Donation as an option

Every now and then, heirs to an estate inherit an artwork that they know is culturally significant, but it isn’t something they want to keep or is unwieldly to preserve. Donation to a cultural institution can offer a way for a piece to be maintained, preserved and shared with the general public. One of the greatest benefits of donating to a museum or cultural institution is knowing that the artwork will be well cared for and preserved. Depending on the value of a piece, it might also be a good tax deduction.
 
THE MURAL STORY
A few years ago, clients I was working with had inherited, among other artworks, a mural by the artist Robert Russin. Robert Russin was a well-known sculptor with more than 400 public sculptures worldwide. He was also a resident of Laramie, Wyoming and head of the art department at University of Wyoming. My client’s mother had been a personal friend of Robert Russin. According to my clients, one evening at a dinner party, Robert Russin drew a mural on their mother’s bathroom wall. It was a classic scene of a reclining Eve being tempted by a serpent giving her an apple. The sketch that night was a start that was fleshed out the next day. Over decades, the mural remained in the bathroom and was preserved. 
 
With the passing of their mother, the heirs planned to sell the house and were concerned about the fate of the mural. While working on their appraisal report, I contacted the Wyoming State Museum to see if they would be interested in having the mural in their collection. I also provided quotes from an art conservator to remove the mural from the home, in essence removing the entire wall. Once the appraisal established the value of the mural, the museum agreed to accession it into their collection. Removal of the mural was a dramatic and carefully orchestrated project that took two days.
 
DONATI0N PROCEDURE
While most donations are not as complicated as removing the wall of a bathroom, there are procedures for donations that appraisers can help with. Most important is finding the appropriate cultural organization. Most cultural institutions only accept donations that directly support their core purpose. For example, an art museum will not be interested in historic papers, but your state historic society most likely will be interested and might even have a budget to purchase historic documents.
 
After you contact on organization to offer a donation, they will probably want to meet for a review process. This provides an opportunity for the organization to examine the piece in person and determine if it fits in well with their collection. There are many considerations that an organization takes into account for donations, and not all offered donations will be accepted.
 
Having an appraisal in hand provides clear documentation, identification and a value for both the donor to use as a tax deduction and also for the organization to consider the donation. If you plan to use the donation for tax deduction, talk with your accountant prior to making the donation to ensure the proper information is provided and procedures are followed. Some organizations may request a fiscal donation to cover the burden of care for a donation, while other organizations may offer a to cover the cost to transport an artwork that is offered for donation. 
 
If you are considering donating an artwork, we can help. Please contact us at 970-658-0468 or [email protected].