Mapping art institutions and galleries in relation to their ethical codes, highlighting both exemplary and concerning practices in the art world.
About
Code of Acquisitions is a platform exposing both good and bad practices of art institutions, galleries, and studios. It is based on published policies as well as reported cases of misconduct and abuse. Instances include artists not being paid, being misled post-sales, or not having their works returned.
Often, artists find it challenging to pursue legal action against a conflict due to their precarious conditions, and particularly because lack of establishing individual legal proceedings overseas.
The Code of Acquisitions platform allows anyone to submit their cases, either anonymously or openly. Cases could range from gender and race discrimination to misconduct of payments.
Workshops
We conduct workshops upon invitation from institutions. During these sessions, participants propose cases based on published sources, collectively evaluate them, and add them to the database.
Contact for WorkshopWeaving Liberation
Workshop with Weaving Liberation participants
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
October, 2024
CASTRO (Contemporary Art STudios ROma)
Workshop with Fellows of CASTRO
Rome
April 2024
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Workshop with students of Department of Architecture and Urbanism
Weimar
June 2023
Irish Museum of Modern Art
Workshop with International Summer School Participants
Dublin
June 2023
UP Projects in partnership with Flat Time House and Liverpool Biennial
Workshop with Constellations 2023 participants
Liverpool
July 2023
Methodology
1. Submissions
Submitted cases are collected through an open form into a database and prioritized based on the provided information. A committee of fact-checkers evaluate the cases.
2. Assignment
Committee members periodically view and assign themselves to cases based on their expertise.
3. Research & Analysis
Assigned members conduct research and mark cases as FAIL, SUCCEED, COMPLEX, or UNCERTAIN.
4. Publishing
Cases undergo secondary review before being published in the database.
5. Impact & Updates
Status updates are made when institutions address and resolve issues.
Principles
Commitment to Fairness
We conduct research on all sides of the issue and follow the same process for every fact check.
Transparency of Sources
We provide detailed sources for verification while protecting personal security when needed.
Funding & Organization
We ensure funders have no influence over fact-checkers' conclusions.
Transparent Methodology
We explain our methods for selecting, researching, writing, editing, and publishing fact checks.
Open Corrections
We correct clearly and transparently to ensure readers can see the corrected version.
Sister Initiatives
Access Docs for Artists
Resources and documentation for artists
Decolonial Hacker
Decolonial perspectives in art and technology
W.A.G.E.
Working Artists and the Greater Economy
Weaving Liberation
Collective art and liberation practices
Soup Du Jour Collective
Activist Group of Intersectional Feminism in the Art World
Art Leaks
Platform for exposing institutional wrongdoing
Art + Museum Transparency
All museums salary transparency (2019)
P.A.I.N.
Advocacy for accountability in art institutions
Precarious Workers Brigade
UK-based group of precarious workers in culture & education
Migrants in Culture
Support network for migrants in arts and culture
Gulf Labor Artist Coalition
Advocating for workers' rights in art institutions
Decolonize This Place
Leads protests at Whitney Museum in New York
Index on Censorship
A voice for the persecuted
The Museum of Dissidence
Cuba’s new constitution does not represent us as Cubans, intellectuals or humans
Siyah Bant
Documents, analyzez, and archives cases of censorship in the arts.
Arts of the Working Class
Bimonthly street journal with multilingual contributions, focused on working-class issues
Kunstenaars Honorarium
Fair pay guidelines for artists
Future Climates
Platform that aims to propose viable futures for independent cultural practice
International Fact-Checking Network
Guidance for publishing nonpartisan reports on the accuracy of statements by public figures and institutions
Art Workers Italia
Supporting Italian art workers' rights
Precarious Workers Brigade
UK-based platform for cultural workers' rights
Art Not Genocide Alliance
Advocacy against cultural genocide