A gift of personal property (artwork, stock, jewelry, or real estate) is another way to benefit yourself and SJMA. Giving stocks, mutual funds, or bonds to SJMA might save you from paying substantial capital gains taxes, since you can deduct the full current market value from your federal taxes as a charitable gift. (For further information consult your professional tax specialist.)

If you have any questions or wish to make a gift, please contact: Natalie Sanchez, at nsanchez@sjmusart.org or by phone, 408.291.5377.

Gifts of Art

SJMA Collection

The San José Museum of Art has a permanent collection of approximately 2,000 artworks from the 20th and 21st century, including paintings, sculptures, installations, new media, photography, drawings, and prints. The collection has a strong representation of work by West Coast artists, who are seen in national and international context. Objects from the permanent collection are often installed in the Museum’s galleries and the focus of thematic exhibitions.

Donation procedures

The San José Museum of Art’s collecting activity focuses primarily on art of the post-World War II period, with an emphasis on contemporary art and West Coast art. Among the strengths of the collection are historical Bay Area art; second-generation minimalism; photography; representational painting; and emerging California artists. Recently, efforts have focused on new media, ceramic sculpture, artists of Pacific Rim cultures, and representative diversity in terms of gender, geography, and ethnicity.

The San José Museum of Art will consider donations of significant work that advance the Museum's collecting priorities. All donations will be reviewed and approved by the Museum's Executive Review Panel before discussion with the Collections Committee. The San José Museum of Art strongly encourages submission of images of the work the artist's resume, and additional materials such as articles, reviews, brochures, and catalogs, prior to the Executive Review meeting.

If you have works that you are considering donating to the San José Museum of Art, please send all supporting materials to:
Nidhi Gandhi, at ngandhi@sjmusart.org

Please send any accompanying physical materials to:
Curatorial Department
San José Museum of Art
110 South Market Street
San José, CA 95113

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please call the Curatorial Department at 408.271.6847. Thank you for considering the San José Museum of Art for your offer of donation.