I founded this company 30 years ago. At the time it was just myself, my best friend, a share of a garage in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn shared with a film industry prop master and a used Grumman step van, the kind that used to deliver bread and milk.
Over the decades as we’ve grown to four different locations and dozens of staff, I’ve come to have a deep appreciation for the often overlooked, behind-the-scenes role of the registrar, the pressures they work under, and the knowledge they possess. People like Cherie Summers, who I met while traversing the Pacific coast from Seattle to San Diego, meeting virtually every art museum and gallery in process. She was encouraging and specific as to what was expected from a professional in the art handling industry. It’s thanks to dedicated, considerate, kind people like Cherie that we’ve been able to do our work and to do it well, from point A to point B for the last three decades.
And it’s with that in mind that as part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, it is my pleasure to announce that Atelier 4 is presenting an annual $5000 Registrar of the Year Award. It’s our way of giving back to an exceptionally talented and dedicated group of people who are rarely recognized for what they provide to our industry and the cultural community as a whole.
Beginning October 1st, If you have a registrar that you would like to nominate to be our inaugural Registrar of the Year, I encourage you to visit Registraroftheyear.art, where you can find more information on the competition. You can check out our newly relaunched Atelier 4 website as well while you are at it.
We also recognize the importance of the artists who make the work we protect and carry, many of whom are registrars and art handlers. That’s why I’m also pleased to announce that for our 30th anniversary we have committed to an annual sponsorship of Artists Space, which is launching a new building in Lower Manhattan this winter.
With the help of our guest judge, Clynton Lowry of Art Handler magazine and Jobs.Art, we’ll also honor Cherie Summers for her years of service and reveal the winner of the Registrar of the Year this December during a special celebration at Artists Space.
To everyone who has supported us over the years in making this company grow and thrive, across our facilities in New York, Los Angeles, our newest facility in Charlotte, and our newly-expanded Miami facility, the dedicated staff at A4 and I extend our gratitude.
And stay tuned for more details on our expanded shuttle routes, which deserve an email all their own.