The ownership of most paintings is still retained by the institutions that provided them, but they are now under a long-term lease agreement with the museum.

The Santa Paula Art Museum has assumed guardianship of the Collection by administering the cataloging, storing, archiving, conservation, preservation and initiating necessary safeguards such as insurance and theft protection while within Museum care.

A cornerstone of the Museum's operations is the exhibition of the Collection with meaningful interpretation of the artworks through community outreach programs. We are currently collaborating with the school districts' personnel as well as museum-education professionals to develop a curriculum that integrates the art into local classrooms.

A primary objective of the Museum is to expand the Collection by adding works of living artists through both gifts and acquisitions that meet its collecting standards. Of particular importance is to include paintings of Latino artists to allow the Collection to fully represent the community that is Santa Paula today.