A colorful glimpse of the MCA's original building at 237 East Ontario Street
Photo: Nathan Keay © MCA ChicagoReproduction Requests
The Rights and Images department is currently accepting image and media requests for research and publication. Images available include artworks in the MCA’s permanent collection, archival materials, and installation views of past MCA exhibitions.
How to Order
To request image permissions and obtain high-resolution images held by the MCA, please contact Art Resource, the MCA's partner for the worldwide distribution and fulfillment of licensing requests for the museum's images.
To submit a request to Art Resource, please contact:
Art Resource
65 Bleecker Street, 12th floor
New York, NY 10012
212-505-8700
[email protected]
Depending on the nature of the proposed use and the availability of photography, a fee may be charged for any image obtained through Art Resource. Requests for new photography, which require a minimum of 3–5 months, and payment of additional fees, are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The MCA, through Art Resource, reserves the right to decline permission to use its images. If your request is approved, you will be provided with further instructions and, if applicable, an invoice from Art Resource.
Please note the MCA does not own the copyright of artworks in its collection, and most reproductions require third-party permission. It is the publisher’s responsibility to determine these requirements and secure all necessary clearances. Additionally, the MCA cannot grant permission or supply images for works from other collections or institutions.
For Researchers
If you are a researcher who is not seeking image licensing, please contact the MCA's Rights and Images staff directly at [email protected]. We will assess your research request to determine potential fees and turnaround time. The MCA can provide gratis copies of existing digital files or make low-resolution reference scans (72dpi at 1024px long) for research purposes only. We offer five free scans and charge a fee of $10 for each subsequent scan.
For Artists
If you are an artist, or an artist's representative, and are hoping to receive documentation of your work at the MCA for archival purposes, please contact [email protected].
Additional Information
For additional information about MCA image policies, please refer to the Museum's Image Request Guidelines.
Downloads
Work Loan Requests
Artworks from the MCA Collection are available for temporary exhibition loan, based on the following criteria: condition of the object, the borrower’s AAM Standard Facility report, and approval by the Board of Trustees and Director.
Applications must be submitted at least eight months before the exhibition opening date for domestic loans, and one year before the exhibition opening date for international loans. Please submit all requests to our Collections and Exhibitions department via [email protected].