Loans from our Collection

Research and Access Worthing Theatres and Museum welcomes loan requests and is committed to the best possible access to our collections and expertise within our capacity. We engage worldwide, ensuring our collections and programmes reach far beyond the walls of our museum. Items from the collections are regularly featured in exhibitions and displays around the UK and overseas. The curatorial team endeavour to facilitate requests whenever possible and where conditions can be met.

Requests to borrow

Formal requests to borrow from the collections should be made using our online loans request form (link at the bottom of the page). Formal requests should include the following information:

What would you like to borrow and why?

  • Object(s) requested for loan.
  • An overview of your exhibition or project
  • Please include the dates and title of your exhibition; name and full contact details of the exhibition/project organiser and venue(s); scope of your exhibition project including any publications, associated learning activities, events, plans to tour.
  • Why would you like to include object(s) from our collections
  • Tell us why our object(s) are important to the success of the exhibition or project?

Tell us about your venue and facilities.

Where available, you should submit the following completed documentation with your loan request:

  • UKRG Facilities Report
  • UKRG Security Supplement

UKRG Display Case Supplement and continuous environmental readings for the same period as the loan in the previous year are acceptable substitutes for the above documents. The AAM Standard Facilities Report is also acceptable.

These documents are helpful but not essential at the point of the loan request. If your loan request proceeds, our Curatorial Team will contact you to gather all necessary information about your venue and facilities for a full assessment. The more information you provide at the loan request stage, the easier it will be to progress the loan.

Tell us about your lending history.

If you have borrowed from us or from another UK National Museum within the last five years, tell us about it, including details of the loan object(s), the exhibition or project and the loan period.

Need help selecting objects?

If you are unsure which objects you would like to borrow, you can seek advice from our curatorial staff. Informal discussions relating to loans and object selection occur before the formal loan request submission.

Contact list of staff members

Timeframe

The following notice periods allow for an assessment process to ascertain if the object(s) requested for loan and the venue are suitable, and for the necessary object preparation and loan arrangements to take place.

UK venues

If you have borrowed from us within the past three years, we require a six-month notice period. Please submit your formal loan request six months before the proposed loan start date.

If you have not borrowed from us within the past three years, we require a minimum nine-month notice period. Please submit your formal loan request nine months before the proposed loan start date.

International venues

For all international requests, a 12-month notice period is preferred. Please submit your formal loan request twelve months before the proposed loan start date.

Decision-Making Process

When a loan request is received, the Curatorial Team arranges for it to be considered. Approval for a loan is based on the criteria outlined below:

  • Request received with appropriate lead-in time
  • Availability of object(s) requested, e.g. not required for an exhibition or display at Worthing Theatres and Museum, and not agreed for loan to another venue
  • Physical condition of the loan object(s) and their suitability for a loan
  • Availability of Worthing Theatres and Museum resources to facilitate the loan
  • Suitability of the borrowing venue, including the borrower’s ability to meet our standards and requirements
  • Status and relevance of the object to the exhibition or project theme and content
  • Public access to the objects during the loan period
  • The potential of knowledge generation and legacy.

The Curatorial Team will notify you of the decision. If the request is approved, it is conditional on the borrower’s willingness and capacity to meet our loan conditions.

Security, Environmental and Display

Worthing Theatres and Museum principally lends collections in accordance with the UK Government Indemnity Scheme Guidelines for National Institutions. Part 6 of this document from the Arts Council outlines the safest methods for transporting and displaying objects from national collections.

All loans from our collections must adhere to our security, display, and environmental requirements, as well as any object-specific requirements, as stated in the loan agreement. Our Curatorial Team can provide further information on these requirements.

The Arts Council England (ACE) Security Team will assess all loan venues before the loan objects are released. ACE’s National Security Adviser may also require a visit to discuss your facilities and security measures.

Insurance

For loans to UK borrowers that meet the minimum standards set out in the UK Government Indemnity Guidelines, Worthing Theatres and Museum only requires insurance cover for the total agreed minimum liability stipulated for the value of the loan object(s).

For international and other UK venues, the Curatorial Team will purchase commercial insurance through Worthing Theatres and Museum's commercial insurance broker, and the insurance premium will be passed on to the borrower. If you wish to use another insurance provider, you will need to submit details of the insurance policy and an insurance certificate to Worthing Theatres and Museum for approval at least two months in advance of the start of the loan.

For international loans, Worthing Theatres and Museum may also accept State Indemnity offered by the Borrower’s Government. A copy of the indemnity undertaking, in English, should be received by the Curatorial Team for approval at least two months in advance of the start of the loan.

Long-term loans

Long-term outgoing loans are agreed in line with the process above for a fixed term and are reviewed on a regular basis. At the end of the loan period, the loan may be renewed for a further term if both the borrower and Worthing Theatres and Museum agree to an extension. The review process enables Worthing Theatres and Museum to verify the objects’ location and condition, and to confirm that insurance cover and contact details are up to date. Photographs of the objects or a visit by a Worthing Theatres and Museum representative may be required to assess the condition of the objects. It is the borrower’s responsibility to cover any costs associated with the review and renewal of long-term loans. The Curatorial Team must be informed in advance of any changes or improvements to the borrowing venue that affect the display of the loan objects. They should also be notified of any relevant changes in staff, resulting in new contact details for the loan.