Outward Loans Guidelines

The below details pertain to the National Gallery’s outward loan request process. Sharing the national collection operates under alternate parameters. Information about Sharing the national collection can be found here.

The National Gallery of Australia (The Gallery) loans works from our collection to institutions across Australia and around the world. These guidelines provide an overview of how to apply to borrow works of art, the approval procedure and some of the conditions that will apply should a loan proceed.

Evaluation criteria

All requests are considered on merit. The Gallery will consider:

• the educational and social benefit of the exhibition
• the work’s relevance to the exhibition and its potential engagement with the wider community
• conservation concerns and whether the work can travel safely
• the Gallery’s own exhibition schedule and scheduling needs
• pre-existing loan requests or agreements with other institutions
• the environmental controls and security available at the requesting institution, including fire prevention arrangements
• any other relevant factors.

Timeline

Requests for loans must be received by the Gallery at least 12 months prior to the opening date of the exhibition. Changes to or additions to the venues will not normally be considered after the request has been received.

Fees

The borrower will be invoiced for the actual cost incurred by the Gallery in addition to standard costs in respect of the following:

• insurance during transportation and while with the borrower
• conservation preparation, including any special glazing or framing (these are required to protect the work in transit or on display) and the construction of display supports required for the appropriate and safe display of the work
• all transport costs, including forwarding agent’s fees and any export fees
• security escort costs for consignment freighting (where applicable)
• courier travel costs, including accommodation and per diems
• Biosecurity Inspection Service fee (where applicable)
• packing and crating for shipment to borrower and for return to the Gallery
• cancellation will incur AUD$100 per work, once the loan is approved; any other amount determined as reasonable by the Gallery, will also be charged to cover administrative costs and documentation materials
• photography (copyright and reproduction fees, where applicable)
• annual inspection of long-term loans by Gallery staff or approved agent
• casual labour costs for back-filling Gallery staff required onsite at borrower’s venue (where applicable)
• labour costs if installation by Gallery staff has been made a condition of the loan and they are required to work beyond their normal working hours at the borrower’s venue.

Further information will be supplied after a loan request has been approved.

Loan agreements and insurance 

A work may only leave the Gallery on loan once the parties have signed a loan agreement setting forth the terms of the loan and once appropriate insurance coverage is in place for the object during transit and the term of the loan. For all outward loans, the Gallery will require the borrower to insure the work with Comcover, at the borrower’s expense. Comcover is the Australian government insurance agency that is contracted to provide insurance to the Gallery. A Certificate of Currency will be provided to the borrower. In the case of a touring exhibition, a single policy must cover all transit and exhibition venues.

Process

To submit your request, fill out the Loan Request form. Additionally, the Gallery requires a facility report to make a final decision. Please be prepared to provide the following information online:

• a letter of request must be addressed to the Director of the National Gallery and emailed to loans@nga.gov.au
• exhibition venues and dates
• exhibition Lead contact information
• if the loan involves the work(s) going to more than one venue, lead contact information at each venue
• exhibition summary and request justification
• list of works requested, including Gallery accession numbers
• written confirmation of involvement of any living artist in the presentation and interpretation of their works in the exhibition.

Your request will be pending until all the required information has been provided. Once your request has been confirmed, any subsequent changes to these details must be emailed to the Gallery’s Registrar, Exhibitions and Loans at loans@nga.gov.au for consideration.

Any questions can be emailed to loans@nga.gov.au

Related forms

• Loans Request Form
• Display Case Form
• Standard Facility Report – including environmental data for the intended display space

Questions about the outward loan guidelines

Any questions can be emailed to loans@nga.gov.au

Photography and copyright queries

Rights and Permissions Officer
National Gallery of Australia
GPO Box 1150
CANBERRA ACT 2601
copyright@nga.gov.au

Touring exhibition queries

Manager Touring Exhibitions
National Gallery of Australia
GPO Box 1150
CANBERRA ACT 2601
travex@nga.gov.au