Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, is selling over 500 works from its art collection via an online auction at Pook & Pook Inc. scheduled for July 16, in an effort to address a $20 million deficit. The sale, titled "Fine Art from an East Coast Educational Institution," includes works by Bridget Riley, Jasper Johns, Romare Bearden, and Jacob Lawrence, and is expected to raise around $200,000. The college has also laid off staff and sold non-contiguous properties to cut costs. Donors, including the daughters of late collector Doris C. Freeman, have opposed the move, arguing it violates the original intent of the gifts.
This sale matters because it highlights a growing trend among U.S. colleges and universities—such as Fisk University, Brandeis University, and Mills College—that have sold art collections to survive financial crises. The decision raises ethical questions about donor intent and the role of art in academic missions, especially as federal higher education funding faces cuts under the Trump administration. The case also reflects broader pressures on small liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania, where at least ten institutions have closed in the past decade due to fiscal challenges.