Art Basel Miami Beach

Keep calm! Calmness is the cradle of power :)

Like every year, agents' and galleries' November is dominated by preparations for Art Basel in Miami Beach. Even though the fair is officially open to the public 4 days long, it actually lasts app. 10 days, including unpacking, installing, VIP viewing, deinstallation and packing for the return transport. For agents and galleries involved, the project "ABMB" lasts app. a month.

Every shipment coming to the show from abroad requires cooperation of agents on both sides. Foreign agents, in charge of exporting and re-importing of the art works, who serve many galleries at once, often send a representative to support their clients on site. Receiving agents on the US end, like e.g. Masterpiece, Dietl or Atelier 4, usually open their temporary offices directly at the fair and coordinate incoming shipments together with the exhibitors. 

They also set the deadlines for arrival, which due to a high congestion risk at MIA airport and Miami sea port, are up to 3 weeks (!) in advance of the official opening. Foreign agents are obliged to observe these deadlines; consequently, all preparations involved in an outgoing shipment need to be planned accordingly earlier. That is why, already at the end of October we, European agents, have to stress our clients to take final decisions on the to-be-shipped volumes. Our apologies :)

After it has been decided which works are going to be exhibited, their packing has to be checked and, if necessary, extra crates have to be fabricated. When final dimensions of packages (so called colli) are known, it is time to book sufficient freight hold by a chosen airline. As, not quite surprisingly, all freighters going to Miami at the end of November are pretty full of art, it is advisable to book the priority option, especially, if the volume is large. Otherwise, an offload and - as a result - a delay may occur. This year the situation is exceptionally unfavourable: due to the threat of Lufthansa cargo staff's strike, the demand on freight hold by other airlines grew suddenly a great deal – and so did the rates.

The next step are packing lists and shipping invoices for customs purposes. To make your customs broker's life easier, works listed on a fair proforma should be sorted by technique, have net values given in one currency and if available, images or at least inventory numbers. Works which are not in free circulation in the EU or have already been sold, should to be documentated on separate proformas or commercial invoices. Still, if possible, all the works travelling ot the fair, should be sent on one AWB only – then the US bond and user fees, that are usually maximal anyway, apply only once.

As it is not known, which of the works will be sold and which will return, a temporary export seems to be the most favourable option. If it is done correctly, unsold works can be re-imported smoothly and tax free after the fair. On the other hand, the POE (proof of export), even if temporary, is usually respected by tax authorities as long as the value on the commercial invoice (issued afterwards) matches the one declared on the fair proforma.

Please note that tools, like drills, nails or hammers, and booth equippment, like a carpet or stool, have to be declared on the shipping invoice as well! 

A very useful hint: don't ever pack your electric screwdriver into a wooden crate, for which you need a screwdriver to open :) ! Pack you tools in a flight case or any box that can be opened by hand! You wouldn't believe, how often and to how much renowned galleries this mistake happens :) 

After all is set and done, the volume is delivered to the airport. The usual practice is to consolidate services for diverse clients (transports to the airport, handling, booking of freight hold) to keep the costs possibly low.

Now you, as the representant of your gallery, have to board your plane, land safely and conctact the US agent on the other end to receive your shipment at the fair and start arranging your booth. 

I wish you fun and success in Miami Beach, so that in the best case you bring only the tools and chairs back :)