Wyoming
State Museum

The Wyoming Legislative Artwork Donation Program Guidelines

The goal of the Wyoming Legislative Artwork Donation Program is to acquire and showcase appropriate artwork that represents Wyoming. Artwork will be exhibited in the Wyoming Senate and Wyoming House of Representative Chambers, the respective Chamber lobbies and galleries, and possible expansion to common areas on the second and third floors of the Capitol. Artwork may be acquired for display through donation, temporary loan or direct purchase.

Legislative Artwork Donation Committee

Pieces for consideration for donation or loan under the program will be reviewed and selected by a Legislative Artwork Donation Committee. The Committee will be comprised of legislators, a staff member from the Wyoming State Museum and a staff member or Board member from the Wyoming Arts Council. A new committee will be formed at the beginning of each legislative biennium.

Artwork Criteria for Donations and Loans

Only original artwork that is topically related to Wyoming or the Rocky Mountain West will be accepted for donation, loan or purchase under the program. Wyoming landscapes are the preferred content for paintings. Other artwork that represents the natural, social, cultural, political, or economic history or prehistory of Wyoming and Rocky Mountain West may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The preferred medium for donated, loaned or purchased artwork is oil or acrylic, although other two-dimensional mediums may be considered on a case-by-case basis with consideration for the practical preservation and long-term exhibition of those pieces. Other mediums may be considered for loaned pieces.

The artist should be recognized by critics and peers as a professional of serious intent and recognized ability, having exhibited their work in major shows, galleries or museums. Emphasis will be given to art created by Wyoming artists.

Due to the large size of the Senate and House of Representative Chambers and Chamber lobbies, only large two-dimensional work will be considered when making determinations for inclusion in the Capitol building.

Only artwork in good physical condition, unless the artwork is judged to have such outstanding value as to outweigh its condition, will be accepted. Donated pieces in poor physical condition will only be considered if they can be conserved to an acceptable level of stabilization.

Donor must have clear title to the object, which may include copyright when applicable, to be considered for inclusion in the program. The Committee has the right to reject any piece offered for loan or donation.

Procedures for Consideration of Donations and Loans

Potential donors and lenders should send an initial letter of intent for donation or loan of artwork to the yoming State Museum Art Curator.

Initial donation or loan proposals should also include: 1) title of the artwork, dimensions, medium and date of execution 2) color copies or a CD with digital images of the artwork clearly identified 3) artwork condition 4) appraisal value of artwork and 5) artist résumé.

Once a donation or loan proposal meets all of the program requirements, the donor or lender will be notified. Work under consideration will be delivered to the Wyoming State Museum (WSM) no earlier than one week prior to the next scheduled Legislative Artwork Donation Committee meeting. The WSM shall store the work until the next meeting.

All proposed acquisitions will be recorded on a temporary receipt form by the WSM staff.

If the Legislative Artwork Donation Committee refuses the donation or loan, the WSM will notify the donor or lender within one week of the Committee's decision for the work to be retrieved. Artwork not retrieved within 30 days will be returned COD. If the Committee accepts the donation or loan, the WSM will require the donor to complete a donation form relinquishing ownership to the State of Wyoming. The artwork will become the property of the State and the WSM shall manage and maintain the artwork, in coordination with the Legislative Services Office (LSO).

Donations of Artwork and Conditions of Acceptance

Artwork donations to the Wyoming Legislative Artwork Donation Program may be made by, or on behalf of, a current or former member of the Wyoming Legislature, or any private citizen.

Donors whose artwork is accepted will be required to fill out a donation form relinquishing ownership to the State of Wyoming. Artwork will become the property of the State and the WSM in coordination with the LSO will manage and maintain the artworks. Donations should be considered unconditional gifts to the State of Wyoming.

No restrictions or conditions may be placed on the acceptance of the artwork in the program, including the display of the donation. Artwork not on display will be stored by the WSM.

The WSM will require artists donating artwork to complete a copyright release. With or without full copyright transfer, the WSM will require the artist to authorize the State of Wyoming the right to reproduce images of the donation for educational, catalog, or publicity purposes.

The WSM will require artists donating artwork to complete a form waiving rights of attribution authorizing the WSM to make modification(s) deemed necessary for the conservation, preservation, or stabilization of the donation, without altering the artist's original intent.

All donated artwork will be inventoried by the WSM. The WSM and LSO will secure the artwork through the Capitol artwork security system and insure the work through the State of Wyoming's Risk Management Division within the Department of Administration and Information.

Loans of Artwork

Individuals loaning a piece of artwork will also be required to complete a loan form relinquishing temporary custody of the artwork to the State. The WSM shall manage and maintain the artwork during the loan period, of not less than one year. After the loan period expires, the WSM shall release the artwork into the custody of the lender.

The duration of the loan period will be stipulated on the loan form. Indefinite loans will not be accepted for display in the program. No restrictions or conditions may be placed on the acceptance of the loaned artwork in the program.

All loaned artwork will be inventoried by the WSM. The WSM and the LSO will secure the artwork through the Capitol artwork security system. The WSM will insure the artwork through the State of Wyoming's Risk Management Division within the Department of Administration and Information.

Neither the WSM nor the LSO will be involved in the private purchase of loaned pieced under the program.

Purchase of Artwork

Direct monetary donations to the Legislative Artwork Donation Program are also accepted. Please contact the WSM Art Curator if you are interested in making a direct donation for purchase of artwork.

Acknowledgement

Your donation or loan will be acknowledged in writing. Artwork will also be identified with donor and artist name.

The WSM will develop a guide of artwork in the collection, including information on the artist and donor.

Additional Considerations

All artwork is subject to the following acceptance process.

For artwork donated by an artist, the value assigned to the art is not a market value, nor can it include labor costs. The value is the cost of materials only (per tax regulations).

Art collectors who donate artwork are advised to consult a tax specialist to receive proper tax benefits. Donations of over $5000 are subject to review by the IRS.

Artwork may be bequeathed to the Legislative Artwork Donation Program in a will or named as a beneficiary of a trust agreement. A trust benefiting a non-profit organization may provide certain tax advantages.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please call the WSM Art Curator at (307) 777-7677.

Please send initial letter of intent including information on the proposed artwork to:

Legistative Artwork Donation Program
Wyoming State Museum
Museum Art Curator
Barrett Building
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002

Thank you for considering the Wyoming Legislative Artwork Donation Program for your art donation.