Art fair season compresses six months of logistics into a single deadline. For a gallery doing three spring fairs, the registrar is simultaneously managing 30–60 artworks, three to five carriers, multiple insurance policies, condition reports at every handoff, and return logistics that must be booked before the fair opens. Here is the checklist — mapped from twelve weeks out to post-fair close.
12 weeks outSelect works and confirm the fair
Review and confirm the fair's exhibitor manualEvery fair publishes a technical manual with crate dimensions, loading dock hours, union rules, and installation deadlines. Read it before you book anything.
Select the works you will exhibitConfirm availability, condition, and framing requirements. Works on consignment require owner approval to travel. Works on loan require lender approval.
Start CITES applications for any restricted-material worksCITES certificates for ivory, tortoiseshell, rosewood, and certain other materials take weeks to process. Start now — a delayed certificate will block the shipment.
Compile artwork details for the carrierEach work: dimensions (framed and crated), weight, value, materials, country of origin. Carriers quote on this data. Errors here cause delays at customs.
10 weeks outBook carriers and insurance
Request quotes from your retained carriersSend the artwork list to two or three carriers. Compare on cost, routing, timeline, and insurance inclusion. For European fairs, Convelio's multi-stop routing often wins. For domestic US moves, Dietl.
Confirm transit insuranceVerify that the carrier's insurance covers the full declared value and that coverage extends to installation and deinstallation. If not, arrange supplementary cover through your broker.
Confirm exhibition insurance with the fair organiserMost fairs provide stand cover, but confirm the policy details: what is the per-work limit? Does it cover installation week? When does it lapse after the fair closes?
Book the carrierReserve the pickup window, the routing, and the delivery window to the fair. Carriers book up months in advance for major fairs. Do not wait.
8 weeks outDocumentation and customs
Prepare commercial invoices for international shipmentsEach work needs an invoice stating value, origin, HS code, and destination. Temporary admission (ATA Carnet) may apply if the works are returning.
Finalise CITES certificates and gather supporting documentsAttach the certificate to the shipment record. The crate cannot clear customs without it.
Prepare loan agreements and consignment notesIf any works are on loan to the fair or consigned to a dealer at the fair, the paperwork must travel with the crate.
Compile the crate list for the venueThe fair needs to know what is arriving, when, and in what order. Send the crate list with dimensions, weights, and artwork details to the fair's logistics coordinator.
6 weeks outCondition reports and courier assignments
Produce pre-departure condition reports for every workPhotograph each work under raking light. Annotate existing condition (craquelure, scratches, frame wear). Date, sign, file. These are the baseline for any future claim.
Assign a courier (if required)High-value works often travel with a courier — usually the registrar or a trusted handler. Confirm availability, book travel, and ensure the courier's name is on the fair's access list.
Brief the courierThe courier needs: the shipment schedule, the condition reports, the crate list, emergency contacts, and instructions for installation. Put it in one document.
4 weeks outReturn logistics
Book return shipping for unsold worksCarriers fill their return slots early. Book the return pickup now — before the fair opens — even though you do not yet know what will sell. You can adjust the manifest later.
Prepare return condition report templatesPre-load the artwork details so the registrar or courier can complete the post-fair condition report quickly on-site.
Confirm storage arrangements for works not immediately returningIf a work sells and ships directly to the buyer, or if it enters storage post-fair, confirm the handoff logistics now.
2 weeks outFinal checks
Confirm pickup with the carrierReconfirm times, addresses, and contact numbers. A missed pickup at this stage costs days.
Print and pack documentationEvery crate should travel with: commercial invoice, CITES certificate (if applicable), loan agreement (if applicable), and a copy of the condition report. The courier carries the originals.
Final walkthrough with the gallery directorConfirm the booth layout, the artwork placement, the lighting plan, and any last-minute changes. A change here cascades into the crate list, the manifest, and the insurance schedule.
Fair weekInstallation and opening
Oversee crate delivery and unpackingCheck each crate for damage before opening. Produce arrival condition reports for every work. Compare against the pre-departure reports. Flag any discrepancies immediately.
Supervise installationEnsure works are hung correctly, lighting is adjusted, and labels are in place. Confirm with the fair's technical team that everything meets their standards.
Confirm insurance is activeVerify that the exhibition policy is in force and that the gallery's contact details are on file with the fair's insurer.
Post-fairDeinstallation and return
Post-fair condition reportsProduce a condition report for every work before it is packed. This is the most important report — it documents the work's state after the fair and is the baseline for any damage claim.
Update the return manifestRemove sold works. Add any new consignments. Confirm the carrier has the updated list.
Confirm return insuranceEnsure coverage is in place for the return journey. This is the most commonly overlooked policy — confirm it explicitly.
Receive and check returned worksProduce return condition reports. Compare against pre-departure and post-fair reports. File the complete condition trail in the artwork's permanent record.
Update inventoryMark works as returned, sold, or in storage. Update locations, values, and condition notes in your gallery management system.
Close out insuranceNotify your broker that the works have returned and the transit/exhibition policies can be closed. Confirm in writing.
Arpezio handles the checklist so the registrar handles the art. Booth manifests, inbound windows, courier assignments, and return logistics — planned once, tracked live, closed cleanly. Request early access.