The Minister of Culture urges private owners to ensure their art
The Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt (Liberal Party) is now calling on private owners of valuable art to prepare value-saving plans in case of a fire. The initiative comes in the aftermath of the fire at Børsen on April 16, 2024, where a significant part of the building’s cultural heritage had to be saved. At a press conference at the National Museum’s storage facility in Vinge, where an update was given on the saved art and cultural heritage from Børsen, Engel-Schmidt stated that it is essential to secure art objects also in private homes. He pointed out that while state-supported institutions are already required to have such plans, a large part of Denmark’s cultural heritage is in private hands. “It is common sense to encourage people who own valuable art to have a rescue plan,” said the minister. He emphasized the importance of protecting these priceless objects, which could otherwise be lost in the event of unforeseen incidents such as a fire. Of the cultural objects rescued from Børsen, 170 paintings are now stored in Vinge, out of a total of 350 objects. This rescue work has highlighted the need to think ahead and have a plan ready so that art and cultural heritage can be preserved for future generations.