Public Art Donations
Public Art may be acquired by the City of Sault Ste. Marie through a variety of means, including purchase or commission, donation, gifts, requests, temporary loan or partnership.
Art acquired through gifts, donations and bequests will become a part of the City’s Public Art Inventory and are subject to the Public Art Policy selection and review processes and criteria.
Donated artworks must meet the following conditions to be considered for acceptance into the City’s Public Art Inventory:
- Be submitted for consideration with a completed donation form. An image of the work in its current condition or form must be provided.
- Each prospective artwork will be accompanied by a maintenance plan that is supplied by the Artist or donor.
- All donations must be unencumbered and the locations for donated artistic works will be subject to the Public Art Policy guidelines.
- The donor of the artistic work must have legal title to the artistic work.
- The donor will be responsible for meeting the Canada Revenue Agency criteria if the donor wishes to receive an Official Receipt for Income Tax Purposes for the donation. This process, which includes an appraisal of the artistic work at the donor’s expense, to determine its fair market value, requires pre-approval of the City’s Finance Department staff.
Process
- The Donor would complete and submit the Public Art Donation Form.
- Upon receipt of the donation form and accompanying image, City staff will circulate the materials for review to the Cultural Vitality Committee via email.
- The Cultural Vitality Committee will review the Public Art Donation offer and make a recommendation to accept or decline the donation to the City’s Finance Department, based on the criteria in the City’s Public Art Policy.
- Upon recommendation for donation by the Cultural Vitality Committee, the City’s Finance Department will review the Public Art Donation Submission to ensure that it meets the City’s Donation Policy (F-I-6) criteria which governs the solicitation, acceptance and administration of donations.
- Upon successful review by the Finance Department, the Cultural Vitality Committee’s recommendation will be presented to Sault Ste. Marie City Council for final approval.
- The City’s Legal Department will draft and prepare any deed of gift or other legal agreements required as part of the donation.
Please note that donated works may be subject to conservation, maintenance, storage, or relocation as deemed necessary.
The City may decline to consider or accept any gift, donation or bequest of art at its sole discretion. There is no appeal process.
Contact Aliesha Moore, Arts and Culture Lead at a.moore@cityssm.on.ca or by phone at 705-989-8240 for assistance.