Art donations
Are you interested in donating art to the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec? Here’s what you need to know.
For more information, you can also read our bylaw (in French) on art acquisitions.
Temporary restriction of acquisitions
The construction of the new Espace Riopelle and the accompanying donation of a large number of works are having a major impact on our operations. As such, we have had to significantly limit our acquisitions.
We recognize that this may affect your donation plans and thank you for your understanding.
Our collection mandate
The MNBAQ’s primary mission is to make known, promote, and preserve Québec art. While it is open to international art, its national collection is first and foremost a testimony to Québec’s art history.
Our collection of nearly 42,000 works by more than 4,600 artists is exceptionally rich and diverse. It includes paintings, sculptures, graphic art, photographs, decorative arts and design, installations, digital works, and much more, illustrating art history from the 16th century to today.
Why donate art to the MNBAQ?
To achieve our mission, we count on the generosity of a growing number of donors who care about the future of their national collection. In fact, our collection grows primarily through direct art donations and financial donations that allow us to purchase art.
Tax benefits
The provincial and federal governments have established several tax measures to encourage the community to donate art.
Since the MNBAQ is a registered charity, we issue a tax receipt for the eligible amount of each donation.
If the donated work meets the criteria for outstanding significance, we may consider it appropriate to apply to the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (CCPERB) to have the work declared a cultural property. This declaration allows the donor to receive a tax exemption on the capital gain, based on the work’s value as determined by the CCPERB.
Please note that we cannot offer tax advice. If you have questions about tax matters, please contact your tax advisor.
Process and processing times
Before joining the national collection, each work is subjected to a thorough analysis that includes review by internal and external committees. The acquisition is then subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Acquisition files are presented to the Board once a year, in the fall.
Our typical processing times usually take a year depending on factors like the date the file is received, the work’s transportation to the Musée, the commissioning of external specialists to evaluate the work, and the production of condition reports.
Main steps
Donation form
Please fill out the form below to submit your art donation proposal.
For proposals involving more than three (3) works, you can email your proposal to collections@mnbaq.org, attaching at least one photo per work and providing as much information as possible (artist’s name, title, date of production, dimensions).
You can also attach relevant documents such as invoices, appraisal reports, certificates of authenticity, and ownership history.
Otherwise, please fill out one form for each work.
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