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Art Sharing

We are dedicated to fostering long-term art-sharing partnerships among museums of all sizes and locations throughout the United States and its territories.

How We Share Art

We partner with museums to get artworks out of storage and into communities nationwide by providing financial and strategic support for collection loans, exhibitions, and art-sharing initiatives that broaden experiences with American art.

LendingInstitutions

Lenders are typically museums with large or specialized collections. They are interested in sharing their collections with broader audiences and enthusiastic about collaborating with other museums across the country.

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Installation of "American Revolutionaries: Art & Disruption" at Peoria Riverfront Museum, 2022

BorrowingVenues

Borrowers are museums of all sizes across the country, including rural, urban, and suburban venues, that are dedicated to engaging their communities by providing greater access to American art.

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Gallery view of Many Wests, Many Stories a the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), University of Utah.

Our Art Sharing pillar encompasses four programs that allow our museum partners to:

  • 01.

    Share artworks,

    filling the gaps and increasing diversity in museum collections.

  • 02.

    Create and travel exhibitions,

    working collaboratively with other museums across the country.

  • 03.

    Reach new audiences

    and foster community engagement.

Partner Loan Network

This art sharing initiative aims to get American art out of storage and into communities nationwide. Lending institutions identify artworks from their collections that are available for a 2-year loan. In consultation with our team, those works are assembled into smaller groupings of 2-5 objects, which are then offered to borrowing venues in our network of partners. Art Bridges provides logistical support and covers direct costs involved with both artwork preparation and presentation.
Learn moreabout Partner Loan Network
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Art Bridges Collection

The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. To date, the Art Bridges Collection contains over 200 objects that are available for loan to museums across the United States. In addition to providing strategic support, Art Bridges ensures that these collection loans are free of cost to borrowing venues.
Learn Moreabout Art Bridges Collection
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Traveling Exhibitions

Through its traveling exhibitions program, Art Bridges partners with institutions that have already organized or are in the process of developing great exhibitions but cannot tour them without additional financial, logistical, and strategic support. Qualifying borrowing venues are eligible for funding support to offset the cost of hosting the exhibition. Art Bridges manages the tour and covers direct costs, including insurance, crating, packing, and shipping.
Learn Moreabout Traveling Exhibitions
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Cohort Program

The Art Bridges Cohort Program expands access to American art by supporting multiyear, multi-institutional, art-sharing partnerships among museums nationwide. Each cohort, comprised of a lead museum and cohort members, works together for 4-6 years to share their collections, making art lending, borrowing, and display more efficient and environmentally sustainable. The goal of the program is to create self-sustaining ecosystems of art sharing, collaboration, and community engagement across the country.
Learn Moreabout Cohort Program
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Stories of Impact

Partner Stories

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