Tag Archives: ethics

Museum ethics: when the law plays catch up

Posted on: March 23, 2021 by Alexander Herman

Readers of this blog will know of our interest in a particular piece of EU law that came into effect throughout the EU territory on 28th December 2020. This predated the end of the Brexit Transition Period by three days and so applied to the UK as well, at least initially. The legislation was Regulation […]

New Art Antiquity and Law Issue Released

Posted on: May 15, 2020 by Charlotte Dunn

The most recent issue of Art Antiquity and Law is now available and, since we all have a little extra time on our hands lately, you can find articles, case notes and book reviews in our journal to help fill those spare hours with fascinating reading. Evelien Campfens gives a detailed exposition of the methods for […]

Lessons in Collecting from the Museum of the Bible

Posted on: April 14, 2020 by Charlotte Dunn

The Museum of the Bible has been a site of continual controversy since its opening in November 2017. The issues it has faced range from alleged thefts and forgeries to the illicit trade in antiquities. More than anything else, the Museum’s difficulties have demonstrated the importance of careful provenance research before acquiring artefacts for a […]

New issue of IAL’s Art Antiquity and Law journal just released

Posted on: October 24, 2019 by Julia Rodrigues Casella Hommes

Marking the beginning of a new academic year, the latest issue of Art Antiquity & Law, IAL’s quarterly journal, is hot off the press and brings a number of articles ranging from topics such as musical instruments and their legal framework to arbitration, art theft, export of cultural goods and the repatriation claims for the […]

Mixed fortunes for art in the UK’s regions

Posted on: June 6, 2019 by Emily Gould

“Interesting and challenging times” was how the UK Museums Association Director, Sharon Heal, described the current climate for the sector in her introduction to the Association’s Annual Report last year. No more acutely are those challenges felt than by the UK’s regional museums, many of which are run by local authorities. Over half of these […]

Talk by Alexander Herman on museums, ethics and deaccession

Posted on: March 13, 2019 by Kiri Cragin Folwell

Last week, our Assistant Director Alexander Herman gave a talk at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, on the topic of museums, law, ethics, deaccession and restitution. The talk was entitled “Values & Art: Ethics in the Management of Culture” and was part of Ryerson’s Business Ethics speaker series at the Ted Rogers School of Management. […]

In-house training at the V&A

Posted on: November 25, 2016 by Alexander Herman

We are very happy to be delivering a tailored in-house training at the V&A Museum in London next week. The two-day course, open to V&A personnel only, will include instruction on museum ethics, property acquisition, conflict of laws in the cultural sector, immunity from seizure and the law of gift, bailment and loan. We look […]

Courtauld course begins Monday

Posted on: September 23, 2016 by Alexander Herman

We’re happy to be providing, for the first time, our Diploma in Art Profession Law and Ethics at the Courtauld Institute starting Monday, 26 September. This course, run in conjunction with the Courtauld Institute Law Society, will be an intensive five-day run-through of everything from artists’ rights and copyright to art theft and restitution, including […]

Everyday Ethics for the Museum Sector

Posted on: April 25, 2016 by Emily Gould

The launch event for the new Museums Code of Ethics took place at the Wellcome Collection last Friday, 22nd April. You would be forgiven for thinking that a Friday afternoon event to explore an ethics code might not be the greatest crowd-puller; but on this occasion, you’d be much mistaken. Almost 150 delegates came to […]

New Museum Code of Ethics well-timed for struggling local museums

Posted on: February 17, 2016 by Emily Gould

UK museums now have a revised Code of Ethics to guide them through the ethical dilemmas they encounter on a daily basis. The new Code, which updates the 2007 version, was approved at the Museum Association’s (MA’s) Annual General Meeting last November following an 18 month consultation. The new Code is more succinct than its […]