Association for Research into Crimes against Art

A research organization, ARCA works to promote research and the study of art crime and cultural heritage protection. ARCA aims to bridge the gap between the practical and theoretical by fostering collaboration between foreign and domestic law enforcement officials, security consultants, academics, lawyers, archaeologists, insurance specialists, criminologists, art historians, conservators, and others. In doing so, we aspire to raise awareness about art related crime and work to better preserve our collective cultural heritage.

At the grassroots level, ARCA seeks to identify emerging and under-examined trends related to the study of art crime and to develop strategies to advocate for the responsible stewardship of our collective artistic and archaeological heritage. ARCA advances its mission through its educational programming, research, publications and public outreach. We work with scholars and allied professionals in the fields of law, criminal justice, museum studies and cultural resource management at the national and international level to foster an exchange of knowledge in advancement of this growing field.

ARCA’s goal is to incrementally shift the values of contemporary society and ensure greater protections of the world’s art and cultural patrimony by working to improve the collective relationship with the past by leveraging the knowledge and influence of professionals, patrons, and the public.