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UW Policy Directory

Chapter 205 Campus Art Policies

Table of Contents

    d

1.  General Policy

A. The Campus Art Collection

The Campus Art Collection is comprised of gifts of fine art to the University of Washington distinct from the collections at the Henry Art Gallery, Burke Museum, UW Medical Center, and artworks developed by the Washington State Arts Commission Art in Public Places Program (WSAC-AIPP). Oversight for the collection is the responsibility of the University of Washington Public Art Commission (UWPAC) and its staff, the Campus Art Administrator.

B. Washington State Art Collection

Campus artworks collected through the WSAC-AIPP are considered part of the Washington State Art Collection. By interagency agreement with the Washington State Arts Commission, UWPAC develops artwork projects to complement ongoing campus development. The WSAC-AIPP was established by the state legislature in July 1974 and was revised in 1983 to allow for the pooling of artwork allocations. The program for state universities and colleges sets aside .5% of all state-funded construction project budgets (including renovation projects exceeding $200,000) for the acquisition of art. In keeping with the terms of the legislation, 15% of each Percent for Art allocation is used for administrative costs. In developing WSAC-AIPP projects, UWPAC supports the pooling of funds to create major works in support of the educational mission of the University for the most public places on campus.

C. Artwork Installations

The University of Washington seeks to encourage the active use of its campuses for the exhibition of temporary, longer-term, and permanent installations of art and of design/build landscape architecture and architecture (hereafter collectively referred to as “artwork”) consistent with fulfillment of the University’s mission.

2.  Responsibility for Review

All proposed artwork will require review by the reviewing bodies appropriate for that campus or center.

A. UW Bothell

The “University representatives” for proposed artwork at the Bothell campus will be the Campus Art Administrator and the Director of Facilities Services. The “reviewing bodies” for proposed artwork at the Bothell campus will be the UW Bothell Art Committee (for artistic merit) and the Chancellor.

B. UW Tacoma

The “University representatives” for proposed artwork at the Tacoma campus will be the Campus Art Administrator and the Director of Facilities and Campus Services. The “reviewing bodies” for proposed artwork at the Tacoma campus will be the UW Tacoma Art Committee (for artistic merit) and the Chancellor.

C. Seattle Campus and University-Owned Research Centers

The “University representatives” will be: the Campus Art Administrator, the Campus Landscape Architect, and the Seattle Campus Manager of Grounds Operations or the appropriate departmental administrator/building coordinator. The “reviewing bodies” for proposed artwork will be UWPAC (for artistic merit), the Campus Landscape Advisory Committee (for appropriateness on University grounds), and the Design Review Board (for design issues not covered by the other bodies).

3.  Application of Policy

A. Gifts

This policy applies to gifts to the University, except as provided in Section 3.D. The reviewing bodies appropriate for the campus or center, defined in Section 2, will review potential gifts and approve the proposed artwork, subject to completion of documentation under the terms of this policy, or reject the proposed artwork if it is inappropriate in the context of the University campuses, if there is not an acceptable site, if there is concern about long-term maintenance, or any other reason, at their discretion.

B. State Art Collection Projects

This policy applies to works developed by the UWPAC in collaboration with WSAC-AIPP. UWPAC will review potential projects with the reviewing bodies appropriate for the campus or center, defined in Section 2.

C. Sponsored Art and Design Projects

This policy applies to faculty, student, alumni, community, or department-sponsored academic projects at the University’s Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses, and University-owned research centers. The reviewing bodies appropriate for the campus or center, defined in Section 2, will review potential gifts or projects and approve the proposed artwork, subject to completion of documentation under the terms of this policy, or reject the proposed artwork if it is inappropriate in the context of the University campuses, if there is not an acceptable site, if there is concern about long-term maintenance, or any other reason, at their discretion.

D. Other Works

The following works will be included in the Campus Art Collection inventory but will not be subject to Sections 2 and 4 of this policy.

  1. Historic Commemorative Works—Gifts of historical significance to the University or of a commemorative nature will be distinct from the Campus Art Collection. Any gifts of this kind, such as busts or large-scale plaques that are to be sited outdoors or in major public places, must be reviewed by the reviewing bodies for aesthetic merit after the University has approved the particular commemoration as appropriate under the Facilities and Spaces Naming Policy (Board of Regents Governance, Regent Policy No. 50).
  2. Departmental/Other Campus Collections—Fixed architectural ornamentation is not subject to this policy. The study collections at the Henry Art Gallery, the Burke Museum, the School of Art, the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the University Libraries, and the Department of Computer Science are managed by their respective departments.
  3. State Art Collection—Works commissioned by the WSAC-AIPP are part of the Washington State Art Collection and are managed by the Campus Art Administrator in collaboration with the collections manager of the Washington State Art Collection.

4.  General Operating Procedures

A. Stewardship and Inventory

The Campus Art Collection is located in interior and exterior sites throughout each campus and is monitored by the Campus Art Administrator. The Campus Art Administrator maintains the collection, keeps the inventory and records of all work in the collection, and advises Facilities Services and other departments on the care and handling of artwork not in the Campus Art Collection. Any handling or treatment of artwork in the Campus Art Collection must be conducted or contracted by the Campus Art Administrator. Temporary artwork projects and nonreviewed gifts are not included in the Campus Art Collection inventory.

B. University Discretion

The University, in its sole discretion, will determine whether to review and accept or reject any gift or proposed artwork, and is under no obligation to accommodate class schedules or public events to review and/or accept any proposed artwork.

C. Sponsorship

All gifts or proposed artwork must be sponsored by a University unit (college, department, or other administrative or academic unit of the University) who will act as the “sponsoring unit.” The “sponsoring unit” shall be responsible for reviewing the gift or proposal for content, the completion and documentation of the University review and approval process of this policy, and for accepted artwork, the completion of the documents required under Section 4.D below.

D. General Terms for Review and Acceptance

  1. Siting—Artwork that is donated or created for a specific building or department will be displayed at that site unless building renovation or the work’s condition requires relocation. The University reserves the right to find a new site for the work and will consult the donor, artist, or sponsoring department about the revised installation.
  2. Costs—All costs for the installation, removal, and site restoration associated with artwork shall be the sole responsibility of the artist/designer and/or the sponsoring unit. Additionally, the University may require proof of additional insurance as part of the proposed artwork.
  3. Document Approval—Approval of any artwork must be in writing. The sponsoring unit will be responsible for ensuring that the written approval includes the period of installation, all conditions imposed by any body or individual during the review and approval process, and the appropriate terms under this section.
  4. Removal—If, at the University’s sole discretion, the artwork varies substantially from the proposed installation, the University may require (at the artist’s/designer’s or sponsoring unit’s expense) the removal of the artwork. If the artist/designer or sponsoring unit does not remove the artwork upon completion of that exhibition period, the University, via one of the representatives, will notify the appropriate parties of its intent to remove the artwork within one week. The University further reserves the right to immediately remove, without notice, any works of art (at the artist’s/designer’s expense) that have not been approved for placement on the campus or that are not removed in a timely fashion.
  5. Intellectual Property—In recognition of the University campuses and University-owned research centers as public educational spaces, prior to the installation of any artwork, the artist/designer will grant to the University on royalty-free, unrestricted, nonexclusive, and permanent basis:
    1. The right to display the artwork;
    2. The right to reproduce images of the artwork (including in all media now known or later developed, digital or otherwise, and including the Internet and the World Wide Web); and
    3. The right to display and distribute reproductions of the artwork. The artist/designer will agree that the artwork may be photographed by the public while on exhibition.

E. Review Process for Temporary Installations (One Year or Less)

  1. Outdoor Artwork—Proposals for temporary installations of artwork outside of campus buildings will be reviewed as follows:
    1. The artist/designer will present his or her proposal to a sponsoring unit;
    2. The sponsoring unit will present the proposal for review to one of the appropriate University representatives;
    3. The University representatives will review the proposal for issues of safety and installation/removal;
    4. One or more of the reviewing bodies will review the proposal as determined by the University representative;
    5. If the sponsoring unit, the University representatives, and the reviewing bodies reasonably assess the risks of the proposed artwork and believe that the work is safe and appropriate for public display, they may approve or reject the proposed artwork.
  2. Indoor Artwork—Proposals for temporary installations of artwork inside buildings will be reviewed by the departmental administrator or building coordinator. That administrator / coordinator may choose to approve or reject the proposed artwork without further review, or may request a review by any of the University representatives or review bodies.

G. Review Process for Permanent Installations (Greater Than One Year)

Proposals for the installation of any permanent artwork will be reviewed as follows:

  1. The artist/designer will present his or her proposal to a sponsoring unit;
  2. The sponsoring unit will be responsible for reviewing the proposal for content and completion of the University review and approval process;
  3. The sponsoring unit will present the proposal to the reviewing bodies appropriate to the campus or center, who may approve or reject the proposed artwork.

AI, January 1994; May 21, 2008.

For related information, see:

  • Board of Regents Governance, Standing Orders, Chapter 1, Sections 8 and 9, “Gift Evaluation and Acceptance” and “Disposition of Gifts”
  • Board of Regents Governance, Standing Orders, Chapter 3, “Gifts to the University”
  • Board of Regents Governance, Regent Policy No. 50, “Naming Policy”
  • Executive Order No. 37, “University of Washington Public Art Commission”
  • Executive Order No. 41, “Gifts to the University”
  • Administrative Order No. 5, “Delegated Authority for Gifts to the University”