Since the Amsterdam Uitmarkt is no longer run by the Uitburo but by a separate foundation, things have become a tad more commercial. The folder-fair-with-bands that has grown into the national opening of the cultural season in recent decades has to. The government has found art scary for a while now, usual suspects withdraw as sponsors, and malaise strikes.
Cultural sector in live survey at #uitmarktbd Optimistic about own future. Fears further decline in subsidy. pic.twitter.com/kkUCowivkL
- Cultural Press Agency (@culturalpress) 29 August 2014
So nice that an unexpected bank is getting involved. Emphatically not as a sponsor, as it is still a state bank, but still funny that ABN AMRO acts as a partner. Must be because of those brilliant act by their top man.
With the bank, businesses are also coming to Amsterdam. Hence, the Uitmarkt opens with a drink not filled with the Amsterdam art world, but with Amsterdam entrepreneurs enjoying the free cocktails. Because the opening drinks of the Uitmarkt were actually the closing drinks of the Uitmarkt Business Day. A meeting set up together with The Former Italic Bank between people from the business world and cultural entrepreneurs. It was instructive, and we're not saying that because the bank helped make our arrival possible.
Enfin.
From the meetings, speed dates, plenary sessions and drinks talk afterwards, we drew 12 essential lessons.
1: Listen to KLM
If you want a customer to pay more, you will also have to give that viewer more value. Make sure that 20 euros difference also gives at least 20 euros more experience. And remember that price has nothing to do with the costs you incur.
KLM on #uitmarktbd "Theatres do not create scarcity, making spectator think they are paying too much." pic.twitter.com/4uynALARO3
- Cultural Press Agency (@culturalpress) 29 August 2014
2: Don't listen to KLM
KLM does not fly empty coffins. KLM does not understand that a theatre hall that is only filled to 30% will still be played. "If you can see a year in advance that and performance won't sell out, you take it off the programme," he said.
3: Make it personal
Sometimes dropping by the local grocer and holding him accountable is much more effective. This applies to selling empty chairs, but also to crowdfunding. Someone who gives feels himself important. Because that person is also important.
4: Use your reputation
As much as personal contact with the creator and the special story of the project are the main reasons for people to get involved in something: remember that the support of a well-known institution or a few well-known companies is essential for crowdfunding to succeed. We like to give to Calimero, but prefer not to Woody Woodpecker.
'I'm promiscuous but only about the content' said the lady at the Bible Museum 🙂 . #uitmarktbd
- Meindert Bussink (@MindnoteNL) 29 August 2014
5: Work together out of love, not necessity
Stijn Schoonderwoerd is a merger specialist by choice. He led the merger of most of the Volkenkundemuseums in the Netherlands in recent months, with the exception of Rotterdam. That Volkenkundemuseum is now a starred restaurant with ethnic decoration. The rest chose to merge. In that state-marriage, a love baby must be born. It can be done. According to Stijn.
#UITMARKET: a happy marriage? @ABNAMROCulture brings culture sector&business closer together on #uitmarktbd pic.twitter.com/LNNLRVoyyM
- SSBA Salon (@SSBAsalon) 29 August 2014
6: Make up a headline before you write
Bloggers of the young and fresh Bloggers Network walked around blogging about what they were experiencing. Blogging tip from Grandpa: always start with the headline. Then the rest will follow naturally. We can be hired for advice.
Yesterday's launch of @Barqoclub celebrated and today eight bloggers set off to #UitmarktBD for the Business Day @ABNAMROCulture!
- Bloggers Network (@BloggersNW) 29 August 2014
7: Remember your sponsor
Still many sponsorship applications look like grant requests to a government. Companies are like people. So that you don't send around a copied pdf. But that you delve into the person who is going to keep you alive.
Good initiative by @ABNAMROCulture with #uitmarktbd. Learning session with @JanDriessen @Versteegen, Janneke Staarink and Ilona Roolvink
- Sponsorreport (@Sponsorreport) 29 August 2014
8: Sit in that chair yourself
Sit in the spectator's chair. Walk with her to your building. See how she informs herself, and what she values. It seems like old news. But it is not, judging by the eagerness with which the message was shared.
9: Mienskip
The Frisian input landed in silence. The man who (together with Jeffrey Meulman) had managed to promote Leeuwarden as Europe's cultural capital had done so by emphasising the Frisian population's high natural level of organisation. That goes beyond community spirit, and is richer than just an association life, we know from experience.
10: Fuck the rules
Edwin van Balken is director of the DeLaMartheatre. When he started, he had to sell 350,000 seats, and he wasn't going to succeed if he joined the regular theatre offer. There, performances are booked unseen two years in advance and he could not take that risk. So he decided to produce his own shows. As a result, he sold 500,000 seats last year, thanks in no small part, of course, to André Hazes. An additional advantage for Edwin: he could give all his shows a break. After all, spectators need to be fed and watered after an hour. Something he says modern companies don't like to do.
DeLaMar could bring in 500k visitors by self-producing outside the national theatre schedule. #uitmarktbd pic.twitter.com/1Xb75Np4bW
- Cultural Press Agency (@culturalpress) 29 August 2014
11: Save the arts
A whole day dedicated to selling, making money, making crowds, full houses and oh, yes, talent development too. You would almost forget we are talking about art. So make sure there are a few people left who dare and want to take risks. Otherwise, everything dies.
12: Become a member
We would love to keep telling about what is happening and not happening in the culture. Reward us. We can put it to good use. And members eventually earn along. After all, we are a cooperative. That's Mienskip in Frisian.
Courtesy of Bloggers Network, ABNAMRO Culture
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