The Art Show 2024 | Exhibitor Booth Reports
Photo by Jason Wyche, Courtesy of ADAA.
The Art Show 2024
To Benefit Henry Street Settlement
Organized by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA)
OctoBER 29-november 2, 2024THE ART SHOW SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP
The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) commissioned its first-ever Sustainability Roadmap in 2022—a comprehensive guide for The Art Show, which assesses aspects of the fair that might impact climate or general wellness.
In 2022, The Art Show asked a pilot group of exhibitors to track their climate impact resulting from participation in the fair, using the Climate Impact Report (CIR) model developed by Artists Commit. These CIRs were tailored by LHL Consulting for exhibitors’ specific participation in the fair.
All exhibitors were invited to take part in the CIR process in both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, 33 out of 78 booths provided reports, while 46 out of 75 booths participated in reporting in 2024.
In addition to promoting a practice of self-assessment and building climate-fluency, CIRs submitted for The Art Show will help design more environmentally responsible future fairs.
EXHIBITOR BOOTH IMPACT AREAS
Engagement:
Increase participation & awarenessEmissions:
Calculate and understand carbon emission impact of shipping and travel decisionsWaste:
Improve material sourcing and end-destination decisionsWorkers:
Build climate capacity for exhibiting teamsCommunity:
Contribute to a climate movement
KEY INSIGHT:
Galleries appreciate The Art Show for introducing the exhibitor booth Climate Impact Reporting initiative.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: In 2024, we identified four goals to focus on.
Goal | Key Performance Indicator (KPI) % of galleries reporting
Increase participation Increase engagement | % of galleries listing outside stakeholders involved in report
Increase Carbon Literacy | # of galleries with emission data
Reduce “Booth Order” Waste to Landfill | % of galleries opting for Green Lightbulb booth order options
KPI: Engagement Goal | Increase Participation
KPI: Success!
How did we do this?
● Required a simple preliminary report before the fair that provided all data for a baseline report.
● Active follow up with participants, including granting flexible extensions.
● Completed a few reports based on email responses or in person conversations.
● Distinguished between reports that had required emissions to report.
● Created a Social Media Campaign and video assets highlighting the initiative.
KPI: Engagement Goal | External Stakeholder Engagement
KPI: Success!
How did we do this?
● Training webinar emphasized asking your vendors and fabricators to compile data.
● Preliminary report before the fair led to more galleries thinking about this during planning and install phase, not just after the fact.
● On site booth acknowledgement led to conversations among clients and other stakeholders.
KPI: Engagement Goal | Increase Carbon Fluency
KPI: Success!
How did we do this?
● Training webinar and email hotline offering emissions training and support.
● Provided Data Tracker to be filled in by projects with flights, long haul shipping, and material usage, providing individual data points for us to verify.
● The preliminary report phase also helped, as it created a situation where all baseline data was submitted before the fair, and essentially the only thing we had to ask for after the fair was to complete the Data Tracker and calculate emissions.
KPI: Engagement Goal | Improve Booth Build Choices
KPI: Inconclusive
What did we try?
● Included Green Light Bulb throughout the exhibitors manual for tips on climate responsible booth decisions
● Training Webinar & Email Guidance in advance of the fair encouraged use of:
○ bare floors with recycled plastic covering
○ standard wall fabric treatment
○ minimize use of ceilings or curtains
● Success: Galleries who completed CIRs were more likely to choose the recommended flooring option.
So, how did we do?
Key Takeaways
Key Insights
● 75% of exhibiting galleries and 71% of reporting galleries are NY based, and all members are in the US. Local galleries usually display work already in New York. This keeps shipping and travel emissions low.
● Not many exhibitors have to fly, but when they do they have high emissions. Flights, especially business class, are the biggest contributor to exhibitor emissions at the fair.
● Most galleries reuse material for their booth and implement waste reduction efforts. The number of galleries reporting waste reduction as a priority is increasing.
● The greatest waste by volume comes from fair booth build options like carpet, ceilings, and wall treatments, and this is an area within TAS control to innovate waste solutions.
Addendum I
Addendum II
Hot Tips Shared with Exhibitors
Shipping
● Strategize showing work with low emission shipping needs.
● Opt for sea freight (international) or road shuttle (domestic) for artwork freight.
● If coordinating your own truck, see if you can consolidate with other galleries.
● Pack efficiently to reduce shipping weight.
Travel
● Minimize flights by strategizing efficient staff travel and hiring local support.
**First and business class flights can account for 4x more carbon emissions than an economy seat.
Waste
● Make lower-waste booth build decisions:
○ bare floors with recycled plastic covering
○ standard wall fabric treatment
○ minimize use of ceilings or curtains
● For pedestals and display material, use existing or source reuse options
● Donate via Barder or Materials For the Arts after the fair
Engagement
● Engage your stakeholders!
Talk to your team members, artists, vendors, shippers, and clients about your CIR and see if they can contribute to improving the booth’s climate impact.