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research dossier

AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
New York, NY · EIN 820599085 · Form 990EZ · FY2021 · NTEE A03 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · acpcp.net
revenue
$0
expenses
$2K
net assets
$5K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

To promote social welfare within the meaning of section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code by means including but not limited to advancing public understanding of public policy, legal administrative issues affecting the protection and preservation of ancient art and cultural property. To represent and defend those who cherish, possess, collect, inherit, sell, study, acquire and exhibit objects of cultural property.

profile · synthesized from sources

The American Council for the Preservation of Cultural Property (ACPCP) is a New York-based nonprofit advocating for the rights of individuals and institutions to collect, trade, and exhibit ancient art and cultural property. It challenges restrictive cultural heritage policies and promotes the legitimacy of the art trade, arguing that private collectors and dealers play a vital role in preserving cultural artifacts. The organization emphasizes legal acquisition, opposes blanket repatriation claims, and seeks to counter what it views as misinformation about the antiquities market.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Legal and Scholarly Research
Produces reports and articles analyzing the antiquities market, combating misinformation, and defending the legitimacy of long-standing collecting practices.
Policy Advocacy
Challenges legislation and international agreements that restrict the legal trade in cultural property, including UNESCO-related policies and U.S. import restrictions.
Public Education and Media Engagement
Provides expert commentary and factual analysis to the press and policymakers on issues related to the antiquities trade, repatriation, and cultural heritage policy.
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Industry Advocacy and Regulatory Engagement 1 activity
    • Advocacy on cultural property policy and legal rights
      Advances public understanding of legal and policy issues related to cultural property preservation and advocates for the rights of individuals, dealers, and institutions to collect, trade, acquire, and exhibit cultural property. Represents and defends such parties in legal and policy matters.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Capacity building through stakeholder collaboration
      Co-founded the CircArt Project with UNIDROIT and ICCROM to promote transparency, due diligence, and best practices in the antiquities trade through multi-stakeholder dialogue.
    • Legal representation in cultural property disputes
      Initiates and participates in legal proceedings to determine ownership and rights related to specific cultural artifacts, such as the "Guennol Stargazer" marble figurine.
    • Research on cultural property markets and policy impacts
      Conducts and publishes research using primary sources to challenge inaccurate data in cultural property policy-making, including reporting on the size of the legitimate antiquities market and documenting the limited flow of conflict-related antiquities into Western markets.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$0
Contributions & grants$0—
Program service revenue$0—
Investment income$0—
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$5K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$5K
2 years on record · 2020–2021
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • ACC Cultural Group Partner — Partner organization collaborating with AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
  • American Defense Cultural Affairs Enterprise Partner — Partner organization collaborating with AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
  • Center for Cultural Preservation Partner — Partner organization collaborating with AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
  • Christie's Partner — Holding the "Guennol Stargazer" sculpture in its vault during legal proceedings.
  • History in Your Hands Partner — Partner organization collaborating with AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
  • ICCROM Partner — Co-founded the CircArt Project to promote transparency and due diligence in the antiquities trade.
  • International Association for the Defense of Artistic and Archaeological Assets Partner — Partner organization collaborating with AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Defended the Metropolitan Museum of Art's acquisition practices in response to UNESCO's campaign.
  • UNESCO Government — Critically engaged with UNESCO over its anti-trafficking campaign.
  • UNESCO Government — References the UNESCO agreement as a framework for cultural property control and critiques its implementation by source nations.
  • UNIDROIT Partner — Co-founded the CircArt Project to promote transparency and due diligence in the antiquities trade.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Advocacy through Evidence-Based Research and Legal Engagement
    methodology: evidence_based_advocacy
    By producing rigorous research and engaging in legal advocacy, the organization corrects misinformation and resolves disputes to shape sound cultural property policy, because evidence-based analysis and legal clarity are essential to preserving cultural heritage and protecting legitimate stakeholders.
  • Challenging Misrepresentation to Protect Stakeholders
    methodology: advocacy_through_challenging_misrepresentation
    By challenging unsubstantiated claims linking art collecting to terrorism or illicit finance, the organization defends museums and collectors from harmful narratives, because accurate public understanding prevents overregulation and protects legitimate cultural engagement.
  • Legitimate Trade Advocacy with Multi-Stakeholder Engagement
    methodology: legitimate_trade_advocacy
    By defending the rights of collectors and institutions and promoting transparency in the antiquities trade through multi-stakeholder dialogue, the organization fosters ethical practices and preservation, because a regulated and open trade ecosystem incentivizes due diligence and reduces illicit activity more effectively than blanket restrictions.
  • Responsible Private Stewardship as Preservation
    methodology: responsible_private_stewardship
    By encouraging ethical private collecting, the organization ensures the preservation and accessibility of ancient artworks that might otherwise be lost or remain inaccessible in storage, because private stewardship, when practiced responsibly, contributes to cultural continuity and conservation.
  • Site Protection over Trade Restriction
    methodology: site_protection_first
    By advocating for the protection of archaeological sites as the primary preservation strategy, the organization seeks to maintain cultural context and prevent looting, because securing sites at the source is more effective than regulating downstream trade in preventing loss of heritage.