CORPORATE ART MANAGEMENT STORIES, TIPS, & MORE
The Onward Blog
Nonprofit and Foundation Art Collection Management: A Practical Guide for 2026
Nonprofit and Foundation Art Collection Management: A Practical Guide for 2026
This guide covers nonprofit and foundation art collection management end-to-end, with a focus on real-world organizational collections rather than individual collectors. Table of Contents Introduction: Why It Matters Now Governance, Mission, and Strategy Collection Policies: Acquisition, Accession, and Deaccession Documentation, Provenance, and Cataloging Standards Storage, Conservation, and Environmental Management Loans, Exhibitions, and Public Access Strategies … Read more
Onboarding an Inherited Art Collection into New Software
Learn how to organize and onboard an inherited art collection into management software, from inventory and data cleanup to appraisals, insurance, conservation, and long-term recordkeeping.
Tracking Art Across Multiple Locations: A Practical Guide for Distributed Collections
Whether your collection spans dozens of offices, campuses, or countries, you will learn how to always know where each artwork is. This guide is written for corporate, institutional, and large private collections using or considering Onward. Table of Contents: Introduction: The Challenge to Keep Track of Art Across Offices, Cities, and Campuses Why tracking art … Read more
Leasing Art: How Businesses Can Use Artwork Leasing Strategically (and Manage It with Onward)
Table of Contents Introduction: Why Art Leasing Is on the Rise in 2026 How Art Leasing Works: From Selection to End-of-Lease Options Financial and Tax Benefits of Artwork Leasing for Organizations Beyond Tax: Strategic, Cultural, and Workplace Advantages of Art Leasing Key Elements of an Art Leasing Agreement (and How to Stay Protected) Managing Leased … Read more
Remote Art Collection Monitoring: How Organizations Track Artwork Across Multiple Locations
If your organization manages a corporate art collection spread across multiple offices, campuses, or branches, you already know how difficult keeping track of every piece can be. The challenge compounds with each new location – and traditional methods break down fast. Table of Contents: Why Remote Art Collection Monitoring Matters for Multi‑Site Organizations From Static … Read more
Digital Art Collection Management: Moving Beyond Spreadsheets and Shared Drives
If your organization manages a digital art collection, you have likely outgrown the tools you started with. Here is how to move forward. Table of Contents: The Shift to Digital Art Collections in Corporate and Institutional Settings Why Spreadsheets and Shared Drives Fail for Digital Art Core Requirements for Managing a Digital Art Collection How … Read more
Private Art Collection Management Software: A Guide for Collectors
Starting an art collection blends aesthetic passion with financial planning. But what begins as a few carefully chosen acquisitions can quietly become a complex asset base that demands the same rigor you would bring to any significant investment. This guide covers how dedicated software helps private collectors protect, organize, and grow their holdings-and when it … Read more
Art Collection Database Best Practices: What Information Should You Track?
If your organization manages corporate art, you’ve likely faced a familiar frustration: someone asks where a specific painting is hanging, what it’s insured for, or whether it can be loaned – and no one can answer confidently. The artwork exists, but reliable records do not. An art collection database is a centralized digital inventory management … Read more
Managing Art Valuations, Appraisals, and Insurance Records With Collection Software
If your organization manages corporate art, you’ve likely faced this scenario: an insurance renewal deadline arrives, and your team scrambles to locate appraisals buried in email threads, invoices saved in miscellaneous PDF folders, and condition reports trapped in outdated spreadsheets. Table of Contents: Why valuation and insurance records are the backbone of collection management Understanding … Read more
Corporate Art Collection Budgeting: A Practical Guide for 2026
If your organization is preparing to start building a corporate art collection – or expanding an existing art collection across offices – you already know the first step is not picking a painting. It is setting a budget that finance, facilities, and leadership can all stand behind. In 2026, hybrid workplaces, ESG reporting requirements, and … Read more
How to Hire an In‑House Art Collection Manager
Learn how to hire and support an in-house art collection manager, from defining responsibilities and qualifications to improving inventory, governance, risk management, and collection operations.
Art Collection Governance Policy: A Practical Framework for Corporate and Institutional Collections
Learn how to create an effective art collection governance policy that defines roles, approval processes, ethical standards, risk management, and documentation requirements.
Art Shipping Insurance: How to Protect Fine Art in Transit
If your organization ships artwork between offices, to exhibitions, or across borders for client events, you already know that a single damaged piece can mean far more than a repair bill. Art shipping insurance is the specialized protection layer that stands between your collection and a costly, reputation-damaging loss. This guide walks you through what … Read more
Finding a Qualified Art Restorationist for Your Collection
Table of Contents Introduction: Why the Right Art Conservator Matters Where to Start Your Search for a Qualified Art Conservator Evaluating Training, Experience, and Conservation Ethics Structuring the Selection Process: RFPs, Quotes, and Site Visits Working With a Conservator Long-Term (and How Onward Helps) FAQs: Common Questions About Hiring an Art Conservator Introduction: Why the … Read more
Art Collection Management for Healthcare Systems: A Practical Guide for 2026
Discover how healthcare systems can centralize art inventories, track artwork locations, manage documents, and protect collections with Onward’s art collection management software.
Cloud-Based Art Collection Management: Benefits for Multi-Location Organizations
Picture this: your organization manages 500 artworks across offices in New York, Chicago, and London. The CFO requests valuation data for insurance renewal, and your team discovers fragmented spreadsheets, missing purchase invoices, and outdated condition reports scattered across email threads. Art collection management systems are specialized software platforms for tracking artworks, and once your collection … Read more
Digital Art Collection Management: Moving Beyond Spreadsheets and Shared Drives
If your organization manages a digital art collection, you have likely outgrown the tools you started with. Here is how to move forward. Table of Contents: The Shift to Digital Art Collections in Corporate and Institutional Settings Why Spreadsheets and Shared Drives Fail for Digital Art Core Requirements for Managing a Digital Art Collection How … Read more
How to File a Fine Art Insurance Claim: A Step-by-Step Guide
Filing an art insurance claim can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re staring at a damaged canvas, a cracked sculpture, or an empty wall where a painting used to hang. The stakes are high-both financially and culturally-and the steps you take in the first hours and days after a loss will shape everything that follows. This … Read more
Does Art Insurance Cover Artwork During Transportation and Storage?
Table of Contents How Fine Art Insurance Typically Handles Transit Coverage What Happens When Art Is in Storage: Short-Term vs Long-Term Key Exclusions and Gray Areas for Transit and Storage Coordinating Coverage: Homeowners, Commercial Policies, and Fine Art Insurance Operational Best Practices to Protect Art in Transit and Storage FAQs: Transportation and Storage in Fine … Read more
Fine Art Insurance Costs: What Determines Your Premium?
If your organization manages a corporate art collection, you’ve likely asked a straightforward question: what should we actually be paying to insure it? The answer is rarely simple. Your fine art insurance premium depends on a web of interconnected factors, from where your works hang to how well you document their condition. This guide breaks … Read more
