A London, Ont., school board is using a secrecy rule to avoid releasing details about a small public art collection it owns.
Records obtained through freedom of information requests show the Thames Valley District School Board has 84 pieces of artwork worth about $30,445 in total, based on a 2012 appraisal. That works out to about $360 per piece.
Some well-known Canadian artists are listed in the inventory, including Frank (Franz) Johnston, Manly MacDonald and Benjamin Chee Chee. However, the titles and locations of most artworks were blacked out, making it hard to understand the full scope of the collection.
School boards across Ontario often hold art that was donated many years ago. These collections are usually not managed like museum collections and may not be closely tracked.
When asked for more details, the board released only general numbers and refused to share where the art is stored or displayed. Officials said releasing that information could harm economic interests or create safety risks, even though the collection’s value is relatively low.
Experts say keeping art records secret can actually increase risk. Without clear inventories, artwork can be lost, damaged or stolen without anyone noticing.
They also say that even low-value collections can have cultural and educational importance, especially when students see work by local or Indigenous artists at school.
Ontario has placed the Thames Valley board under provincial supervision because of financial problems. However, it is unclear whether the province tracks or oversees non-financial assets like artwork.
Advocates warn that without proper records and oversight, public art held by schools and other institutions can slowly disappear over time.
