Partner Loan Network
Partner Loan Network supports museums with curatorial funding and loan logistics to share American art, fill collection gaps, diversify works on view, and engage communities and new audiences.
Funder: Art Bridges Foundation
Due Dates: No application deadline specified
Funding Amounts: Lenders: $5,000–$15,000 for curatorial development, plus $500 per object for travel preparation; borrower loans are free for 1–2 years
Summary: Supports museum-to-museum loans of American art through lender funding, free borrowing, and logistical support.
Key Information: Borrowers must accept complete artwork groupings and display every object throughout the loan period.
Description
The Partner Loan Network is Art Bridges Foundation’s art-sharing initiative for museums across the United States and its territories. It brings American art out of storage and into communities by helping lending institutions share works from their collections with other museums. Art Bridges works with lenders to assemble groupings of two to five objects and provides logistical and strategic support to overcome barriers such as financial constraints, limited gallery space, and staff capacity.
The program aims to fill collection gaps, increase the diversity of artworks on view, and encourage new interpretations of historical works. It also seeks to make borrowing more transparent and accessible to museums of all sizes, including rural, urban, and suburban venues, while fostering community engagement and attracting new audiences.
