I have been a part of the art service industry and a museum professional since the late 80’s. Sustainability is not a new topic. I have had discussions at many companies and institutions on the use of wood, foam, and plastic as shipping materials. I had the good fortune to manage a packing and crate shop for a major museum that had both a robust Conservation and a Science and Research department. During my almost 14 years at this museum, I worked with Science and Research oddy testing various materials to find the most sustainable packing materials. Unfortunately, the most sustainable materials were not always the best protective materials for the storage and movement of the collection. In addition, these materials were normally used in much lower volumes than we would require, and the cost was prohibitive.
This was a similar conversation that I had when I worked in commercial galleries, University museums and in the art service industry. Sustainability is not an easy solution in an industry dependent on plastic, foam, wood, and fossil fuel and in every case, decisions needed to be made based on what was safest for the artwork. Safest meaning which solutions had the lowest risk factors at an acceptable cost.
An article by Catherine Hickley on April 8th of this year in the Art Newspaper reported on a study that UK museums have the global lead in sustainability and that the top 10 sustainable Museums are outside of the United States. Congratulations to the museums that made this list. Unfortunately, the study also pointed out that arts organizations worldwide trail behind the corporate sector and academia.
The point was made that this isn’t from a lack of desire or effort but based on several secondary factors such as government support and size of venue. The museums on the top ten list are based in countries where sustainability is supported which allowed these institutions to have sustainability teams to implement sustainable methods for the storage and movement of artwork.
As the art world becomes increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their actions, businesses in the art service sector are being called upon to adopt more sustainable practices making sustainable solutions for the storage and movement of artwork a social responsibility for the art service industry.
One of the key reasons why sustainability is necessary in the art service industry is its reliance on materials and resources that are often non-renewable or harmful to the environment.
I am also an art service project manager who has planned and managed many museum and commercial relocations. One of the methods used to control costs and materials on relocations is to design packaging that can be reused multiple times and to consolidate shipments to reduce transits.
I took this practice with me when I accepted the museum position. We kept stock reusable materials and instead of destroying crates we dismantled them for reuse. If a crate was fit with materials for a specific object, we maintained those materials in the crate for reuse except for open cell foams which should always be removed as they rapidly degrade. In addition, we recycled not only plastic and foam, but our nitrile gloves and we only used climate-controlled storage for artwork. Empty crates, materials and workspaces were temperature controlled only. These practices were both environmentally conscious and cost efficient.
These are small steps but all anyone can do is control their own area and be responsible.
In the past few years, I have seen companies in the art service industry begin to research electric vehicles, solar panels, motion detecting lights in their facilities, recycling and reusing materials and become active in earth sustaining practices like planting trees for each crate or service request.
By implementing sustainable practices, businesses in the art service industry can help to reduce their environmental footprint and protect natural resources for future generations.
The necessity of sustainable practices in the art service industry cannot be overstated. By adopting environmentally conscious practices, businesses can help to protect the planet. As consumers become more informed and demand eco-friendly products and services, businesses in the art service industry must adapt to meet these expectations to remain competitive and successful.
Chuck Agro, Earth Day 4/22/2024
Chuck Agro - Project Management For The Arts 