Around the same time, the Museum of Modern Art’s Junior Council began putting together a lending library with the intention of connecting young collectors with modern art. Members of the public were allowed to rent select pieces approved by the curators and trustees beginning in 1951. The Art Lending Service operated for 30 years and served as inspiration for similar programs at other institutions. MoMA’s Art Advisory Service comparably worked to extend art to corporate organizations until 1996.
However, lending from institutional collections to the general public remains relatively uncommon. The Braddock Carnegie Library in Pennsylvania began offering take-home access to contemporary artworks in 2023 as part of an artist project. Universities like MIT, Oberlin, Williams College, and the University of Chicago have also allowed students to lend art in the past.
High-end art lending from private collections, on the other hand, is more widespread. Christie’s and other auction houses offer lending services for both those looking to acquire pieces short-term and those interested in profiting from their own collections by renting out artwork. In 2008, Bank of America introduced a program that allows other organizations to loan pieces from their collection. The bank has also loaned full exhibitions to more than 175 institutions globally.
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