Corporate Sponsorship of Museums Becomes Fraught Due to Ethical Concerns

Now, just months later, the Museums Association is urging institutional members to take a harder line, with a draft code of ethics that advises museums to “consider climate and ecological impacts and social responsibility” in all funding decisions—explicitly warning against sponsors tied to fossil fuels or human rights abuses. The update marks a shift in tone from its last code, published in 2015, which encouraged ethical behavior in broad terms but did not single out funding sources.

With public funding shrinking, costs rising, and attendance still lagging post-Covid, corporate sponsorships remain a financial lifeline, even as they become political landmines. Museums are forced to rely on private support while navigating ethical scrutiny few sponsors can meet.

“There is no clear line as to what is considered good money versus bad money when it comes to corporate sponsorship,” said Leslie Ramos, co-founder of art philanthropy advisory firm The Twentieth, and author of Philanthropy in the Arts: A Game of Give and Take, in a telephone interview. “How long is a piece of string? What is considered a potentially good company and reputable company today is not necessarily going to be considered a good company in 10 or 20 years time.”

Corporate Sponsorship of Museums: From Courts to the Court of Public Opinion

Corporate sponsorship is not new and, to an extent, has always invited scrutiny. One classic example, according to Ramos, is tobacco companies, which sponsored the arts widely through the late 20th century, until they were phased out by laws across the U.S., U.K., and Europe in the early 2000s. Philip Morris, for example, branded itself as a leading art patron sponsoring museums from the MoMA to Brooklyn Museum of Art as well as a range of performing arts festivals. Across the pond, John Player and Sons sponsored the National Portrait Gallery’s portrait prize until 1988, which BP took over in 1989. While tobacco brand name sponsorships have been largely banned, Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, continued to back some regional art initiatives in the U.S. as of last year.