Display and Sale of Political or Controversial Artwork through the Arts Council

Supporting artists and freedom of creative expression is central to the Grinnell Area Arts Council’s mission. Furthermore, it is in the organization’s best interest to maintain a politically neutral environment for its employees, volunteers, members, and patrons.

The Arts Council regularly runs programs such as the Stewart Gallery and the Local Artists Market which support the display and sale of artwork made by independent artists. All artworks displayed and available for sale through the Arts Council are subject to approval by Arts Council staff, program committees or program coordinators.

All artists who choose to display and sell work through the Arts Council are reviewed by Arts Council personnel through the following means:

Stewart Gallery: The Gallery committee chooses appropriate artists to show in the gallery and screens the artwork to be presented in the show.
Local Artists Market: New artists will be asked to fill out an application and sign an agreement containing the language: All items are subject to approval by the market coordinator.

Evaluating Political or Controversial Work
If Arts Council staff, program committee members, or program coordinators determine that submitted artwork could be understood by the public to be political or offensive in nature, they will notify the Director and launch an evaluation to determine whether or not the artwork can be displayed and sold through the Arts Council.  

Evaluation of the artwork shall involve determining 1) the prominence of the political aspect of the artwork, and 2) the clarity given to the fact that the position taken is the artist’s position, not the Arts Council’s.  

If the Director and reporting staff member, program committee member, or program coordinator determine that the artwork in question takes a prominent political or controversial stance that may be unacceptably offensive to some, and/or if elements of the artwork and surrounding display could be misunderstood to represent the views of the Arts Council rather than those of the artist, the Arts Council will not display or sell the work(s) in question. 

In accordance with the Grinnell Area Arts Council’s Non-Discrimination Policy, any artwork determined to be discriminatory will be rejected.  

Summary
The Grinnell Area Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) organization, and as such, it cannot engage in lobbying or supporting political candidates without jeopardizing its tax-exempt status. At the same time, the Arts Council’s mission is to enrich the community by supporting creative expression, and it supports the right of free speech for all, recognizing its inherent role in creative expression. Being fair and consistent with the application of this policy is in the best interest of the Arts Council, as it is a community organization that serves a local population with wide-ranging political perspectives.