HEALTH + SAFETY It's important to be safe when you are installing an exhibition, and make sure you look after yourself and others who are working with you. Here are some important things to remember when it comes to setting up your exhibition. ​ CLOTHING Wear sensible clothing - you should wear something that covers your legs and arms, and it should be comfortable with room to move No open-toe shoes - don't wear sandals to set up your exhibition! Wear closed-toe shoes, like trainers or walking boots, and make sure they have a good grip. You may need to buy a pair of steel-toe boots depending on where you are working and what type of art you are working with If you have long hair, tie it back Make sure any necklaces, scarves, or anything else that's loose and flowy is removed before you start ​ EQUIPMENT Make sure to test all equipment before you use it to check that everything is in good working order If you are using a ladder, never step on the top step and always have someone supporting the ladder on the ground Only use equipment that you feel comfortable and confident with. It's better to ask for help than struggle on your own When using electrical equipment, either setting up 4D work or using power tools, don't plug an extension lead into another extension lead to reach where you need to get. This is called a daisy-chaining and can cause the the wall socket to overload. Make sure you have the correct length extension lead in the first place Never stand on a chair or a table to reach up high ​ GOOD PRACTICE Think about any PPE you might need to purchase before the installation If you are going to be making any dust or if you're working with chemicals, you will need face mask and goggles If you are using loud machinery such as a masonry drill, you will need ear defenders For lifting boxes and crates, you will need grip gloves Buy a first aid kit and check who the first aider is at your venue​ Be aware of your fire exit points, evacuation meeting point and where the fire extinguishers are at your venue When lifting something, bend your knees and keep a straight back Keep your working area clean and tidy GLOSSARY CHECKLIST

CHECKLIST Planning Tick Have you: Contacted the venue for floor plans and restrictions? Found out the size of the doors? Contacted any artists you are working with for artwork and delivery information? Arranged the layout of the works? Packing + Placing Have you: Packed your work? Completed condition reports, including photographs, for all works? Placed the work according to your plan? Taken the time to walk around the venue with the work in place? Arranged transportation? Installation Have you: Got all the tools you need? Decided on an eye-height? Given all the works enough space? Taped down any cables? Signage Have you: Made every label? Created a price list? Generated every QR code? Placed all the labels next to the correct work? Takedown Have you: Updated the condition reports? Packed all the work? Made good the venue? Reflected on the process? www.theexhibitionhandbook.com So, you want to put on an exhibition? is curated by Poppy Clover and is a collaboration between MA Curating, University of the West of England, Bristol and Hauser & Wirth Somerset. So, you want to put on an exhibition? is curated by Poppy Clover and is a collaboration between MA Curating, University of the West of England, Bristol and Hauser & Wirth Somerset. GLOSSARY HOME

INSTALLATION There are many ways to install artwork. You may have a particular method that you always use for your own work, or the artists you are working with have given you instructions on how to display their work. If they haven’t been given information from the artist, then it is worth double-checking with them. Some of the fixings have to be directly attached to the work so you want to make sure your artists agree with that before moving forward. TOOLKIT You may come into a space which is prepped and ready to go, other times you may need to fill holes from old screws and paint walls. A basic toolkit is really good to have for any exhibition just in case a space isn’t given to you in a condition you expected. A trusty toolkit would consist of: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Drill with drill bits and screwdriver attachments Spirit level Polyfilla and filling knife Tape measure Paintbrush Paint roller and tray White emulsion paint Pencil Rubber Masking tape Latex-free gloves Multipack of screws Multipack of rawlplugs Hammer Nails Ruler SPACING With wall-based works you are going to need to decide an eye-height . The museum standard for this is that the halfway point of the height of the work should sit 150cm above the floor. Whilst this is an industry-standard, it doesn’t always work for every exhibition It’s a good place to start when trying to work out an eye-height but you may be in a building with really low or heigh ceilings or the works vary drastically in size. Always start with your biggest work and see what looks good, maybe its 140cm or 160cm off the floor. The space between works is important too as you don’t want works to be too close together so that they can’t be looked at individually but equally you don’t want them spaced far apart so that the exhibition looks empty. You can opt to keep the same distance between each work for consistency, but you can also play around with having some closer together particularly if there is an interesting correlation with what the works are trying to say. A slightly more irregular hang also keeps the viewer on their toes and excited to view more work. INSTALLING PAPER-BASED WORKS For paper-based works, a great method is using magnets. These are specific to art installing and are long-lasting and reusable. All you need to do is put a screw in the wall behind each corner of the paper, slightly in from each edge, leaving the screw out from the wall. Lay your paper on top and match the magnets up with the placement of the screws. These are being used in contemporary galleries and are proving to be a popular and professional way of hanging work. ​ If you're not able to drill into the walls of your venue, c ommand strips are the best option. These should be attached to each corner of your work. Command strips are designed to not damage the wall when you remove them but they can damage the back of your work. If you put masking tape on the back corners of your work and stick your command strip on top, that will reduce the risk of damaging your work. INSTALLING FRAMES + CANVASES For framed works or canvases, mirror plates are another great reusable option. They are a metal bracket with three holes in. The side with two holes goes onto the back of your frame or canvas, on the two sides of the work in the middle. Using very tiny screws, your screw these directly into the back of the frame. The side with one hole should be visible on the edges of the work if you’re looking directly at it. You can then screw this straight into the wall. You can also paint over the visible part to match the wall colour, just make sure to carefully put some masking tape along the edge of the work so you don’t get paint on the frame. Another option for a frame would be split battens. These are two pieces of wood or metal with a 45 degree angle cut or bent into it, one goes onto the wall and the other goes onto the back of the frame. The two battens then slot into one another. ​ For canvases, a simple option is to hang the work on its cross-bar or the inside edge of the top bar. Use a spirit level to mark a straight line on the wall where either the cross-bar or top bar sits and put at least two screws in to balance the canvas on. The bigger the canvas, the more screws you need, but this is where you might switch back to a mirror plate for additional support. INSTALLING 3D WORKS For 3D works, most artists will have a vision for how they are displayed. It might be a plinth or the floor, maybe the work needs to have enough room so that the audience can walk all the way around it. Whatever it is, the thing you need to think about is how the 3D work interact with the works on the wall behind them. You don’t want them placed too closely so that someone stepping back to admire a painting suddenly backs into a ceramic vase, potentially damaging it. Equally, you don’t want them to be too separated from the exhibition that it feels inconsistent. Most of the time spent in installations is placing 3D works so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to try alternative placements. INSTALLING ELECTRICAL WORKS For 4D works that require power, this could be a TV, projector, or a VR piece, you will have pesky cables to deal with. Ideally you want to place electrical works near plug sockets so you don’t have cables trailing around the venue as this is a trip hazard. However that might not always be possible. To cover cables, the easiest thing to use is duct tape . This comes in many colours so hopefully you can find one to match the floor, as whilst you want people to see it so they don’t fall you don’t want it to distract from the exhibition. For a reusable option you can get rubber cable covers where the cables slot in underneath. You can cut these to size to fit the space. If you are mounting anything with a cable, you will want to use trunking . This sticks to the wall and you slide your cables inside it so it looks neat. Whilst cables can be annoying to deal with, bear in mind that the audience interact with cables daily so unconsciously they don’t see them as an issue but you can definitely take steps to make the whole set up look tidy. PACKING + PLACING SIGNAGE

CHECKLIST Click the image below to download a checklist that will help to remind you of all the things you need for your exhibition. HEALTH+ SAFETY RESOURCES

PACKING + PLACING Once you’ve decided which of your artworks are going in the exhibition, or you’ve let the artists know which of their works have been selected, you now need to pack them up. There are lots of different options when it comes to packaging artwork, some are cheap and disposable like bubble wrap and some are a bit more expensive but reusable like crates . It’s worth spending that extra bit of money now if you can afford it on getting something with a longer life span than buying something temporary every time you need to send or deliver a piece of work. Something to do that will save you time at the end of the exhibition is to label your packing, so you know which artwork belongs in it when it comes to taking down the exhibition. PACKAGING There are some great options out there now like Kvatt and Artpakk who have created reusable protective pouches for 2D works; they are ready to go and are also good for storing artworks in your home or studio. Card Packs are another option for 2D works, you can make these to any size yourself out of cardboard. For 3D work, the simplest option is a cardboard box with paper in it to support your work. This might work for some types of art but not for all, and you may require something stronger. Another option would be a T-Frame. This doesn't use as much wood as a crate but offers more protection than cardboard. The work is fixed inside the frame, and you have the option of added Correx to the sides for more protection. Crates are made from wood and have foam inserts to protect your work and offers the most protection out of the packing options. If looked after, these can last for a long time. If you’re good at woodwork you can make these yourself to save money, otherwise you can go to professional art shippers who will make one for you. If you need to send multiple works, you can opt for a multicrate . This will save you money and use less wood than if you were to make crates for each work. It also reduces the volume for transport, which may mean you only need one van instead of two. Multicrates can also be used for different works in the future, you can pad out any space with foam inserts, this means you can get many uses out of it. If you get a crate made professionally, make sure you go with a supplier who can make you a crate that is ISPM-15 certified. This is a mark of compliance for international shipping. Whilst the exhibition you are currently planning might not be in another country; you may be asked to exhibit internationally in the future. If you make the correct type of crate now you don’t have to get another made specifically for international travel. Thinking ahead is one of the key things you can do to be more sustainable in your practice! TRANSPORTATION You will need to consider how you will get the artwork to the venue. If it's your own work, are you driving it there yourself or do you need to take it on public transport? If the work is too big for public transport and you can't drive it there, do you have a friend you can ask for help? ​ When working on a group exhibition with several artists, you can ask them to bring their work on the day that you are installing the exhibition, so they are also there to help as well as deliver their work. This also helps to reduce multiple journeys to the venue, lowering carbon emissions. ​ If you have big work, lots of work, or you need to pick up the artists work, you may need to hire a van. Check the dimensions of the vans available to make sure all of your work will fit. Try to arrange all of the collections on one day, again this will help to reduce the carbon impact of your exhibition. ​ You will want to take out insurance for your exhibition. This is important if you end up in charge of transporting other artists artwork. The insurance you will need is Public and Product Liability Insurance . This covers the artwork if it is damaged whilst in your care, as well as if a member of the public is injured during your exhibition. CONDITION REPORTS Either you’ve received the works from the artists you’re working with, or you’ve brought the artwork to the venue. It’s good at this point to unpack the work and undertake a condition report . In this process, it’s worth photographing the stages of unpacking the work, so you remember how to pack it when you take the exhibition down. Your insurance company may also request copies of the photographs so this is another good reason to take them. Once the work is out of its packaging, take a look at the object. Has it sustained any damage in travel? This could be the edges of frames being dented, sculptures cracking or breaking, or paper works being creased. If it’s your own work, you can now work out how to fix it. If you are borrowing work, then you’ll want to inform the artist of the damage so they can advise on the repair or come to the venue to fix it or they may recommend a professional like a conservator to repair it. These condition reports are especially helpful if you are working with other artists so you can prove if work was damaged whilst in your care. PLACING Once you’ve taken photographs and completed the condition reports, you can start placing the work according to the plan you made earlier. It’s good practice to not put works directly on the floor to prevent further damage; you can use scrap blocks of wood to rest works on and lean them against the wall or use their existing packaging. Once you’ve placed everything where you think it should be displayed, take some time to walk around the space and study the work. Now it’s in the venue, some works might not work together aesthetically or maybe you got some measurements wrong and a wall is too small for the painting you wanted to place there. Don’t worry if your plan changes, this is totally normal and in the nature of curating. Move things around if you’re not 100% certain, usually you will see if works don’t work together easier than if they do work together, and this will help you make your decisions. PLANNING INSTALLATION

POPPY CLOVER Poppy is an art technician, curator, and educator from Essex, UK. She studied BA (Hons) Contemporary Arts Practice at Bath Spa University and MA Curating at University of the West of England. ​ 'So, you want to put on an exhibition?' is Poppy's final major project for her Master's Degree. It comes from her experiences of working in an art school, where she helps students and emerging artists navigate exhibition practice, as well as working in galleries in the South West, assisting in the installation of exhibitions. ​ Poppy has been working in the Arts for over 7 years as a technical demonstrator, project coordinator, freelance art handler, and lecturer. She is currently the Collection Technician and Archivist for The Roberts Institute of Art , and Curator and Artist Liaison for Forest of Imagination . ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBIN 'RUSTY' - FELIX GRIFFITHS Robin 'Rusty' - Felix Griffiths is an award winning dyslexic, professional loudmouth and cornish queer artist. He is currently studying MA Printmaking at UWE in which his practice strides towards making art as accessible possible, whilst trying to make a few people laugh along the way. If you found 'So, you want to put on an exhibition?' useful, let us know! Use #theexhibitionhandbook on social media or use the chat button in the bottom corner of the page to send us a message RESOURCES HOME

Aesthetics how something can looking pleasing to the eye Artpakk a brand of reusable protective art bags for work Bubble Wrap plastic packing with tiny air bubbles to protect what is being wrapped Card Pack a packaging option for frames and canvases made from cardboard Command Strip a strip with adhesive on one side and velcro on the other used to attach paper-based works and frames to the wall Condition Report a document created that contains the artist's name, work details, any notes on the condition of the work, any damage, and images of how the work was packed Conservator someone who restores, repairs or protects artwork Correx large sheets of corrugated plastic which can be used for the front and back of T-Frames or for protecting the floor whilst you paint or drill Crate a protective storage box made out of wood usually with foam inside Cross-bar a piece of wood that is added to the frame of a canvas to give structural support or to be used to sit on screws for display Curating selecting and organising objects or works of art Daisy-Chaining plugging one extension lead into another which can cause an overload of power to the wall socket and can lead to fires Dimensions the measurements of an art work Duct Tape waterproof adhesive tape Ear Defenders specialist headphones designed to protect your ears from prolonged exposure to sound Exhibition a display of art work or items of interest usually open to the public Eye Height the height at which works are hung on the wall so that the middle of the work is level with the viewers eyes Fixings objects used to fix things into place Floor Plans diagrams of a space as seen from above which should include measurements and power points Foamboard thin plastic board used to give photographs or text some depth FSC symbol of the Forest Stewardship Council, who give certification to materials that are produced from sustainably managed woodlands Grip Gloves gloves with a rubber coating designed for lifting heavy loads Group Exhibition an exhibition of several artists, usually united in a common theme or material Hard Copy a physical copy of a document Industry Standard processes or criteria that are normal in an industry Installation the placement, fixture, or set up of an art work or exhibition ISPM-15 symbol of International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, which is a quality control certification that the packaging made is suitable for international travel. It prevents the spread of insects and disease that could affect a country's native plants or ecosystem. Kvatt a brand of reusable protective art bags for work Make Good return the venue back to a satisfactory standard Medium what materials the works are made of Multicrate a crate made to hold more than one piece of work Placing the act of putting art work in the spot where you think it will be displayed Plinth a structure that supports an artwork Polyfilla a pre-mixed material used to fill holes and cracks in walls PPE personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks and goggles used to protect you when doing certain tasks Price List a document which contains the artist's name, artwork details, and price Public and Product Liability Insurance Insurance that an artist can take out to protect themselves against claims for injury to visitors or any damage to artwork or the venue which happen during the time of the exhibition QR Code a design made up of black and white squares that mobile phones can read and direct you to an online document. You can create them using a free QR code generator online. Rawlplug a plastic plug that goes into a hole made by a drill to secure a screw. The rawlplug expands in the hole as you screw in the screw. These are used if you need extra support to suspend a heavy work Software a programme on a computer Solo E xhibition an exhibition of one artist's work Spirit Level a long ruler with bubbles suspended in a liquid to indicate if a surface or edge is straight or wonky Steel-Toe Boots work boots with protective steel coverings over the toes designed to protect your feet T-Frame is a travel frame that protects work for transportation but has open sides so it uses less wood Trunking a white plastic housing for cables which has an adhesive back so it can be stuck to a surface VR virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of an image or environment that the viewer can interact with 2D something that has two dimensions/flat such as a photograph or drawing on paper 3D something that has three dimensions such as a vase or sculpture 4D something that uses audio or digital visuals such as projection, music or virtual reality TAKEDOWN HEALTH + SAFETY

SIGNAGE A big decision to make is how to label the work, not only in terms of placement but also in terms of the content. Traditionally, labels are printed and displayed underneath the works and there is nothing wrong with this but there are more options. If you do want traditional labels for the work, make sure you place them in the same place next to each work. This may be to the left or the right of the work, but make sure you keep consistency with where they are located. You don’t want them right next to the work, so allow some room between the work and its label. With sculptural works that are in the middle of the room, you will still want to place their labels on a wall nearby. Ideally, place them above an existing label for a wall-based work located closest to the sculpture so you don’t end up cluttering the wall. Avoid putting labels on plinths as it can ruin the look of the work. LABEL TEXT With content, the minimum to have on each label is the artist's name, the title of their work, and what it’s made from. Some artists like to have dimensions on their labels, but if you do that for one work make sure you do that for all works. Consistency is really important for labelling so everything looks uniform, and this also adds a layer of professionalism to your exhibition. TYPES OF LABELS What material you make your labels in is up to you. You could print them on paper and mount them on foamboard if you want to be more traditional. Another option is printing them on clear adhesive labels, these look quite modern and don’t distract as much but not every surface will be suitable for a sticky label. You can get metal label holders which can be reused. These are screwed to the wall and have more of a museum quality about them. Think about the type of work you're showing and what will work best with the mediums being used in the exhibition. PRICE LIST Avoid prices on labels if you are selling work and put this on a separate price list, so if someone is interested in purchasing a work, you can give them the information separately. Whilst you may hope to sell some work, putting prices on labels reduces your exhibition’s purpose to be only an exhibition for selling. Therefore the themes or conversations you are trying to address could be undermined. QR CODES Printing labels and price lists can waste a lot of resources, so a lot of museums and galleries use QR codes in order to give the public information without having to use as much paper. Rather than printing a QR code for every piece of work, one QR code could link you to a document that has an image of the work and then the labelling information so that the audience can quickly identify the work they are looking for. You could also have a separate code for a price list. Do consider your audience members who don’t have a smart phone. Do you or the venue have a tablet that can be used by the audience to scan QR codes? At the very least have one hard copy of each that can be left in the venue. INSTALLATION TAKEDOWN

RESOURCES Here are links to further resources to help you with planning your exhibition ​ SUSTAINABILITY Gallery Climate Coalition - the GCC is an international community of arts organisations working together to reduce the art sector's environmental impact. On the GCC website there are free resources on sustainable shipping, best practice and carbon reports Ki Culture - a non-profit working to unite culture and sustainability. They have free step-by-step guides on waste and materials, social sustainability, and energy ​ PACKAGING Kvatt - reusable packaging option Artpakk - reusable packaging option BARDER.art - source preloved exhibition materials ​ INSTALLATION How to use mirror plates How to use magnets How to install trunking How to install a split batten How to fill a hole in the wall How to use a ladder safely ​ INSURANCE a-n The Artist Information Company - the UK's largest art community offering information and resources. By signing up to a-n, you are covered by their Public and Product Liability Insurance CHECKLIST ABOUT

So, you want to put on an exhibition? Putting on an exhibition is a great way to bring an audience to see your work or bring several artists together around a common theme. But there’s more to putting on an exhibition than banging a few nails into the wall. What will you use to pack the artwork? How will you display the artwork? What can you do to make the exhibition more sustainable? This exhibition handbook uses the planning and logistics phase of the exhibition process as its starting point, imagining you already have an indoor venue and a selection of artwork in mind. The handbook will take you through the steps of planning, packing, and installing your exhibition giving you professional advice along the way. Sustainability is embedded within the exhibition handbook. You might not be able to use every eco-friendly swap that is suggested, and that's ok, but it will get you to consider a more sustainable approach to exhibition-making. Now, go make yourself a cuppa and grab a notebook; you’ve got an exhibition to plan...

TAKEDOWN After your exhibition closes, you will now need to take down all the artwork, make good the venue, and return the artwork. Takedown is usually far quicker and simpler than the installation but there are still considerations you need to take. If you labelled all of the packaging when you unwrapped the work, you should easily be able to match it up with the correct artwork. Take pictures of the work before you wrap it so you can prove it left you in good condition, these images can be added to your condition report along with any changes that may have occurred to the piece. You may have changed the fixing used for hanging, for example. MAKE GOOD THE VENUE Once the work is all wrapped up you need make good the venue. This means you need to return it in the condition that you found it. You need to take any screws and other fixings out of the walls. You’ll then need to use Polyfilla to fill the holes. Let it dry, sand it back and then you can get on with painting the walls. If the screws aren’t bent or damaged, keep them to use again. With any rubbish that you have left over, this might be leftover bubble wrap or empty paint containers, first think if you can reuse them. If not, research to see if you can recycle that item. For example, some paint companies will accept clean empty containers and recycle them for you. EXHIBITION COMPLETE! And that is the end of your exhibition. How did you find it? Make sure to reflect on the experience - was there anything that didn't run smoothly and can you identify why? What worked really well that you will do in the future? If you worked with other artists, can you ask them for some feedback? Really take time to think about the whole journey so that you're ready to take on your next exhibition. SIGNAGE GLOSSARY

PLANNING This exhibition you are planning may be a solo exhibition of your own work, or you might have been put in charge of organising a group exhibition . Either way, you’ll have to decide what works to put in the exhibition and where by curating . Curating not only includes where the works are going to be displayed, but also your concept for the exhibition. If this is an exhibition of your own work, you will be exploring a topic or question through your art, and this may form the concept of your exhibition. If it is a group exhibition, you might all be making art about a similar theme or using the same materials. Once you have your concept, then you can start thinking about planning the exhibition. You will need to find out from your venue what restrictions there are. Maybe you’re working in an old building and you can’t drill into the walls, or you’re in a space that doesn’t have a lift to take works between floors. Find out what you can’t do in your venue to help you decide what you can exhibit. If your venue is run by someone, ask if they have floor plans , or if they don’t have one, can you go into the venue and measure up to create your own? A floor plan helps you to visualise the space and can be a tool for deciding where to place your selected works. One crucial thing to find out are the sizes of the doors at the venue to check your work will actually get inside! TECHNICAL NEEDS Next, you need to get the measurements and technical needs of the artwork you want to exhibit. You will want to ask them if the work requires power, special fixings , or if the works are heavy to move. Get images of all the works too so you can familiarise yourself with what they look like. If you’re working with multiple artists, make sure you do this as far in advance as possible, so you get all the information to you on time (don’t be afraid to send a follow-up message if you've not heard back from your artists!). IDENTIFYING COMPLEX WORKS Once you have all of the artwork information, you can identify which works are the complex works. For example, if the work is 4D , they will need a plug socket so these works are limited to where those sockets are located in the venue. Or if you have a large painting, but two walls are not tall enough, you can narrow down where that work can be hung. Go through all of these and start to place these on your floor plan. This could be as simple as adding notes of artists names onto a photocopy of the floor plans or making a 3D floor plan using software , you can easily move works around if you change your mind and not waste paper in the process. AESTHETICS Now that those are in place, and you are left with the more flexible work you can now think more about the aesthetics of the exhibition. You need to look at the colour, themes and mediums of the works and decide if you are grouping works with similarities or are you spreading them throughout the exhibition. It might be hard to try and plan your exhibition when you’re looking at images of works on a screen and not in real life but having a plan going into your installation days will save you a lot of time, but also don’t put pressure on yourself to get your layout 100% perfect on paper. Once you’re in the venue with the artwork, two works you put together might look horrible next to each other, or you put a plug socket on your floor plan in the wrong place so now you must move works around. Things will change so don’t panic! HOME PACKING + PLACING