Adopt an Artwork
About the Program
As part of our ongoing commitment to preserving the Speed’s permanent collection, we’re inviting our supporters to “Adopt an Artwork” and help fund the restoration and conservation of key pieces. By participating, you’ll play a direct role in ensuring these artworks are cared for a remain accessible for years to come.
On this page, you’ll find a range of objects available for adoption—everything from medieval reliquaries to Impressionist paintings to contemporary sculpture. When you adopt an artwork, you will receive:
- A short dossier on the selected work.
- A chance to discuss the artwork’s conservation needs and process with the curator.
- A color photo of you with the adopted piece displayed in the gallery.
- A credit line on the gallery label for five years, recognizing your support.
Browse the links below to see the artworks available for adoption, learn more about how to get involved, and see the adopted pieces getting special care and attention thanks to generous donors like you.
If you have questions, please contact the curatorial team at 502.634.2745.
Thanks and acknowledgments to:
Midwest Art Conservation Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota;
Galloway Art Conservation, Cleveland, Ohio;
McKay Lodge Fine Art Conservation Laboratory;
Jamison Art Conservation.
How to Adopt
Here is the step-by-step process of Adopt an Artwork:
- Choose the object that you would like to adopt.
- Contact Taleah Gipson via email or at 502.634.2745 and tell her which artwork you’ve chosen.
- Decide whether you would like to be credited—Anonymous? Your name(s)? In honor of someone?
- We will then send you a dossier packet on your selected artwork. This includes the condition report and treatment proposal, color prints of the work in its current “before” state, and relevant background information on the object.
- Your adopted artwork will then be sent to a regional conservation laboratory for treatment (unfortunately, we cannot treat artwork on-site). The curator will check in with you with an update on the restoration process.
- When the work is complete, you will be sent an invoice along with the treatment report and an offer for a private viewing and photo shoot, if you’d like, with the artwork when it returns to the galleries.
- Send your payment for the treatment to Taleah, and we will send you photographs of your cleaned, adopted artwork, along with a formal acknowledgment of your tax-deductible contribution.
If you have questions, please call the Curatorial Department at 502.634.2745, and we’ll be happy to help.
- Available
- Adopted
Online Art Resources
The Kentucky Online Arts Resource (KOAR), a project of the Speed Art Museum, offers free access to over 1,600 objects and 2,800 images of Kentucky’s historic fine arts, decorative arts, folk arts, and design. Launched in April 2006, KOAR showcases the Speed’s extensive collection of Kentucky art, the most significant of its kind in the U.S., along with exclusive visual access to private collections and works from other museums and public institutions.
KOAR’s development and operation are made possible by generous donors, and we thank them for their support. For questions or comments, contact kydatabase@speedmuseum.org.
Help us Celebrate Art Forever
Your Speed is a catalyst for creativity, connection, and community well-being. Your support helps us bring bold exhibitions, dynamic programs, and accessible experiences to life, sparking curiosity and enriching lives across Kentucky and beyond. Join us in making art accessible for all—because together, we can transform the way people perceive the world and themselves.