However, it could not demonstrate it fully met the criteria in the code of ethics.”
Concerns include the lack of public consultation and an absence of a fundraising strategy demonstrating that other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored.
Also, one painting up for disposal is by Bolton artist Alfred Heaton Cooper, and may therefore not fall outside the museum’s core collection. The ethics committee said Bolton Council should produce two public statements explaining how the proceeds from the sale will be used and how the 36 items were selected.
The council originally selected 41 works for disposal, but removed four because further research found they had significant connections to Bolton. A further work – A Proposal by Thomas Rowlandson – was removed after experts discovered it was a copy.
The final list includes two Pablo Picasso etchings as well as works by Walter Sickert and Frederic Leighton.
The council hopes to raise £500,000 from the auction. The money will be used to improve and relocate the museum’s storage facility from Bolton Enterprise Centre.
Maurice Davies, head of policy and communication at the MA, said: “The committee recognised Bolton Council’s commitment to provide long-term benefits by significantly improving its storage facility. However, it could not demonstrate it fully met the criteria in the code of ethics.”
Concerns include the lack of public consultation and an absence of a fundraising strategy demonstrating that other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored.
Also, one painting up for disposal is by Bolton artist Alfred Heaton Cooper, and may therefore not fall outside the museum’s core collection. The ethics committee said Bolton Council should produce two public statements explaining how the proceeds from the sale will be used and how the 36 items were selected.
The council originally selected 41 works for disposal, but removed four because further research found they had significant connections to Bolton. A further work – A Proposal by Thomas Rowlandson – was removed after experts discovered it was a copy.
The final list includes two Pablo Picasso etchings as well as works by Walter Sickert and Frederic Leighton.