ARCOmadrid Booth Planning: Art Displays, Costs and Delivery

ARCOmadrid booth planning starts with the gallery’s selected project and the organiser’s supplied stand, then moves to artwork placement, approved fittings and careful delivery. Confirm the allocation and current instructions before ordering extras. Budget participation separately from display furniture, specialist handling, insurance and return transport so that the work and responsibilities are clear.

What is confirmed for ARCOmadrid 2027?

IFEMA’s official ARCOmadrid page announces the 46th edition for 3–7 March 2027. The published venue information identifies Halls 7 and 9. Professional access starts on Wednesday; public access begins on Friday afternoon and continues over the weekend. Plan appointments against the current daily timetable rather than assuming all five days have the same access.

The General Programme is selected through the fair’s committee process. ARCO2046, Opening. Nuevas galerías and Perfiles | Arte Latinoamericano are curated programmes, with Opening directed at galleries with fewer than eight years of activity. Being eligible for a section does not guarantee selection or provide an automatic alternative after a missed application.

The 2027 General Programme announcement set 17 September 2026 as the application deadline, which has passed. Contact the fair about your actual status and any available route. Do not commission non-refundable exhibition work on an assumption that a late application will be accepted.

Understand the supplied stand before ordering a fit-out

The 2027 rules, version 1, specify 3.66-metre white matt walls, 4000 K LEDs (CRI >90) and a fixed 50/50 arm/truss lighting split; wall hanging is permitted. Check the approved method and the actual work’s requirements with the responsible stand company.

This is different from commissioning an unrestricted structure on an empty floor. Obtain the allocated drawing, entrance position, wall arrangement and supplied-service details first. Ask the organiser and appointed stand company which alterations or additions require consent. A floor finish, freestanding plinth or extra light should not be treated as automatically permitted merely because it fits inside the allocated area.

Keep the curatorial plan and technical plan connected. Identify each work by a consistent reference, with dimensions, framed or unframed status, weight, orientation and proposed position. Distinguish a study image from the actual object. Mark any item still subject to an artist’s or lender’s approval so the installation team does not mistake it for a final instruction.

Design around the works and the gallery’s conversations

Choose the viewing sequence before adding furniture. Consider the distance needed to see each work, whether a sculpture interrupts the route and where a private discussion can happen. A visually quiet presentation may suit one project; a denser installation may be intentional for another. The curatorial concept should guide the choice rather than a generic trade-show sales formula.

Work or activity	Planning question	Useful preparation
Paintings and framed works	How will the actual objects be hung and viewed?	Dimensions, weight, fixing proposal and a numbered wall elevation
Works on paper and photographs	What display conditions does the owner require?	Framing details and approved handling and lighting instructions
Sculpture and objects	Is the support stable and suitable?	Support geometry, load, restraint and installation sequence
Video and digital work	How should the work be experienced?	Artist-approved playback, licensed files, audio arrangements and a backup
Installation or moving element	What space and supervision are needed?	Approved layout, equipment, operating instructions and a responsible person
Collector or curator meeting	Where can the team discuss the work?	Accessible seating, current information and an agreed follow-up process

Keep a clear route through the display, including access to meeting seats. Review protruding frames, unstable objects, cables and the edges of floor finishes. Confirm an installation drawing against the actual allocation before fabricating a custom plinth or ordering a fitted surface.

Agree lighting with the people responsible for the art

The supplied fixtures are a starting condition. Discuss the effect on each work with the artist, lender, gallery and relevant conservation adviser. Avoid promising that a colour temperature or colour-rendering figure alone makes a display appropriate for every artwork. Materials, exposure duration, glare, reflections and the required viewing experience can all affect the decision.

Check proposed adjustments or additional fixtures with the organiser and appointed technical team before purchase. Use a realistic sample or installation test where practicable. Record the agreed settings and any restrictions so a later adjustment does not unintentionally change how the work is shown.

What should the ARCOmadrid booth budget include?

Use the gallery’s current written participation offer for the space and supplied stand. Separate that from additional display production and logistics. A historic rate per square metre does not establish the current total, and an exhibition construction quotation cannot substitute for the organiser’s participation terms.

The rules credit the €400 application fee against €1,600 exhibitor services for accepted galleries; confirm applicable tax. Avoid counting the credited amount twice. Confirm all remaining participation charges and inclusions directly in the current offer.

• Participation and the organiser’s supplied elements and services.
• Approved floor finishes, plinths, vitrines and meeting furniture.
• Permitted lighting changes, power, playback equipment and technical assistance.
• Specialist packing, transport, unloading and installation labour.
• Empty crate arrangements, security and any temporary storage.
• Insurance appropriate to the works and transport stages.
• Dismantling, repacking, condition reporting, return freight and taxes.

Ask the insurer or broker to confirm the actual cover, limits, exclusions and responsibility during each movement. Venue or general liability cover should not be assumed to insure the artworks. Give every supplier the same works list and service scope so prices can be compared without overlooking a handling stage.

Plan installation around the current handover

Handover is 1 March; installation 1–2 March; removal after closing on 7 March and on 8 March. Confirm the detailed access arrangements and any subsequent updates before booking crews or vehicles.

Prepare the sequence from arrival to final placement: crate check-in, condition assessment, unpacking, support assembly, installation, lighting review and gallery sign-off. Allocate handling space inside the authorised area. Agree where packaging will be kept, who controls access and how a missing item or damaged crate is reported.

Give the installation lead the approved plan and a clear contact for curatorial decisions. A change in placement may affect sightlines, supports, lighting and the time required. Record agreed revisions rather than relying on verbal instructions passed between several teams. Follow the current rules for work during the fair and for moving objects.

Prepare dismantling with the same care. Photograph and record condition as agreed, match works to their packaging and confirm the receiving destination. Keep tools and packaging identified. Do not let the pressure to vacate the space replace the gallery’s handling instructions.

Keep the gallery’s information consistent

Prepare accurate work labels, artist information and a current list for staff. Decide who may discuss availability, prices and loan or purchase enquiries. Avoid leaving personal details or private commercial documents visible on shared devices. Provide a process for transferring a visitor’s request to the appropriate gallery contact.

Review the outcome against the gallery’s own purpose: relevant collector conversations, curator enquiries, institutional contacts or agreed appointments. Footfall and visitor estimates cannot guarantee sales. A specific follow-up with the requested information is more useful than an unsupported claim about the stand’s return.

Frequently asked questions

Can I commission a completely different shell?

Start from the supplied stand and your current allocation. Obtain written clarification on proposed changes before commissioning work; do not apply a free-design model from another IFEMA fair.

Can I still apply after the General Programme deadline?

Ask the ARCOmadrid team about your status. The published deadline has passed, and curated programmes have their own selection process rather than guaranteed late-entry places.

Is a published historic booth price enough for budgeting?

No. Use the current participation offer and separate quotations for approved additions, handling, insurance and return. Check credits and included services to avoid double counting.

Are standard lights suitable for every work?

Confirm the requirements of the actual works with the relevant owners and advisers. Review any proposed adjustment through the appointed technical team.

What should a fit-out partner receive?

The allocated drawing, organiser’s inclusions, current rules, approved works list, support and handling requirements, installation plan and budget scope.

Prepare an ARCOmadrid booth fit-out brief

Adam Expo Stand can review a defined brief for approved display furniture, fit-out coordination and installation scope. Send the allocated plan and requirements so the proposal can state responsibilities, exclusions and the specialist services needed. For wider planning, use the exhibition installation guide alongside the fair’s own instructions.