COBRA museum out of the doldrums, my solution for the financial crunch
The museum has experienced an enormous revival. International highbrow. Stopping now means undoing everything. What a shame! But the chimney needs to smoke. So here's my idea.
Codename: Split the difference
Cobra mixes living with dead artists. As far as I'm concerned, we'd rather celebrate the living than the dead. Moreover, the living often still have something to sell, attract more life, and bring it to the party.
When there's trouble in business, I often split the difference. Time is precious, isn't it? Visitors are not enough, apparently. So. Add another revenue model to the income.
We split the museum in two, the ground floor and the 1st floor.
Cobra Art Fair
What if we convert the ground floor, which, in my humble opinion, is not necessarily the top performer, into a permanent art fair? A place where artists or galleries can rent a space. And where visitors can buy art!
Art fairs, why?
They are screamingly popular. From London to Amsterdam, affordable art fairs sell out quickly. And galleries sell art.
That means; 1. visitors and 2. income.
Not just highbrow, a mix of amateurs and professionals, no vetting. Everyone is welcome, with small and larger wallets. And every month, give 1 stall for free to a young local artist or school.
The advantages
- Income from ground floor stall rental from € 250 x 50 is quickly 150k per year net income.
- Commission sales when sales go through the counter
- Through the combined social media channels of the artists and galleries, you attract existing fans, family, and friends, and thus new visitors, who will also want to go upstairs, as you're already there.
- Half the worry less about exhibitions, and thus lower personnel costs (assumption)
- You attract a buying public; that public also wants original gifts, the museum shop can benefit from this (see Momo museum shop which is doing very well)
- You have quicker changes and therefore more reasons to visit the Cobra museum more often, thus more repeat visits.
- You attract more people from Het Stadshart to Cobra, because people are already shopping.
- You provide (local) artists and galleries with space to sell their work and gain more visibility.
Why this idea?
Because I am an art lover. It's already difficult enough for museums and culture to attract people, while, come on, art in the broadest sense is surely the most important sideline in life. A bit of a business/marketing mindset isn't superfluous, I think. Let's work together for cross-pollination. Look at Libris Venstra, a bookstore in the library!
Hans Breuker