Artwork is one of the few things a courier moves where the value cannot always be replaced. A signed limited edition print can be re-ordered. An original oil from a deceased artist cannot. A sculpture commissioned for a private collector exists in one place in the world, and it has to arrive intact, on time, and in the condition the gallery, framer, or artist released it.
Galleries, framers, artists, collectors, and auction houses across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Tweed Heads use Sub60 to move artwork carefully and reliably across South-East Queensland. The work is rarely complicated. It is just unforgiving of mistakes.
Why Artwork Needs a Different Kind of Delivery
Most freight is moved on the assumption that everything in the truck is replaceable. With artwork, that assumption falls apart. The piece is often unique, often expensive, and often more vulnerable than the packaging suggests. Our guide to handling fragile items in transit covers the broader principles, and they apply directly to art.
The challenges that make artwork harder than standard freight include:
- Awkward sizes and shapes ranging from small framed prints to large canvases and bulky sculpture
- Fragile components such as glass framing, gilt detailing, and delicate surfaces
- Climate sensitivity for works that should not be exposed to heat, cold, or humidity for long
- High value requiring proper insurance, secure handling, and chain of custody
- One-off scheduling for hangings, exhibitions, valuations, and sales that have to happen on a specific day
Common Artwork Courier Jobs
Artwork transport covers a wider range of jobs than most people realise. Sub60 regularly supports clients with:
- Gallery exhibition movements bringing works in for hangings and returning them after a show
- Artist studio to gallery deliveries for new works and commissions
- Framer pickups and returns moving unframed pieces in and finished framed works back out
- Private collector deliveries for purchases from galleries, dealers, and auctions
- Valuation and authentication runs moving works to and from valuers, conservators, and specialists
- Auction house transport for catalogued lots, both pre-sale and post-sale
- Airport collections via our airport courier service for international and interstate art freight
Careful Handling From Pickup to Delivery
The handling matters as much as the timing. Sub60 drivers are briefed on the specific requirements of each artwork run, including how the piece should be carried, how it should be loaded, and any orientation or environmental constraints that apply. Where works have been packed by a gallery or framer, we respect the packing. Where they have been handed over loose, we secure them carefully for transit.
For very high-value artwork, our luxury brand delivery service brings additional discretion and care to the run. For larger works that require more capacity, we have the vehicle range to handle pieces that simply will not fit in a standard van. Our last-mile delivery capability ensures the final stretch into a gallery, home, or exhibition space is handled as carefully as the rest of the journey.
Insurance and Documentation
For artwork in particular, the insurance and documentation behind the run matter as much as the run itself. All Sub60 deliveries are covered under our comprehensive insurance, and we can provide documented pickup and handover records for every job. For very high-value works, additional cover can usually be arranged through the client’s own art insurer with proper notice.
For accompanying paperwork, certificates of authenticity, and provenance documents that travel separately to the work itself, our important document courier service provides a documented chain of custody that protects the value of the piece.
Same-Day, After-Hours, and Time-Critical Art Deliveries
Galleries hanging an exhibition, framers finishing a piece for a Friday opening, or collectors expecting delivery for a weekend event all face hard deadlines. Same-day delivery is not just a convenience for art clients, it is often the only option that fits the schedule.
Sub60 can collect artwork from a gallery, studio, or framer and deliver it the same day. For exhibition setups requiring works to arrive at a specific time, we can sequence multiple pickups and deliveries across the day so the install runs in the right order. Our after-hours courier service covers evening installs, late opening preparations, and weekend delivery requirements. For interstate movements between galleries and exhibitions, see our interstate booking service.
Move Your Artwork With Sub60
If you are a gallery, framer, artist, collector, or auction house in South-East Queensland looking for a courier who treats artwork the way it needs to be treated, the Sub60 team can help. Contact us today to discuss your job, browse our FAQs, or book online through our quote portal.