Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§972 Items eligible for indemnity agreements

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 26A— - INDEMNITY FOR EXHIBITIONS OF ARTS AND ARTIFACTS › § 972

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Council can make indemnity agreements that protect four kinds of items: works of art, manuscripts and rare printed materials, other artifacts, and photographs, films, or audio/video recordings. The protection applies while the items are on display in the United States or abroad, preferably when exhibitions are exchanged. "On display" means the time from when the items leave the lender’s location or a place the lender names until they are returned.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §972

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Council may make an indemnity agreement under this chapter with respect to—
(1)works of art, including tapestries, paintings, sculpture, folk art, graphics, and craft arts;
(2)manuscripts, rare documents, books, and other printed or published materials;
(3)other artifacts or objects; and
(4)photographs, motion pictures, or audio and video tape;
(b)(1)An indemnity agreement made under this chapter shall cover eligible items while on exhibition in the United States or elsewhere preferably when part of an exchange of exhibitions.
(2)For purposes of this subsection, the term “on exhibition” includes that period of time beginning on the date the eligible items leave the premises of the lender or place designated by the lender and ending on the date such items are returned to the premises of the lender or place designated by the lender.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2007—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–161 substituted “(B) in the case of international exhibitions,” for “(B) the exhibition of which is” in concluding provisions. 1985—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 99–194, which directed the substitution of “or elsewhere preferably when part of an exchange of exhibitions” for “, or elsewhere when part of an exchange of exhibitions, but in no case shall both parts of such an exhibition be so covered” was executed by making the substitution for “, or elsewhere when part of an exchange of exhibitions, but in no case shall both parts of such an exchange be so covered”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1985 Amendment Pub. L. 99–194, title III, § 302(b), Dec. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 1345, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to any exhibition which is certified under section 3(a) of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act [subsec. (a) of this section] after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 1985].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 972

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73