Shipping art to destinations abroad

WORLDART opened it’s art gallery in Cape Town in 2006 and has since shipped many artworks to destinations all over the world. Our experience and track record is one of the reasons why we have been rated as one of the best art galleries in Cape Town on a number of occasions and we intend to keep it that way.

Having a painting delivered overseas may seem daunting and complicated, even risky, when you haven’t done it before. Fortunately modern technology and our assistance allow us to have your artwork delivered intact and within fourteen days. And it isn’t even expensive.

For extra piece of mind, the shipment is also insured for a 100% refund if anything goes wrong while in transit.

We use the services of an established and reputable shipping agent to manage the process and regularly compare their pricing and performance with other shipping agents to ensure that we stay competitive and that we get the best value for our clients.

So how does the process work?

1.       When you purchase a painting and require it to be delivered at a destination outside South Africa, you do not have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax), which is 15% in South Africa. This means your purchase price immediately drops with 15%. You will, however, be expected to pay import tax when the painting arrives in the country of destination. Artworks generally fall in lower tax categories – a painting shipped to the UK for instance will be subject to only 7% customs tax, while most European countries charge 8% and some states in the USA no import taxes at all.

2.       Once you have decided to purchase an artwork, we instantly get a quote from our shipping agent. The price depends on the size of the artwork and its destination but typically comes to $700 to $900. This is for a door-to-door option with the artwork packaged in a crate in accordance with our insurer’s requirements.

Cheaper shipping options will involve removing the canvas from the stretcher and rolling it up for packaging in a tube, or shipping the artwork to the airport closest to you, where you can then personally collect the painting.

3.       When the painting arrives in its country of destination, the shipping company (we generally use DHL) will contact you to arrange payment of the import tax amount, after which they will deliver your painting.

It’s that simple. We use Cape Town based Jetlog as our shipping partner. If you’d like more information or would like to make use of their services for something else, visit www.jlog.co.za .