The Grand Valley State University art collection is made up of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and other works of art as defined by the Art Gallery Department but does NOT include plaques, signage, degrees, awards, and other similar items. The art collection is displayed on every University campus, and in nearly every University facility and building. Faculty and staff members, contractors, students, and other people with duties/responsibilities requiring them to come into contact with the University art collection are subject to the following policies and procedures to ensure that the University’s legal, ethical, and fiduciary responsibilities for the safekeeping of these assets are maintained. For more details on all other internal art procedures, see the Art Gallery Collections Policy on the Art Gallery’s website or contact the University Art Gallery at (616) 331–3638.

Maintenance and Care
All art at the University is to be cleaned, handled, installed, de-installed, and transported exclusively by the staff of the University Art Gallery. Other than representatives of the University Art Gallery, individuals must have written permission from the Director of Galleries and Collections, Assistant Director, or the Curator of Collections Management before handling or moving any pieces of the art collection.

Building Construction/Renovation Projects
The Director of Galleries and Collections or designee will call a meeting in December of each year with representatives from Facilities Services, Facilities Planning, and Auxiliary Services (Housing) for the purpose of identifying upcoming projects that will affect the art collection.

A follow-up meeting, called by Director of Galleries and Collections or designee, will take place in April of the next year for updating project status and will include a timeline for each project identified. Facilities Services Project Managers will be identified and included on the project lists.

The Director of Galleries and Collections, or designee, will attend the bi-monthly Facilities Project Status meetings to be kept up to date on all ongoing university construction projects and timelines.

The Art Gallery office will be alerted by a representative of Facilities Planning and Facilities Services as soon as reasonably possible for all, including last-minute, building project additions, deletions or changes. This includes a preferred art removal lead-time notice of no less than two weeks. This notice will be made directly by contacting the Art Gallery office.

The Art Gallery office will be contacted immediately in the event of an emergency (flood, fire, etc.) via a phone call if any piece of the art collection is in jeopardy of damage or destruction. The Art Gallery staff will maintain a disaster and emergency preparedness plan (under development) for its collections and will make it accessible on its website. 

Use and Access
The University art collection shall be accessible for research and study by responsible investigators, subject to procedures necessary to safeguard the objects, the space in which they are located, and to restrictions imposed by limitations of exhibition requirement, availability of study space and facilities, and availability of appropriate curatorial staff as determined by the curator/manager in charge of the collection. The entire University art collection is made digitally accessible through an online searchable database and mobile device applications. Information about both may be found online at the Art Gallery website, www.gvsu.edu/artgallery.