At CP each project stems from a collaborative approach and a solid teamwork that allows us to face every challenge with professionalism, creativity and innovation.
Analysis, planning, development, communication, organization and production are the different steps of our daily activity.
The development and organization of international exhibitions is a complex process that requires numerous steps. We follow these ones:
Identification of the Museum’s Needs
Definition of a Partnership Model
Definition of the Most Suitable Exhibition for the Museum
Development of the International Tour
Production of the Exhibition
Organization of the Exhibition
First stepIdentification of the Museum’s Needs
We start each collaboration following these steps:
We analyze the Museum’s structure, the professionality of the staff, the permanent collection, the past exhibitions, the target audience, as well as all the characteristics of the space for temporary exhibitions and what are the showcases, furnishings and technologies provided by the Museum.
With Museums interested in our exhibitions, we develop “site specific” projects for their spaces, adapting each project to the exhibition space, integrating their collections and building together the best exhibition path for their venue.
With Museums wishing to enhance their heritage, we develop new exhibition concepts from their collections, helping them to be part of a wide international network, to generate new sources of revenue, and to support them in the valorization of their heritage.
We develop constructive dialogues and long-lasting relationships over time with the numerous stakeholders of the museum system (from directors to cultural project managers), building networks between lender and hosting museums, with the goal of developing successful touring exhibitions.
Second stepDefinition of a Partnership Model
CP provides the exhibition in all its parts, adapting it to the spaces of the museum and taking care of all the development, organization, realization, installation and deinstallation of the exhibition, including the management of curators, artworks loans, transports and insurances. The Museum will receive all the incomes deriving from ticketing, catalogue and merchandising.
CP and the Museum collaborate to optimize the elements that the Museum can provide for the realization of the exhibition (such as showcases, lighting system technologies, etc.).
This cooperation can also include the development of specific contents adapted to the territory or to the collections of the Hosting Museum.
CP and the Museum evaluate together the possible forms of co-production of the exhibition in order to enhance the mutual potential.
Third stepDefinition of the Most Suitable Exhibition for the Museum
Take part in an ongoing or future international tour
Develop a new exhibition specifically designed for the Museum
In both cases, the exhibition will be customized according to the Museum’s needs, in particular:
- Defining the themes and scientific lines that link the exhibition to the territory and to the Museum collections
- Identifying the artworks from the Museum collection that can be included in the exhibition path or the artworks from museums in the same geographical area
- Studying and proposing innovative technological devices to be included in the project
After choosing the option that best suits the Museum’s needs, we proceed with:
- The Concept of the Exhibition. The concept of the exhibition is clearly defined in order to precisely target the Museum’s audiences already identified in the preliminary analysis step and to define all the designs that need to be produced, from the exhibition project to the graphic design.
- The Storytelling. A “story” that involves the visitor throughout the course of the exhibition path is developed. It is intended to be a real “script” that links, in a single thread, all the historical and cultural facts, as well as all the people and protagonists that guide the visitor through direct witnesses, quotes, stories and scientific discoveries.
- The List of Original Artworks. Thanks to the huge database developed at CP in 20 years of activity, CP’s historians and archaeologists draw up a preliminary list of original artworks to be included in the exhibition.
- The Definition of the Exhibition Structure. According to the “story” narrated in the exhibition and to the artworks selected, the exhibition topics are organized into sections and subsections, outlining the overall exhibition structure.
- The Definition of the Exhibition Extra-Contents. All the video, multimedia devices and immersive rooms are defined in order to enhance the “story”, together with the educational paths for children and the inclusive paths for disabled/blind people.
When the exhibition project is outlined, CP, through its solid network of relationships developed over more than 20 years, plans a series of specific meetings with the directors of the potential Lender Museums to involve in the exhibition with the goal of:
- bringing targeted and additional scientific contributions
- enhancing the artworks that will be included in the exhibition
After the definition of the participating Lender Museums and the outline of all the exhibition contents, an overall check of the original artworks is done in terms of availability and technical conditions for their display. This is done through an on-site inspection at all the Lender Museums in order to:
- Check the list of selected artworks and inspect with the museum conservators each object to confirm size, weight and state of conservation, assess fragility, need for any restoration or particular shipping conditions
- Evaluate the exposure conditions with the technical team of the Lender Museums (particular parameters of temperature/humidity, lighting, safety)
- Collect the insurance values to be communicated to the fine art insurance company involved in the project
Fourth step Development of the International Tour
The different steps of this process are:
Following the meeting with the scientific team of curators and managers of the Lender and Hosting Museums, the Exhibition Department, the Communication Team and the Graphic Designer, work together to create a “book” aimed at presenting the project and promoting the exhibition among CP’s wide museum network.
Before being released, all the material produced by CP will be shared with the members of the scientific committee for their approval.
Thanks to the exhibition “book”, the Managers of the International Relations team promote the exhibition through:
- A preliminary selection of potential hosting museums chosen according to the exhibition theme
- CP’s extensive and consolidated worldwide museum network, keeping relationships with the Directors of Museums and Exhibition Venues that have been collaborating with CP for over 20 years
- The organization of meetings with the Directors and Heads of Exhibition at the venues of the potential Hosting Museums
- The different digital channels that allow for a wider dissemination of the projects
- The annual participation in numerous international museum fairs with the aim of getting in touch and develop a direct dialogue with the Directors and Curators of National and International Museums
Once the potential Museums with the characteristics and availability to host the exhibition have been identified, the international tour is built usually involving 3-4 locations, useful for sharing costs and thus reducing all the expenses affecting the overall budget.
Once the period of the tour and the number of hosting venues have been defined, the details between CP and the Hosting Museums are outlined with a formal agreement which establishes the responsibilities of each actor involved in the production of the exhibition and a preliminary time-schedule to be respected.
- The Hosting Museum will be involved in the development of the exhibition at its own location, adapting the project with additional topics and/or artworks from its own collection.
- Each budget provides different options according to the needs of the Hosting Museums, taking into account the economy of scale generated by the sharing of costs in multiple museums. CP offers both flexible models that enable museums to optimize costs by using their resources (showcases, technologies, etc.), and “turnkey” models including all the services needed to organize the exhibition.
Fifth stepProduction of the Exhibition
The different steps of this process are:
The production is the result of a close collaboration between CP’s various departments:
- The Exhibition Department which coordinates the editing of the contents, in line with the storytelling of the exhibition;
- The Exhibition Design Department where architects and designers develop the exhibition design project adapting it to the needs of the different spaces of the Hosting Museums, and where the graphic designers design the corporate image of the exhibition
The Production Manager defines a Production Schedule listing:
- all the contents identified in the preliminary design step that are to be produced
- the production timetable
- the people involved in the production
Through the professional skills of its different departments, CP carries out:
- Scientific coordination of the project (in collaboration with Lender and Hosting Museums)
- Drafting, editing and translations of the texts in the language requested by the Hosting Museums
- Graphic design and corporate identity: key visuals, section panels, subsections and captions, graphic and scenographic backgrounds, posters and banners, marketing and promotional material, invitation for the exhibition openings
- “Italian Style” exhibition design project (display of artworks and scenographies) developed in close collaboration with the scientific committee of the Lender Museums and with the project manager of the Hosting Museum. The exhibition design project includes:
General project: overall project of all the elements of the exhibition placed in the available exhibition space including: showcases, platforms, artworks, videos, exhibition panels, scenographies
Detailed project: specific project of the precise display of the artworks within each showcase, base or platform with the respective graphics (captions, panels, backgrounds)
Light design project: design of all the light points and energy supply for each monitor, video projector or other device on display
- Production of the exhibition design: depending on the agreements stipulated in the contract with the Hosting Museum, if expressly requested, CP can also coordinate the production of the exhibition design, collaborating with a local construction company. In this case, CP deals directly with the construction company to define all the details of the construction techniques and materials of partition walls, bases, display cases, as well as the delivery of all the elements and the installation in the Hosting Museum in time to ensure that everything is ready before the arrival of the artworks
- Development and production of multimedia devices (video, touchscreen, immersive room)
- Development and production of the exhibition catalogue
- Development and production of educational devices for children
Sixth stepOrganization of the Exhibition
CP’s Exhibition Department directly liaises with the Lender Museums to ensure that all the necessary procedures to obtain the artwork loans and export authorisations are carried out, while keeping the relationships with the heads of the Lender Museums and/or higher authorities responsible for issuing authorisations. CP has managed the loan of artworks from all over the world, from Europe to the USA, from Australia to China, and has thus accrued extensive experience in this field, thus being able to ensure the utmost reliability in managing the loan and authorisation procedures with the museums of the participating countries.
- Fine Arts Insurance Cover
CP has always worked with highly reliable insurance companies specialising in covering works of art. In this case, the Project Manager is in contact with the Lender Museums in order to collect all the information about the artworks, including the insurance value. This information is then promptly communicated to the fine arts insurance company in order to check all the conditions and take out the “Nail to Nail” policy, which guarantees coverage of the artworks from the moment they are packed in the museum to the moment they are returned again. This includes intercontinental transport, handling and installation, the duration of the exhibition, as well as all the transfers between venues, up to the return of the artworks at the Lender Museum.
In recent years CP has worked with leading fine arts companies such as Lloyd’s, Axa Arte, and National Suisse, securing exhibitions worth millions of euro worldwide.
- Transport of Works of Art:
CP’s Project Manager coordinates all the transport operations by directly liaising with the transport company and the Lender Museums. Over the years, CP has accrued extensive experience in coordinating the transport of works of art from all over the world, working with some of the most important fine arts transport companies, from Arterìa in Italy to Hasenkamp in Germany, from Museum Partner to Huaxie in China, coordinating transport by air, sea and land. CP oversees all the steps of the inspection at the museum sites, the design of the artwork crates and their packaging, often following the palletization at the airport as well as flying in the cargo with the artworks.
- CP takes care of all the installation and de-installation steps of the exhibition design, of the artworks and multimedia devices, of the graphics and light design. This includes also the coordination of all the travels, and the support to the couriers from the Lender Museums during the installation of the artworks. The same coordination is guaranteed after the exhibition closing and its transfer to the second venue of the tour.Together with the logistical coordination, CP’s exhibition department holds extensive experience in the organization and management of all the steps of the exhibition accrochage. The Project Manager outlines a detailed Deadline Schedule of all the operations taking place in the month prior to the inauguration of the exhibition, including:
- Detailed plan of the artworks installation, day by day, in order to coordinate and calculate the opening of each crate, the times for the Condition Report and the safe installation by the technical personnel specialized in handling the artworks. This happens under the coordination of CP’s registrar and in the presence of a courier from the Lender Museum and a curator from the Hosting Museum, in close collaboration with this latter in order to make everything ready for the inauguration day;
- Organization and travel programs of couriers from Lender Museums and of CP’s Registrar. For each courier, CP takes care of booking flights, hotels, transfers, taking out travel and health insurances and welcoming and assisting them throughout their stay;
Collaboration with the Hosting Museum during the inauguration in coordinating, managing and welcoming the curators, directors and/or representatives of the Lender Museums.
This meticulous organization and precision is guaranteed every time an exhibition moves from one venue to another, and during each accrochage and decrochage.
The result of our works is the realization of high quality exhibitions, targeted to the needs of each exhibition venue, in short and flexible times, and with economic budgets.
The extensive experience of all the members of CP’s team in coordinating the development, production and organization of traveling exhibitions around the world, often for long periods abroad, has allowed them to develop particular organizational and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to closely collaborate with many different teams in diverse contexts, countries, and exhibition venues. These skills have been positively confirmed by the many directors, curators, restorers and technicians who for many years have traveled with us with expressed pleasure and satisfaction.