Frequently Asked Questions

TACPAC policies guide the parameters for accepting art into the Art Collection. 

If a member of the Trent community is offered a work of art for the University, the following procedures must be followed:

1. Ask the potential donor to contact the Secretary of the Trent Art Collection Presidential Advisory Committee (TACPAC), Tori Cartwright artcollection@trentu.ca or 705 748 1011 ext. 7359, and to include the following information: 

  • Title of work of art;
  • Name of artist;
  • Medium;
  • Dimensions;
  • Is the work framed?
  • Date of creation;
  • A clear digital image of the work of art (or several images, if possible);
  • Name, address, phone number, email (if available) of donor;
  • Is a tax receipt required? (If so, the donor will have to provide a professional appraisal.)
  • A statement of the condition of the work of art;
  • A brief description of the work and its place in the artist's oeuvre. Any relevant history that the donor has with the work (it is important to establish that they are the rightful owner of the work of art, have copyright for it, and have the authority to donate it to the Trent Art Collection; a statement about why they think it would be an appropriate addition to the Trent Art collection.

2. Members of the Trent community should also provide in writing details about why they think that the proposed donation appropriately fits the Trent Art Collection. Reference to the criteria that the Art Collection considers in accepting donations (see the TACPAC Policy) should be referenced.

3. If a decision is made to accept the work by TACPAC, the DONOR will be asked to provide an official outside appraisal by an authorized appraiser.

The appraisal is required for two reasons:

  • the issuance of a tax receipt, if one is requested by the donor
  • insurance purposes

4. Please note it can take an extended time to finalize a decision about a donation. This time frame can be significantly shortened if all the information is provided. Please note that it is not possible to rush donations through to meet tax deadlines.