Nick,

I'd be very surprised if anyone has a useful rule of thumb for the ratio of
"back-up" space to exhibition area.  In my experience, there are so many
variables from institution to institution and exhibition to exhibition that
you really need to make some calculations based on educated guesswork about
your own specific situation.  If you can identify what might be a "typical"
exhibition, you need to brainstorm about every detail you can think of which
would require storage or work space, then increase it to allow for more
complex, space-consuming projects.  I'm not so sure that allowing a 3-1 ratio
for exhibition vs. "back-up" space is excessive.  I can imagine situations in
which you might need twice as much "back-up" space.  When I did one
relatively small show which involved a lot of loans, I needed almost as much
"back-up" or "swing" space as the show itself required.  I didn't have that
much space to call my own, of course, so I had to impose on other people and
their shops and offices to accommodate everything; that situation created
considerable inefficiency, and it was a bit of a nightmare.  In my ideal
world, I wouldn't skimp but would grab as much space as I could, even more
than I'd think I needed.  I'd rather be in a position to be able to loan my
extra space to others than have to be a borrower.  On the other hand, if you
are perceived to have a lot of extra room at your disposal, the "rule of
thumb" is that someone will take it away from you!

Regards,
David Haberstich

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