![Overall, I would say [the
gallery] put effort into keep
waste and emission efforts
low while also showing
artists of interest.
What are exhibitors saying?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tas24adaacirreportpublicv250422-250505214645-7e26e9a0/85/TAS24_ADAA_CIR-Report_PUBLIC_v250422-pdf-46-320.jpg)
![Several galleries specifically mentioned that TAS
is a particularly low impact fair.
Our booth will be
especially
climate-friendly given
that all the artwork is
old and requires little
packing materials for
the short trip to the
Armory.
Being a local fair to us, we consolidated shipments
and worked with our local vendors to minimize
transport-related emissions by using public transport
and other eco-friendly modes of transport. These
decisions positively impacted our climate footprint.
We have kept the exhibition to simple
elements, small paintings that can be
easily transported by car service and
using simple installation system of
florentine hooks.
For this booth we are especially
climate friendly since we are only
a few stops away from the fair
location and the artist lives and
works in Brooklyn. We
consolidated shipments only
taking two trips from her studio
to the gallery to transport the
work, and one trip to the fair.
We are a local gallery using mass transit
for staff to go to and from the fair. We are
using existing packing materials that will
be re-used at the end of the fair, and
using a single truck from our fine art
shipper to deliver and pick up the
artworks from the fair. All staff will stay
in their own homes. It’s our lightest
environmental impact of any fair.
Our gallery is located very near to this fair
venue (0.6 miles away), making it easy to
opt for sustainable materials [and
shipping and travel options].
This fair had a
particularly lower
climate impact for us
than other fairs
because we chose to
exhibit a single artist
who is local to New
York, so we did not
have any cross-country
transport.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tas24adaacirreportpublicv250422-250505214645-7e26e9a0/85/TAS24_ADAA_CIR-Report_PUBLIC_v250422-pdf-50-320.jpg)
![We are excited to be
creating this report for
the first time and hope to
continue to do so in the
future!
After reporting for The Art Show, galleries want to continue
engaging with sustainability priorities.
We realized that we need
to focus more on this
subject. It is clear that
making even small
adjustments, can make a
meaningful difference.
I would be interested in
using the emissions
calculator and carbon
results to paint a broader
picture [of other gallery
activities].](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tas24adaacirreportpublicv250422-250505214645-7e26e9a0/85/TAS24_ADAA_CIR-Report_PUBLIC_v250422-pdf-54-320.jpg)
TAS24_ADAA_CIR Report_PUBLIC_v250422.pdf
- 1. Ideas that center culture, climate, and our collective future.
- 2. Art is essential to a sustainable, resilient, and equitable world. At LHL Consulting, we see a future where…
- 3. Our goal is to build an arts & cultural sector that is a vital contributor to the health of our communities and our planet. We work with clients to create climate impact reports for exhibitions and operations, develop strategic plans, and identify opportunities to lead their communities towards sustainable futures. We advance sector-wide initiatives and provide tailored sustainability coaching, consulting, and solutions, specializing in art museums, galleries, and foundations. LHL Consulting works on projects that center culture, climate, and our collective future.
- 4. ADAA: The Art Show 2024 Exhibitor Climate Impact Reports
- 5. 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 45 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. The Art Show Sustainability Roadmap
- 6. 200 75 19 ADAA Member Galleries Members come from nearly 40 US cities. Booth Presentations at The Art Show 2024 The 36th edition of the fair hosted 75 exhibitors. Historically, there have been between 72-78 booth presentations. Non-NY Member galleries presenting While 75% of exhibitors are local to New York, members from California, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, and Missouri also exhibited at the fair. The Art Show is organized annually by the ADAA, offering intimately scaled and thoughtfully curated presentations by some of the nation’s leading fine art dealers.
- 7. 1. Engagement: Increase participation & awareness 2. Emissions: Calculate and understand carbon emission impact of shipping and travel decisions 3. Waste: Improve material sourcing and end-destination decisions 4. Workers: Build climate capacity for exhibiting teams 5. Community: Contribute to a climate movement The Art Show: Exhibitor Booth Impact Areas
- 8. Key Insight: Galleries appreciate The Art Show for introducing the exhibitor booth Climate Impact Reporting initiative.
- 9. We've engaged in climate reduction strategies for the last three years by consciously making changes to our operations that reduce our carbon footprint. Exhibitors are coming to this conversation at all levels: We participated in this action last year and have kept our climate impact an ongoing conversation in our daily gallery operations. This is our first time tracking our climate impact.
- 10. Completing the CIR was a team effort that brought out strong communication and collaboration. We divided aspects of the report based on our expertise, helping to ensure accurate and thorough data collection. Exhibitors find working on a Climate Impact Report to be a meaningful and straightforward process: Overall, this process was straightforward and provided valuable insights into our gallery’s operations.
- 11. I'm really glad that TAS is taking this initiative! It's something we think about a lot and try to keep in mind, so it was a great incentive to make sure we didn't drop the ball. Thanks! Exhibitors across the board appreciate that The Art Show is unique in its approach to prioritizing sustainability: No other fair that we participate in does this climate impact reporting.
- 12. Key Performance Indicators So, how did we do?
- 13. Goal Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Increase participation % of galleries reporting Increase engagement % of galleries listing outside stakeholders involved in report Increase Carbon Literacy # of galleries with emission data Reduce “Booth Order” % of galleries opting for Green Lightbulb Waste to Landfill booth order options In 2024, we identified four goals to focus on.
- 15. We increased CIR participation by 19 percentage points, from 42% to 61%. 46 out of 75 exhibiting galleries submitted a report in 2024. We also increased the number of galleries calculating emission data from 12 to 25.
- 16. We also improved the drop off rate after sign ups, going from 57% follow through to 77% Galleries indicate reporting interest in their booth application, then submit a preliminary report before the fair, and booth data after the fair.
- 17. 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: Success!
- 18. Spotlight On: Booth Signage Booths received on site acknowledgement for participating in the reporting initiative, made possible by submitting a preliminary report. “The Climate Initiative signs at the fair drew attention from visitors. ” - Debra Force Fine Art
- 19. We appreciate The Art Show bringing sustainability to the forefront of our business. What are exhibitors saying?
- 21. External stakeholder engagement increased dramatically in all categories. 29 galleries, or 64% of those reporting, said they engaged an external stakeholder. Vendors and Artists were the most commonly engaged.
- 22. 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: Success!
- 23. Our artist was excited to know about the booth and said climate impact is something she thinks about in her practice, trying to reuse materials in the studio, etc. What are exhibitors saying?
- 24. Increase Carbon Fluency KPI: Emissions Goal
- 25. Galleries calculating emissions doubled, and better data collection gave us clearer insights. For galleries that indicate no long haul travel or shipping, reports are “complete” with no required emission categories to calculate.
- 26. 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: Success!
- 27. Spotlight On: Data Tracker This year, galleries with flights and long haul shipping were asked to send in a detailed data tracker spreadsheet. 23 galleries submitted the tracker, allowing us to verify emission calculations and see greater data texture in travel, shipping, and material waste reporting.
- 28. We asked for emissions data on: Flights, Air Freight and Road Freight. Local Travel and Shipping was optional. Type of Emission Number of Data Points Flights 16 Other Travel (optional) 25 Air Freight 3 Road Freight 8 Local Freight (optional) 27 33% of booths calculated emissions, and another 20% confirmed they had no long haul travel or shipping emissions to report, providing data on 53% of booths.
- 29. Despite accounting for only ¼ of flights, just four business class flights made up half of flight emissions.
- 30. And just three airfreight shipments accounted for 60% of all calculated freight emissions.
- 31. Flights were the highest reported emissions, despite only 5 booths giving flight emission data. Out of 19 Non-NY galleries, 13 submitted reports. 12 of these reporting galleries indicated flights were taken, and one traveled by car. Only 5 of the 12 booths reporting flights provided flight emission data.
- 32. With data on 53% of booths, we calculated 35 tCO2e emitted from booth participation. 35 tCO2e would be the equivalent of filling about 2.7 NYC blocks of 3 story brownstones with C02. 35 tCO2e is emitted by about 5 US houses annually. 35 tCO2e will take 35 acres of US forest a year to sequester.
- 33. Emissions came primarily from out of state galleries, which naturally have longer haul travel and shipping needs. Reducing flights, using one trip for multiple purposes, flying economy instead of business class, and hiring local support teams can reduce emissions from flights. Opting for road freight, sourcing work domestically, or planning ahead for shuttle deadlines or even sea freight can reduce air freight emissions.
- 34. I had always known we were conscious of our environmental impact, but being able to actually put these actions into numbers makes our gallery initiatives feel worthwhile. What are exhibitors saying?
- 35. Improve Booth Build Choices KPI: Waste Goal
- 36. These were marked by a green lightbulb in the exhibitor manual. We identified “Climate Responsible Booth Choices” out of the booth options provided by The Art Show.
- 37. For flooring, exhibitors opting for the Armory Bare Floor helped reduce carpet orders. The required plastic protection layer was noted as a concern by some exhibitors, indicating that exhibitors could use more education on why this is still the best option.
- 38. For Wall Covering, we recommended the Standard Wall Fabric because it can be recycled. Wall Covering choice did not significantly change since last year.
- 39. For other booth orders, some things like undamaged walls can be reused. Booth order extras were similar between 2023 and 2024.
- 40. While year over year change seems minimal, galleries submitting CIRs were more likely to opt for the Armory Bare Floor. It’s possible this is due to education in the webinar and emails explaining why this was the best choice (the amount of plastic film going to waste is less than carpet).
- 41. 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. KPI: Inconclusive
- 42. While Booth Orders were minimally affected, all other Waste KPIs showed significant positive increases. While most galleries were already reporting waste reduction methods, the number of galleries saying waste reduction is a priority is increasing.
- 43. Spotlight On: Data Tracker The 23 galleries that submitted a data tracker for their emissions were also asked to provide itemized details about the materials they used for their booth. From this data, we are able to make some additional insights on material waste at TAS24.
- 44. Pedestals and packing materials are common, but many galleries reuse these from their inventory. Wall vinyl, wall paint, and single use packing are always sourced anew each time they are used.
- 45. While they are common, pedestals and packaging also tend to get reused - including “single use” packaging! Wall vinyl and paint always go to landfill - except for one gallery that said they composted their vinyl!
- 46. Overall, I would say [the gallery] put effort into keep waste and emission efforts low while also showing artists of interest. What are exhibitors saying?
- 47. Key Takeaways So, how did we do?
- 48. Goal Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Increase participation % of galleries reporting Increase engagement % of galleries listing outside stakeholders involved in report Increase Carbon Literacy # of galleries with emission data Reduce “Booth Order” % of galleries opting for Green Lightbulb Waste to Landfill booth order options How did we do on our 4 priorities? ✓ ✓ ✓ ✳ ✳ While this specific KPI wasn’t met, we did improve on other Waste KPIs.
- 49. 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 .
- 50. Several galleries specifically mentioned that TAS is a particularly low impact fair. Our booth will be especially climate-friendly given that all the artwork is old and requires little packing materials for the short trip to the Armory. Being a local fair to us, we consolidated shipments and worked with our local vendors to minimize transport-related emissions by using public transport and other eco-friendly modes of transport. These decisions positively impacted our climate footprint. We have kept the exhibition to simple elements, small paintings that can be easily transported by car service and using simple installation system of florentine hooks. For this booth we are especially climate friendly since we are only a few stops away from the fair location and the artist lives and works in Brooklyn. We consolidated shipments only taking two trips from her studio to the gallery to transport the work, and one trip to the fair. We are a local gallery using mass transit for staff to go to and from the fair. We are using existing packing materials that will be re-used at the end of the fair, and using a single truck from our fine art shipper to deliver and pick up the artworks from the fair. All staff will stay in their own homes. It’s our lightest environmental impact of any fair. Our gallery is located very near to this fair venue (0.6 miles away), making it easy to opt for sustainable materials [and shipping and travel options]. This fair had a particularly lower climate impact for us than other fairs because we chose to exhibit a single artist who is local to New York, so we did not have any cross-country transport.
- 51. Key Insight: The Climate Impact Initiative is helping galleries learn about climate impact and has a lasting effect on gallery action.
- 52. We are striving for a low impact footprint with this year's participation at the Art Show. Reporting results in responsible decision making, and a better understanding of the climate impact of those decisions: While we strive for responsible practices in all of our activities, this fair pushed us to simplify and streamline logistics to reduce waste.
- 53. We have been excited to consider this and our artist was happy to know we took part in this process as well. The impact of reporting often goes beyond just the team compiling the report, rippling out to our artists, vendors, and other collaborators: On our journey, we can engage in discussions and activities that raise awareness about environmental issues amongst our team and partners.
- 54. We are excited to be creating this report for the first time and hope to continue to do so in the future! After reporting for The Art Show, galleries want to continue engaging with sustainability priorities. We realized that we need to focus more on this subject. It is clear that making even small adjustments, can make a meaningful difference. I would be interested in using the emissions calculator and carbon results to paint a broader picture [of other gallery activities].
- 55. THANK YOU! Please contact [email protected] with questions or requests
- 57. GOALS AND KPIs ISSUE GOAL KPIs Engagement E1 Increase participation Number of galleries submitting reports E2 Increase engagement Number of galleries engaging non-staff in report E3 Impact gallery action Number of galleries with existing climate action or policy Carbon Emissions C1 Increase carbon literacy Number of galleries reporting emission data C2 Reduce emissions from travel Galleries reporting emission efficient vs emission intensive travel C3 Reduce Emissions from air freight Number of galleries shipping by air / sea C4 Reduce carbon emissions per booth Average booth emissions Waste W1 Increase material circularity Galleries reporting use of second hand materials W2 Reduce waste to landfill Galleries reporting waste reduction efforts Workers A1 Cultivate climate capacity of exhibitor staff Number of galleries with climate supportive policies Community B1 Build ties between exhibitors and community Booths that engage community networks
- 58. ENGAGEMENT KPIs GOAL KPIs 2022 2023 2024 E1 Increase participation Galleries submitting reports 5 galleries 6% 33 galleries 42% 46 galleries 61% E2 Impact gallery action Galleries with existing climate action or policy 0 galleries 0% 1 gallery 1.3% 5 galleries 6.7% E3 Increase Engagement Galleries engaging non-staff in report 3 galleries 4% 8 galleries 10% 28 galleries 37% Out of 78 galleries Out of 75 galleries, 74 booths
- 59. EMISSIONS KPIs GOAL KPIs 2022 2023 2024 C1 Increase carbon literacy Galleries reporting emission data 5 galleries 6% 12 galleries 15% Out of 78 total 25 galleries 33% Out of 75 total C2 Reduce emissions from travel Galleries reporting flights – 5 galleries 19% Out of 26 reporting 13 galleries 28% Out of 45 reporting C3 Reduce Emissions from air freight Galleries shipping by air / sea – Air: 2 Sea: 0 All Road: 31 Out of 33 reporting Air: 4 Sea: 0 All Local: 29 Out of 45 reporting C4 Reduce Emissions per booth Average booth emissions tCO2e (shipping/travel) Travel: 1.71 Ship: .23 Both 2.01 5 reporting Travel: .88 Ship: .40 Both: 1.28 12 reporting Travel: 1.15 Ship: .27 Both: 1.31 25 reporting
- 60. WASTE KPIs GOAL KPIs 2022 2023 2024 W1 Increase material circularity Galleries reporting no new materials sourced – 21 galleries 68% Out of 31 reporting 43 galleries 93% Out of 46 reporting W2 Reduce waste to landfill Galleries reporting waste reduction methods – 29 galleries 90% Out of 32 reporting 43 galleries 93% Out of 46 reporting W3 Increase waste prioritization Galleries reporting somewhat a priority – 19 galleries 63% Out of 30 reporting 33 galleries 75% Out of 44 reporting
- 61. WORKER & COMMUNITY KPIs GOAL KPIs 2022 2023 2024 A1 Cultivate climate capacity of exhibitor staff Galleries with climate supportive policies/actions – 5 galleries Out of 6 reporting* 33 galleries 75% Out of 44 reporting B1 Build ties between exhibitors and community Booths w/ external engagement actions – 3 galleries Out of 6 reporting* 24 galleries 77% Out of 31 reporting *These questions only appeared in extended report version in 2023
- 62. Hot Tips Shared with Exhibitors Addendum II
- 63. Exhibitor Manual Tips Look for the Green Light Bulb throughout the exhibitors manual for tips on climate responsible booth decisions
- 64. 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.
- 65. 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.
- 66. 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
- 67. 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.