Fine Art Shipping & Transportation Guide

If you’re an artist, gallery curator or art owner, you may have experienced stress and complications when shipping fine art.  The pieces you are moving likely have monetary value, sentimental value and sometimes even historical value. Getting them to their new location on time and without damage is vital.

There are various ways to transport either a collection or a single piece of fine art. Explore our guide on how to ship fine art internationally and within the UK to ensure that your next experience is simple.

How to Ship Fine Art

Shipping fine art is a process which requires expert packing, handling and transporting. All items should be packaged correctly to minimise the risk of damage. You may choose to move the art yourself, send your pieces via a courier or find a company that offers specialist artwork logistic services.

Packing Fine Art 

Before you can think about shipping fine art from one location to another, you must first understand how to prepare the pieces that are due to be moved. Unfortunately, this isn’t quite as simple as using some bubble wrap and tape.

Wooden framed paintings and other materials are at risk of being damaged by certain plastic packing, particularly if you are shipping fine art internationally where there is likely to be a change in temperature or humidity. It may be wise to cover the art in an undyed, soft cotton fabric before wrapping the artwork in any other packaging – this will act as a barrier between the two.

Always label any boxes so that you know which way up they should be kept and reinforce the bottoms and corners so that there is no risk of artwork falling out.

Moving Art Yourself 

If you have a small amount of art to move or don’t have far to go, you may consider moving the art yourself using either your own vehicle or hiring a van.

Though this option may be cheaper initially, transporting fine art yourself can be time-consuming and means you will be liable for the artwork and any accidental damage whilst it is in transit.

Using Courier Services

Depending on the value of the art you are looking to ship and how many pieces there are, you may look to explore a courier service which will transport your parcels from A to B.

You should expect to pay a rate which depends on the size and weight of the parcels which you need to send, and the destination to which you need them to reach.

It is important to remember that if you choose to use a courier, your fine art will be shipped alongside various other items that may damage your pieces. The couriers handling your artwork are unlikely to have specialist knowledge of the best way to transport pieces of art. Once you have handed over your parcels containing the artwork, visibility on the parcel may be limited to tracking its whereabouts online.

Finding a Professional Art Logistics Service 

If you are looking to ship a large amount of fine art, artwork which is extremely valuable, or simply want to remove the headache that can come with shipping, then you may decide to use a professional art logistics service. This is a specialist offering whereby your fine art will be packed, transported and if you wish, installed at its destination.

At Momentous, we understand that moving artwork is a task that needs to be carefully coordinated. Our expert technicians are trained to carefully pack, handle and deliver your fine art to its new location, and our client services team is on hand to make the process simple.

If you have fine art logistics requirements get in touch with our friendly, knowledgeable team today to discuss our UK and international fine art transport options.