Provide detailed installation instructions

Share precise instructions to guide artwork installation without the need for onsite supervision, reducing unnecessary travel and the associated emissions. See the Artwork Documentation template for further advice.

Advocate for reused materials

Discuss with presenting partners (e.g. the institution/commissioner/residency host etc.) whether used or reclaimed materials can be used for exhibition furniture and displays, promoting a shift towards sustainable aesthetics.

Promote reuse and donation

Encourage reuse of exhibition materials for future projects and consider donating leftover materials to art schools or studios before resorting to recycling.

Avoid vinyl

Where possible, avoid vinyl flooring and wall text, opting instead for sustainable alternatives like wheat-pasting, or using water-based paint or paper lettering. Find examples of alternatives in the Using the Resources at Hand: Sustainable Exhibition Design guide.

Source locally

Prioritise locally sourced exhibition materials to reduce transportation emissions.

Consider climate control

If you are open to your art object gradually changing visually with age and light exposure in a museum or gallery environment, explicitly express that the artwork can be displayed and stored in ambient conditions. Otherwise it may be assumed that the artwork requires the rigid (and often unnecessary!) climate controls in museums and gallery spaces. As evidenced by the Ki Futures Getting Climate Control Under Control pilot, reducing climate control can save up to 50% in energy expenditure for an exhibition space.

Support workers’ rights

Investigate the treatment and compensation of outsourced service workers, such as technicians and cleaners, and seek advice from relevant unions. For example the Art Technicians branch of Bectu supports technicians across the visual arts.

Choose sustainable printing

Use Healthy Printing guidelines for printed materials, opting for non-toxic inks and recycled, unbleached paper printed in batches to minimise waste.

Avoid single-use items

Eliminate single-use materials like disposable cups and water bottles from exhibitions and events.

Request sustainable catering

If possible, request environmentally responsible food and drink options such as vegan, local, and seasonal choices for exhibition events.

Consider exhibition layouts

Work with presenting partners to use existing floor plans, minimising the need for extra materials and sparing temporary walls from disposal.

Explore drill-free exhibiting

If working with a presenting parter who has large-scale exhibition re-builds, propose alternative methods that avoid drilling into walls, preventing plaster waste (which is classed as hazardous waste) and unnecessary repainting. If you want to consider this point in smaller-scale exhibitions, you could think about alternative hanging methods.

I/We accept that signs of use/wear and tear on exhibition materials are entirely acceptable aesthetically. These can be sourced via online material-sharing platforms.
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No new electronic devices should be bought. Renting, sharing or buying second-hand will vastly reduce the carbon emissions associated with the project.
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I/We will reconsider the need for repainting gallery walls. Gallery walls do not necessarily require a new coat of paint for each new exhibition.
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I/We refuse the use of vinyl - polyvinyl chloride (PVC) also known as the “poison plastic” – for flooring, wall text, decals, etc. There are many alternative materials and methods that are not derived from fossil fuels and are less toxic in their manufacturing and disposal.
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I/We should reuse/share any exhibition furniture, walls and other materials involved in the process. See examples of art sector sharing networks and platforms here.
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Where reuse/storage/sharing isn’t possible, I/we will consider local donations to art schools, studios.
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I/We refuse the use of single-use materials (e.g. disposable cups, water bottles) for events related to my work and practice.
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I/We will adopt conscious consideration of any provided food and drink (seeking vegan, local and seasonal where possible).
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I/We will ensure that external suppliers comply with international labour standards and fair pay. Considerations should be made with an intersectional, decolonial, climate justice lens. Read more about climate justice for visual arts organisations here.

Jess Slipp’s wall sinage for with & of (Becoming rock), 2023 at FOFA Gallery was achieved by applying rice paste on the wall with a stencil and blowing sandstone collected from the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia onto the sticky surface. At the end of the exhibition, the sandstone was easily removed by using an ink scraper and the rice glue was washed away with warm soapy water.