They say there is strength in numbers, and aggregation is looking like an increasingly appealing option for organisations in the cultural sector. Lates.org is a recent example of this growing trend, building upon the successful late night openings of institutions to provide a co-ordinated city-wide network and events programme operating under a single brand.
The V&A Barbican, British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern and BFI IMAX are just some of the organisations that have signed up. This initiative is led by the Mayor of London and a media partnership with the London Paper provides focused geographic reach. A centralised online listings site targets a younger demographic who want to experience culture on their own terms.
Allowing a different look and feel
The branding and marketing of the Lates programme is designed to look and feel very different to the conventional output of the galleries that are involved and the event programming also reflects this. For example, guests can experience a Regency party at the V&A or an all night showing of the Matrix at the BFI’s IMAX cinema. The approach has drawn in brands that have no real track record of arts sponsorship such as Sony PlayStation, Apple, Pimms and most recently FCUK who have announced a new partnership with the V&A. The latest evolution of the Lates concepts is a festival month set to take advantage of changing social patterns of the target demographic as new flexibility around the licensing laws creates space for new elements within the night time economy.
The ‘funkiest car boot sale on earth’
The art car boot sale sponsored by Vauxhall at London’s Brick Lane is another example, but this time the concept draws together a number of emerging and high profile artists in an event which has been billed as the ‘The Funkiest Car Boot Sale on Earth’ by The Spectator. Vauxhall has provided investment for special commissions including the cool car tax discs by artists such as Gavin Turk and Peter Blake that can be seen below and of course the supply the car boots through cars that are often customised by the artists. This alternative art fair takes the artists out of their galleries for a day and connects them with new audiences.
The work of the National Museums Group in partnership with ACE and the MLA to develop the Private Giving for Public Good campaign demonstrates how strategic bodies can act to create leadership in the sector through a more grown up relationship with their funded clients. The campaign calls for greater support to encourage a culture of giving and wider recognition of the contribution made by cultural philanthropists. Many UK cultural institutions were founded through the contributions of private benefactors who wished to give something back to their communities. The aim is to encourage the philanthropists of the future.
What’s the next big idea? What new models of aggregation will emerge going forward now that the success of these structures is breeding a new spirit of cooperation?
