Freelance Art Handlers, Preparators, Crate Builders & Fabricators — LA, NYC, SF

ArtLink

www.art-link.io

ArtLink is building a vetted network of independent art professionals for gallery, museum and collector work across Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

We coordinate art handling, installation and deinstallation, crating and packing, fabrication, painting, AV and digital media, and transport. Work comes to you job by job — you see the scope, the date and the pay before you accept anything.

Pay is $40–65/hour and up, depending on experience and the scope of the work, paid through the platform after each job. There is no exclusivity: keep working wherever else you already work.

We are hiring in all three cities, and we are particularly looking for crate builders with their own shop space (we supply the materials), AV and digital media installers, and handlers with a van or sprinter for local transport work.

If you have gallery, museum or fine-art experience and you want well-paid freelance work without giving up your own clients, we would like to hear from you.

Apply at art-link.io. (Welcome to join from Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco!)

Responsibilities

Art handling and installation

Pack, move and install artwork in galleries, museums, private residences and art fairs
Deinstall and prepare work for return or storage
Handle fragile, high-value and irreplaceable objects with appropriate care
Work to an agreed scope, schedule and site access plan

Crating and packing

Build custom crates to ArtLink specification in your own shop, with materials supplied
Fit art-grade interiors: foam, barrier material, travel frames and cleats
Pack works for local transport, air freight and international shipment

Fabrication, painting and AV

Fabricate mounts, plinths, frames and display structures
Scenic and exhibition painting between shows
Install and troubleshoot AV, lighting and digital media components

Transport

Load, secure and transport artwork locally where you have a suitable vehicle
Maintain custody and condition documentation in transit

On every job

Document condition before and after handling, with photographs where required
Report any damage, incident or delay immediately
Communicate clearly with the client and the ArtLink team throughout

Requirements

Experience

Demonstrable experience handling fine art in a gallery, museum, studio or art services setting
Ability to work to a professional standard with fragile and high-value objects
Specialists welcome: crate builders, fabricators, scenic painters, AV and digital media installers

Practical

Your own hand tools and equipment appropriate to the services you offer
Able to lift and manoeuvre up to 50 lbs unassisted and up to 100 lbs with assistance
Comfortable with sustained physical work: standing, bending, kneeling and climbing
Based in or able to work regularly in Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco

Business and paperwork

You work as an independent business or contractor, not as an ArtLink employee
A completed Form W-9, uploaded to your profile rather than emailed
General liability insurance is expected for most paid work. If you do not have it yet we will point you to options, and it is not required to create a profile
Commercial auto and cargo or fine-art transit cover if you transport artwork
Workers’ compensation if you bring an assistant, helper or subcontractor to a job

Helpful but not required (you can be paid more for these)

Your own shop or studio space, especially for crate building and fabrication
A van, sprinter or suitable vehicle for local transport work
Rigging, lighting, art fair or institutional loan experience

How to Apply

Apply through ArtLink at art-link.io/onboarding — choose “Continue as professional.”

Creating a profile takes about ten minutes. You will be asked for:

The city you work in and the services you offer
Your experience and a short bio
Links to a portfolio, website or Instagram, if you have them
A completed Form W-9, uploaded to your profile rather than emailed
A certificate of insurance, if you already carry general liability. You do not need insurance to create a profile, and we will point you to options if you want to get covered.

Please mention in your bio if any of these apply, because we are actively looking for them:

You have your own shop or studio space, especially for crate building or fabrication
You have a van, sprinter or other vehicle suitable for transporting artwork
You work in AV, digital media or lighting installation
You have art fair, rigging or institutional loan experience

What happens next: we review every profile ourselves. If it looks like a fit we will reach out to talk through the kind of work you want, your availability and your rate. Once you are approved, you will start receiving job offers with the scope, date and pay shown up front, and you choose which ones to take.

Questions before you apply? Email support@art-link.io.

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