‘From Sausage Rolls to Sushi and Back Again: Lessons for successful travelling block-buster loans’

Special temporary exhibitions and travelling shows offer museum and gallery professionals an opportunity to bring together specific collections to demonstrate a particular movement, represent the complete oeuvre of a single artist, or present simply a group of works for the general public to enjoy. Whatever the theme or subject matter of the exhibition, the movement of works of art inevitably puts them at risk. Many factors must be considered before agreeing to participate in travelling shows. Using an exhibition that travelled from Manchester City Galleries to six venues in Japan as a case study, this paper discusses some of the questions that need to be asked in advance of shipping. It also aims to show lenders some of the steps that should be taken in order to ensure the safe delivery to and display of precious works of art in host venues. Specific examples of challenging situations met are offered not to criticize either the lending institution or borrowing organization, but rather to examine the events that transpired, highlight lessons learned and outline planning procedures that anticipate most eventualities, so that the exhibition may be carried out as safely as possible.