The handling of artists' work for transport and exhibition is very important as you are taking responsibility for a limited artwork. Film prints especially, and to a lesser extent video and DVD, are the artists' materials and need to be protected and treated with care. For most work there are a limited amount of copies available so it is essential you take care of them to ensure other people can show them again in the future.

How to Handle Materials - Transport and Exhibition

Once you have contacted an artist or holder of an artist's material and have got permission to show them you need to transport the work. Most collections and especially distributors have strict guidelines that you should follow when shipping the work from their collection and back. These stipulations affect insurance for shipping, transport preferences, information on how to label the work for customs as well as its packaging.

When dealing directly with artists its important to assure them that you are taking care of their work and treating it in the appropriate manner. Be sure to agree beforehand on who covers shipment costs (including any unexpected customs charges). Also be clear on how long you will hold onto the work and how you will return the work to them once you have shown it.

Transporting work – UK & International

Transporting materials for an exhibition can take up a large part of your budget and need to be planned well in advance to keep costs down and ensure materials arrive on time. Carriage should always be arranged by the exhibitor, not the distributor or holder of the work. When you are transporting work make sure you also take into account and cover any other charges including packaging or customs clearance. Film prints especially need to be handled by a courier and not standard mail as they are rare and expensive to replace. Certain tape or video formats can be transported by standard mail but be sure to get permission to do so from the distributor or holder of the work.

There are a range of companies who handle UK and international transport. It is best to work with a reliable courier company, especially for prints or overseas shipping. These companies also offer a range of insurance for shipping and ability to track and the monitor the progress of your shipment.

There are many variables that affect the weight and cost of transport (e.g. whether a 16mm film is on a plastic or metal reel). When planning transport and estimating costs consider the weight, size and distance you want to transport the materials.

One key issue that can affect international transportation is customs, which can impact on the speed and cost of transport. When shipping work from outside of the UK you need to make sure you follow the specific customs regulations or the work could be held up for a long time as it is inspected. Some countries have strict censorship laws that could affect the transport of material to or from certain countries. Make sure you are aware of any such problems and take them into account before shipping or ordering materials.

The most common commercial couriers are listed below. For international deliveries, check each website for custom forms.

Federal Express
www.fedex.com

United Parcel Service
www.ups.com

United States Postal Service
www.usps.com

Deutsche Post World Net
www.dhl.com

TNT
www.tnt.com

Insurance & Responsibility for Artists' Work

When you show work you assume responsibility for it and are liable to pay for any damages to the work. Be sure to confirm the condition of the work with the source before booking it to ensure you are not risking projecting a print in bad condition. Film prints must be insured for their proper value by the exhibiting organisation. Talk to the source who can provide this information to ensure you can cover these expenses.

If you damage work in exhibition or projection you must report it to the owner immediately. Some of the most common types of damage to a film print are: sprocket damage, scratching, missing frames or tearing. Distributors will check their materials and as prints are often rare its essential that you notify them of any damage. If you are concerned about the film's condition contact the distributor so they can repair it if necessary or limit its availability to protect the print until a new one can be made. Distributors or artists will inform renters if the film contains any sensitive material or if the print is not in good condition prior to rental to ensure you are aware of the condition of the film before showing it. Similarly the exhibitors need to accept full liability for any loss, fees or damage incurred by problems with customs.