Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Scheme 2024/25

The Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Scheme provides legal protection for cultural objects on loan from overseas lenders for temporary public exhibition in Australia.

This protection is often called 'immunity from seizure and suit'. It limits the circumstances in which lenders, exhibiting institutions, exhibition facilitators and people working for them can lose ownership, physical possession, custody or control of objects while on loan to an approved Australian institution.

As a borrowing institution, you must demonstrate that you have the necessary expertise, rigor, capacity and resources to meet the responsibilities established by the Scheme.

Once approved, objects that you import for temporary exhibition will automatically be protected for up to two years from the date they are imported into Australia. Institutions are approved for up to five years.

Borrowing institutions, including museums, galleries, libraries and archives, established by Commonwealth, state or territory law can apply. Borrowing institutions may also apply, if eligible, to be prescribed in Regulation. For more information please contact the Program Officer at
ProtectionofLoans@arts.gov.au.

Please read the Australian Government’s Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Scheme Guidelines before completing this application form.

Applications for the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Scheme (the Scheme) are made under the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act 2013 (the Act) and the Scheme guidelines.

Applications will be assessed, with regard to the institution’s:

• governance and management framework
• curatorial expertise and expertise in the management of collections
• previous experience in the exhibition of foreign loans
• procedures to identify objects in a foreign country that could be the subject of a loan and the negotiation of loan arrangements, including risk management protocols
• procedures for checking the provenance of objects collected or borrowed
• other processes and standards of the institution as described in the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Regulation 2014, including:
• consultation processes, particularly relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural material; and
• enquiries and claims handling processes.

Please answer all questions succinctly and provide supporting material, as attachments. Responses to questions should focus on how institution’s policies and procedures reflect national and international codes, principles and standards. Each text box is limited to the specified number of words.

Applications will be registered and receipt confirmed by email. Applicants may be asked to provide additional information to assist the application process. All applicants will receive written notification of the outcome of their application. The process can take several weeks. If you have a particular deadline to meet please contact the Program Officer.

Applications may be submitted electronically at any time throughout the year.

For further information please go to www.arts.gov.au/collections/protection-of-loans or contact the Program Officer at ProtectionofLoans@arts.gov.au or phone (02) 6271 1385.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts will treat your personal information according to the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. This includes letting you know:

• what personal information we collect
• why we collect your personal information
• who we give your personal information to

We will use the information collected in this form to administer the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Scheme. The contact details you provide in this form may also be disclosed to the Minister for the Arts and other Members of Parliament. Your name, contact details and other personal information will not be provided to any other person or organisation unless it is required by law.

For further information about our privacy obligations, including in relation to how to access or collect personal information or make a complaint, and our contact details for privacy matters, please see our Privacy Policy.

As part of your application, you declare your ability to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles and impose the same privacy obligations on officers, employees, agents and subcontractors that you engage to assist with the activity, in respect of personal information you collect, use, store, or disclose in connection with the activity. Accordingly, you must not do anything, which if done by the department, would breach an Australian Privacy Principle as defined in the Act.