The fine art shipping industry is a very specialised industry, requiring the safe movement of paintings, sculptures, antiques and other valuable objects. They are often irreplaceable in value. Whether you are looking for a job as an art handler, fine art shipping coordinator or fine art logistics manager, a career in this field of logistics can be a very rewarding job.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is one of the most important skills in fine art shipping. Every stage of an artwork's journey needs to be carefully planned and documented, from its initial collection through to delivery and installation.
Professionals may need to check dimensions, packing requirements, collection addresses, condition reports, customs documentation and delivery instructions. Even a relatively small mistake can result in delays or unnecessary risk to an artwork.
Fine art logistics employers therefore value candidates who can work accurately and consistently, particularly when managing several shipments simultaneously.
Fine Art Handling and Packing Skills
For practical art handling positions, knowing how to safely move and pack valuable objects is essential. Different artworks can have very different requirements depending on their materials, dimensions, weight, age and condition.
Art handlers may be responsible for wrapping objects, preparing protective packaging, building or using specialist crates and safely loading items for transportation. Some roles also involve installing and deinstalling artworks at galleries, exhibitions, private homes and other locations.
Experience handling fragile or high-value objects can consequently be extremely valuable when pursuing a career in this area.
Organisation and Logistics Management
Shipping fine art as part of a fine art logistics company involves organisation. The fine art logistics expert responsible will arrange the collection, the mode of transport, the storage of the artwork and the customs clearance. A fine art shipment has many stages and requires organisation and planning in advance in order to complete all stages on time.
It’s also worth noting that there is more to shipping artwork for international exhibitions and art fairs than just transporting objects from one place to another, as they often need to arrive at a certain time at a particular venue.
Understanding Customs and Shipping Documentation
Fine art shipments can involve customs declarations, commercial invoices, insurance documents and other documentation required for export and/or for temporary import into a country. This can involve shipping within countries as well as across borders.
Understanding of international shipping procedures and ability to complete and check the correct shipping documentation for a fine art movement is crucial to any fine art logistics professional regardless of their level of experience within the industry.
There are many cases in which the art is to be stored for extended periods of time, in customs warehouses for example. Therefore, logistics professionals entering the fine art transportation sector will develop a real specialist skill in the area of international art transportation and in particular in the customs procedures of different countries.
Communication and Customer Service
As professionals in the fine art logistics field, you will be dealing with artworks and a variety of organisations within the art world. These organisations and their respective artworks are typically of great financial, historical, and personal value.
Informing clients of the planned fine art collection date and time, the mode of transportation to be used for the fine art and estimated delivery date and time, managing any problems that may occur during the fine art transportation process and resolving any problems that may occur during the fine art transportation process and communicating with clients in a professional manner.
Problem-Solving Under Pressure
When problems arise with a fine art shipment the artist/shipping company must remain calm and come up with the best solution to the problem. A problem-solver in a fine art logistics company organises the fine art shipments within and outside of a country. He/she deals with all kinds of situations, and therefore has to come up with solutions for the problems that may occur.
Teamwork and Reliability
Being able to communicate and work effectively as part of a team is therefore essential, reliability is equally important. When valuable objects are being transported according to strict schedules, colleagues and clients need to know that every member of the team can be trusted to complete their responsibilities correctly.
Building a Career in Fine Art Shipping
There are several routes into fine art shipping, and not every position requires previous experience working directly with artwork. Experience in logistics, warehousing, museums, galleries, removals, customer service or administration can provide transferable skills for certain positions.
As professionals develop within the fine art shipping industry, they can further develop their specialist knowledge including art handling, customs, international shipping, storage and exhibition logistics.
Fine art shipping is a speciality that requires a great deal of trust, precision and knowledge. If you have good organisational skills and are interested in art and fine art logistics then this could be a very rewarding career for you in the long term.
