Arts & Artifacts Indemnity Program

Overview

The U.S. Government’s Arts & Artifacts Indemnity Program was created by Congress in 1975 to provide the American people with access to art and artifacts of historical and cultural significance by minimizing the costs of insuring international exhibitions. In 2007, Congress expanded eligibility under the Program to include coverage of works of art owned by U.S. entities while on exhibition in the United States. The Indemnity Act authorizes the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities to indemnify museums against loss or damage to works of art or artifacts that are lent to museum exhibitions.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) administers the Indemnity Program on behalf of the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities (FCAH). The FCAH is composed of statutorily appointed members, including heads of Federal Agencies with arts-related programs. The FCAH is the governing body with the authority to approve indemnity agreements, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. In the event of loss or damage to an indemnified object, the FCAH must certify the validity of the claim and request Congress to authorize payment.

The FCAH considers applications within two programs: International Indemnity and Domestic Indemnity. Applications are first reviewed by NEA staff for eligibility and completeness. Applications are then assessed by Indemnity Advisory Panels comprised of museum directors, curators, conservators, and registrars. The Indemnity Advisory Panels deliberate on applications and make recommendations to the FCAH. The FCAH typically meets three to six months after each application deadline to consider panel recommendations, determine whether to indemnify all or part of an exhibition, set conditions applicants may need to satisfy prior to approval, or to decline indemnity requests. Applicants will receive conditional indemnity notices or letters of decline following the FCAH meeting.  

The NEA facilitates the indemnity process, administers official Certificates of Indemnity, and maintains communication with indemnitees throughout the life of the indemnity period, serving as a conduit to the Advisory Panels and FCAH as matters arise.

Links to the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act, Federal Rules and Regulations, and a sample Certificate of Indemnity, can be found at the bottom of this page.

Distinction between International & Domestic Indemnity

U.S. nonprofit museums and organizations planning temporary exhibitions that involve bringing works of art and/or artifacts from abroad to the United States or sending works of art and/or artifacts from the United States abroad may be eligible for International Indemnity coverage. International Indemnity coverage may also extend to certain U.S.-owned objects while on exhibition in the United States, if the exhibition includes both U.S.-owned and international objects. Refer to International Indemnity: list of recently indemnified exhibitions.

U.S. nonprofit museums and organizations planning temporary exhibitions within the United States may be eligible for Domestic Indemnity coverage for objects owned by U.S.-based entities. Though exhibitions considered for the Domestic program may contain works of art and/or artifacts from abroad, only the objects owned by U.S. entities are eligible for coverage within the Domestic Program. Refer to Domestic Indemnity: list of recently indemnified exhibitions.

Each program has its own eligibility requirements, instructions, and timelines. See the “Application Instructions” section below for more information and full application instructions.

Applicant Considerations 

Before submitting an application, applicants should be aware of the following:

• Applicants may submit more than one application, so long as the applications are for different exhibitions. 
• Applicants may not submit separate applications for the same exhibition to both International and Domestic Indemnity programs.
• If an exhibition will be shown at two or more institutions, one institution should apply on behalf of all participants. 
• Indemnity should not be requested for inaugural exhibitions in new buildings or substantially renovated spaces.
• The FCAH requires that the applicant must have previously organized at least one exhibition with objects borrowed from one or more public and/or private collections.
• The FCAH requires human presence 24-hours/7-days inside buildings where indemnified objects are located.
• The FCAH requires that each conveyance vehicle containing indemnified objects be accompanied by a courier on board.
• The FCAH generally limits coverage for a single exhibition to five venues (or fewer, depending on the objects). 
• The FCAH rarely approves coverage for a total indemnity period greater than two years.
• Eligible objects include works of art, artifacts or objects, rare documents, books and other printed materials, photographs, films, and electronic materials. Such objects must have educational, cultural, historical, or scientific value.
• The FCAH is generally opposed to indemnifying oil on copper paintings, objects containing pastel, certain chalk, charcoal, lacquer, certain types of glass (including enamels), works on parchment or vellum, marquetry, frescoes, other fragile objects, and objects to be exhibited outdoors. Oversized objects (exceeding ten feet in any direction), and oil on wood panel paintings will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Please refer to the full Application Instructions, linked below, which include these key considerations as well as additional guidance and requirements specific to the International and Domestic Indemnity Programs.

Indemnity Limits 

International Indemnity Limits: The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act allows international coverage for a single exhibition up to $1,800,000,000. The aggregate dollar amount covered by international indemnity agreements in effect at any one time cannot exceed $15 billion.

Domestic Indemnity Limits: The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act allows domestic coverage for a single exhibition up to $1,000,000,000. The aggregate dollar amount covered by domestic indemnity agreements in effect at any one time cannot exceed $7.5 billion.

Conveyance Limits: The FCAH permits a maximum of $150 million of indemnified value to be transported in a single conveyance (e.g. plane, truck), at any given time.

Object Limits: The FCAH will limit indemnity coverage to no more than $100 million per object.

Indemnitee Deductible: For both programs, The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act requires the indemnitee be responsible for a deductible per exhibition of the first:

• $15,000 for up to $2 million in indemnified value
• $25,000 for more than $2 million but less than $10 million in indemnified value
• $50,000 for not less than $10 million but less than $125 million in indemnified value
• $100,000 for not less than $125 million but less than $200 million in indemnified value
• $200,000 for not less than $200 million but less than $300 million in indemnified value
• $300,000 for not less than $300 million but less than $400 million in indemnified value
• $400,000 for not less than $400 million but less than $500 million in indemnified value
• $500,000 for $500 million or more in indemnified value

Important Dates

There are two application deadlines for International Indemnity and two application deadlines for Domestic Indemnity each federal fiscal year. An application should not be submitted more than one year and three months in advance of the start date of the indemnity period. Contact indemnity@arts.gov to discuss which deadline may be most appropriate for your program.

International Indemnity Calendar

Domestic Indemnity Calendar

The FCAH typically meets to review the Indemnity Advisory Panel's recommendations three to six months after the application deadline. Conditional notices of indemnity or letters of decline are sent shortly after the FCAH meeting. Notices may be delayed if the FCAH meeting is postponed. It can take several weeks for the applicant to satisfy conditions depending on their complexity. Final Certifications of Indemnity cannot be issued until all conditions are satisfied. Given these variables, the applicant's requested start dates for the period of indemnification are not guaranteed.

To assist the Advisory Panel and the FCAH with long range planning of indemnity allocations, future applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit preliminary statements about exhibitions as much as four years in advance of the indemnity period. Updated material may be submitted subsequently, as applicable. Send all material directly to indemnity@arts.gov.

Application Process & Instructions 

Submitting an application is a multi-step process. Detailed instructions on how to complete and submit both parts of the application package can be found in the Application Instructions documents linked below.

International Indemnity Instructions

Domestic Indemnity Instructions

Registration Guidance: Before you can submit an application, you must register with Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov, and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations. Registration can take several weeks.  

Part 1. Grants.Gov Application Package: Click on the link for the program and deadline you are applying to below. Be sure to use the correct application package link – we cannot transfer applications between deadlines. Full instructions are available via the Application Instructions documents above.

September 14, 2026 Deadline INTERNATIONAL: Funding Opportunity Number 2027FCAH01

December 7, 2026 Deadline DOMESTIC: Funding Opportunity Number 2027FCAHDOM01

March 8, 2027 Deadline INTERNATIONAL: Funding Opportunity Number 2027FCAH02

June 7, 2027 Deadline DOMESTIC: Funding Opportunity Number 2027FCAHDOM02

Part 2. NEA Applicant Portal: Upload your indemnity narrative and other required items to the NEA’s applicant portal. Login instructions are available via the Application Instructions documents above. 

Please note: the NEA Applicant Portal will be undergoing a redesign prior to the September deadline. The web address will remain the same. If you are a returning applicant, you will notice a difference in the user interface, but the Part 2 process of uploading attachments will remain largely unchanged.

Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act, Federal Rules and Regulations, and Certificate of Indemnity, and Crediting Requirement

• Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act 
• Regulations: Indemnities Under the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act
• Certificate of Indemnity Sample

Crediting requirement: In all published material and announcements concerning an indemnified exhibition, the following acknowledgment must appear: "This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities." (Do not include any logo.)

Contacts

NEA Indemnity Program Staff: For questions about the Indemnity Program, please contact: indemnity@arts.gov 

Access for individuals with disabilities:
Contact accessibility@arts.gov to request an accommodation or an alternate format of the guidelines at least 2 weeks prior to the application deadline.

Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov Help
The NEA does not have access to your Login.gov, SAM, or Grants.gov accounts. If you have any questions about or need assistance with these sites, including questions regarding electronic accessibility, contact them directly:

• Login.gov Help: Call 1-844-875-6446, consult the information posted in their Help Center, or use their online form to submit a question.
• SAM Federal Service Desk: See SAM Help.
• Grants.gov Contact Center: Call 1-800-518-4726, email support@grants.gov, or consult the information posted on the Grants.gov website at Support or Help. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.