Rights and Reproductions
Contact us to inquire about the use of collection and exhibition images.
Image Request Process
Please allow 3 – 4 weeks for a response. Licenses granted are for one-time use only. Subsequent uses of an image require additional permissions. For images reproduced in a print publication, we require that one copy of the publication be sent to the Gardiner Museum.
Before images will be released, the Gardiner Museum must receive:
- The signed non-exclusive license agreement
- Payment (if applicable)
- Permission from the copyright holder (if applicable)
When all of the above criteria have been met, images will be sent via email or a web-based file transfer service.
Fees
The Gardiner Museum charges for the use of our images. The fee will depend on whether photography of the work exists or not, who is using the image, and what it will be used for. Click here for our current fee schedule.
To request use of an image, please fill out the Image Request Form blow and email it to Christina MacDonald, Collections Manager.
Please also contact Christina if you have questions or concerns about the copyright protected works in the Gardiner Museum collection.
If you are a member of the press looking for images, please contact Rachel Weiner, Senior Manager, Marketing.
Copyright and the Permanent Collection
Unless otherwise noted, copyright of all images of the permanent collection belongs to the Gardiner Museum. Permission to use these images must be obtained from the Gardiner Museum, as well as the copyright holder of the reproduced object, if applicable.
Where possible, the Gardiner Museum has obtained permission to reproduce images of the works in our collection that are protected by copyright. Despite the fact that every effort was made, there are instances where the artist cannot be identified or located, or, if the artist is deceased, the heirs cannot be found.
Copyright and Art
The Copyright Act of Canada was established to protect the creator of an artwork from unauthorized or inappropriate use of their work. In Canada, copyright protection begins when the work is created and ends 50 years after the artist’s death. Once the artist is deceased, copyright is held by their estate or heirs until the term of the copyright ends. Artists and their estate occasionally use artist collectives to manage the licensing of their works.
Permission is required to reproduce images of copyright protected artworks.
If you wish to reproduce images of a work that is protected by the Copyright Act of Canada, you must contact the copyright holder to obtain permission. Please contact the Gardiner Museum if you require assistance identifying if a work is still under copyright protection. We will be happy to help you get in touch with the copyright holder for permission.
Fair Dealing
The Gardiner Museum encourages and supports the use of our images in accordance with the Fair Dealing clause of the Copyright Act of Canada.
Fair Dealing allows for the use of images without obtaining copyright permissions for the following purposes:
- Research or Private Study
- Criticism or Review
- News Reporting
If you are using an image of a work from the Gardiner Museum collection for one of the above purposes, we require that you include the following credit information: artist, title, date, and credit line. If you are using the online database, the information you are looking for can be found in the object record.
Gardiner Museum Photography Policy
The Gardiner Museum permits non-flash photography in our galleries unless otherwise posted and is for personal use only (not reproduction). Due to concerns for the safety of our objects and museum visitors, we do not allow tripods or selfie-sticks.