Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page i Organizing Exhibitions A handbook for museums, libraries and archives Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page ii Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page iii Organizing Exhibitions A handbook for museums, libraries and archives Freda Matassa Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page iv © Freda Matassa 2014 Published by Facet Publishing 7 Ridgmount Street, London WC1E 7AE www.facetpublishing.co.uk Facet Publishing is wholly owned by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. Freda Matassa has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as author of this work. Except as otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, with the prior permission of the publisher, or, in the case of reprographic reproduction, in accordance with the terms of a licence issued by The Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to Facet Publishing, 7 Ridgmount Street, London WC1E 7AE. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-85604-945-0 First published 2014 Text printed on FSC accredited material. Typeset from author’s files in 10/14 pt Palatino Linotype and Frutiger by Facet Publishing Production. Printed and made in Great Britain by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY. Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page v Dedication To my parents William Johnston and Phyllis Mary Wood with love Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page vi Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page vii Contents List of figures...........................................................................................xiii Preface.....................................................................................................xvii Acknowledgements.................................................................................xix Introduction.............................................................................................xxi Exhibition organization.........................................................................xxii The successful exhibition.....................................................................xxiii Background.........................................................................................xxiv Exhibition benefits................................................................................xxv Planning an exhibition.........................................................................xxvi Notes and References.........................................................................xxvii Part 1 A step-by-step guide to organizing exhibitions 1 1 Idea........................................................................................................3 Fundamentals.........................................................................................3 Concept..................................................................................................3 Objects...................................................................................................5 Policy......................................................................................................8 People...................................................................................................12 Space....................................................................................................13 Finance.................................................................................................15 Audience and programmes...................................................................16 Time schedule.......................................................................................17 Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page viii ORGANIZING EXHIBITIONS Objectives and risks...............................................................................18 Stage One checklist...............................................................................20 Summary..............................................................................................20 Notes and references............................................................................20 2 Planning..............................................................................................23 Fundamentals.......................................................................................23 Project management.............................................................................23 Communication....................................................................................26 Project team .........................................................................................26 Schedule...............................................................................................27 Loans and lenders.................................................................................30 Exhibition space....................................................................................39 Budget..................................................................................................42 Insurance..............................................................................................46 Exhibition design...................................................................................49 Transport...............................................................................................52 Stage Two checklist...............................................................................55 Summary..............................................................................................55 Notes and references............................................................................55 3 Organization.......................................................................................57 Fundamentals.......................................................................................57 Loans and lenders.................................................................................57 Design and build...................................................................................70 Environment..........................................................................................74 Insurance..............................................................................................79 Transport...............................................................................................80 Marketing and publications...................................................................81 People...................................................................................................82 Stage Three checklist.............................................................................83 Summary..............................................................................................83 Notes and references............................................................................84 4 Packing and transport.......................................................................85 Fundamentals.......................................................................................85 Internal moves......................................................................................87 External moves......................................................................................94 viii Matassa Organizing exhibitions PROOF 05 FINAL_Layout 1 17/03/2014 11:18 Page ix CONTENTS Lenders delivering their own loans......................................................109 Insurance............................................................................................110 Stage Four checklist............................................................................110 Summary............................................................................................111 Notes and references..........................................................................111 5 Installation........................................................................................113 Fundamentals.....................................................................................113 Planning for installation......................................................................113 Team...................................................................................................115 Schedule.............................................................................................117 Gallery preparation.............................................................................117 Access.................................................................................................120 Delivery...............................................................................................120 Unwrapping and inspection................................................................123 Receiving couriers...............................................................................127 Display furniture and fixings................................................................127 Placing and hanging...........................................................................130 Labels and signage..............................................................................133 Lighting..............................................................................................134 Preparation for the opening................................................................134 Invigilators..........................................................................................135 Stage Five checklist.............................................................................136 Summary............................................................................................136 Notes and references..........................................................................136 6 Openings...........................................................................................137 Fundamentals.....................................................................................137 What kind of opening? ......................................................................137 Planning..............................................................................................139 Safety and security..............................................................................141 On the day..........................................................................................145 Afterwards..........................................................................................146 Stage Six checklist...............................................................................146 Summary............................................................................................147 7 Maintenance and programmes.......................................................149 Fundamentals.....................................................................................149 ix