Ghent University

2009-2010

Talking to the Muses:

Communication and Promotion at an Arts Organisation

Case: The Centre for Fine Arts

Hanne Lapierre

Promotor: Prof. Dr. Geert Jacobs

Paper submitted in partial fulfilment

of the requirements for the degree

of “Master in de Meertalige

Bedrijfscommunicatie”.

TABEL MET BESCHRIJVING VAN DE STAGE :

Bedrijf Stagebegeleider afdeling taken talen

tijdens

de stage

stageperiode

Naam : Paleis voor Schone Kunsten

Straat : Rue Ravenstein 23

Postnummer + Gemeente : 1000

Brussel

Telefoon : 02 507 84 44

Leen Daems Persdienst Algemene ondersteuning van de persdienst:

persberichten schrijven, persconferenties

bijwonen, journalisten contacteren,

vertalingen,…

FR, NL,

EN

28/06/2010 –

20/08/2010

Acknowledgments

First of all, I would like to thank Tom Bruyer, our MTB coordinator, and Prof. Dr.

Geert Jacobs. Without their support and enthusiasm, MTB would not be the same.

Secondly, I want to thank the people at the Centre for Fine Arts that have

supervised and supported me during my internship. Leen Daems, Annelien

Mallems, Eve-Marie Vaes, Hélène Tenreira and Muriel Hasson, I hope you will

always be able to keep up the pleasant working atmosphere.

Finally, I want to thank Barbara, Leen and Sofie for making the classes at MTB

even more interesting.

Contents

1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1

2. About Bozar ...........................................................................................................................2

2.1. History …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

2.2. Mission…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

2.3. The Organisation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

2.4. SWOT-Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17

3. Marketing and Communicating an Arts Institution……………………………………………………..20

3.1. Marketing in the Arts?........................................................................................................20

3.2. Problems with marketing in the Arts………………………………………………………………………………22

4. Communications Strategy…………………………………………………………………………………………..29

4.1. Audit………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30

4.2. Objectives………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………31

4.3. Target audience…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32

4.4. The message………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….35

4.5. Channels………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36

4.6. Planning………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..38

4.7. Resources………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………38

5. The Internship……………………………………………………………………………………………………………39

5.1. Keeping the database up to date……………………………………………………………………………………40

5.2. Writing press releases……………………………………………………………………………………………………41

5.3. Preparing a press conference………………………………………………………………………………………..42

6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………45

Bibliography

Attachments

1. Introduction

Marketing and promotion are two concepts that are not often associated with a

cultural environment. However, as I have learned during my internship at the Centre

for Fine Arts in Brussels, they are notions that have become of great importance for

large arts institutions. Arts centres can no longer survive with a budget obtained

through government subsidies and financial support received from sponsors alone.

More and more arts institutions will reach out to marketing techniques in order to

reach a wider audience and to obtain a larger budget.

In the first chapter of this paper I will present the institution “The Centre for Fine

Arts”. I will briefly explain its history and its mission. Further I will elaborate on

the different artistic departments and the centre‟s artistic programme. I will also

explain the many responsibilities of the communications department at the Centre

for Fine Arts and I will look at its funding policy.

In the second chapter, I will explain the emergence of marketing practices in the

cultural sector. It is important to understand that the artistic sector differs from the

commercial sectors, and that therefore the marketing techniques should also be

adapted.

The third chapter explains the significance of a good communications plan for the

promotion of an arts organisation. I will sum up the necessary components of a

good communications strategy and apply them to a cultural institution.

Finally, in the fourth chapter I will talk about my responsibilities during my

internship at the Centre for Fine Arts.

2. About BOZAR

2.1. History

In 1929 the renowned Belgian architect Victor Horta completed the construction of

the Centre for Fine Arts. This large building in art deco style was erected at the

Mont des Arts, in the centre of Brussels and was the first multidisciplinary arts

centre in Europe. Horta‟s plan was very ambitious : he wanted to create an arts

centre that could offer a wide variety of artistic disciplines, ranging from music

concerts to plastic arts, dance and theatre performances. Moreover, it was his

ambition to make art available to as many people as possible, instead of preserving

it for the intellectual elite. The building, containing exhibition spaces, three concert

halls, a recital room and various lecture rooms, was therefore especially designed to

host all forms of art in the best possible conditions.

This masterly arrangement covers three levels. The upper level is

devoted to exhibitions. The level giving into the Rue Ravenstein starts

with a lobby leading into the monumental Sculpture Gallery linked to

the exhibition rooms by a majestic staircase. Stairs leading from the

lobby also give access to the lower level of the Rue Terarken, devoted

entirely to music. Of this the Great Auditorium, a concert hall able to

seat 2200 persons, is an essential element. (Steven Jacobs, 971)

In order to fully understand the impact of this multidisciplinary approach it is

necessary to explain the two names of Horta‟s arts centre. “The Centre for Fine

Arts” is the name the architect himself had selected. This historical name is today

still preserved and used frequently since it reflects the historical value and the

prestigious reputation of the arts centre. In 2003 however, the name “BOZAR”

emerges as a label that is better suited to reflect the multidisciplinary character of

the cultural centre. Leen Gysen (2005) explains that “[a]fter the actual integration of

the different cultural associations into one cultural federal institution, it was

1 Van der Wee, Barbara, Herman Van der Wee and Stephen Jacobs. BOZAR LXXX. Brussels: Editions

Lannoo, 2008.

advisable to create a label, a reference frame that would represent the required

connection for both the audience and the staff” (Gysen, 1) 2

. The name BOZAR

should be perceived as a brand name which truly captivates the essence of what the

centre stands for: a cultural house that highly values creativity, quality and artistic

diversity. The umbrella brand BOZAR is then further subdivided into several sub

brands (BOZAR EXPO, BOZAR MUSIC, BOZAR THEATRE, BOZAR DANCE,

BOZAR LITERATURE, BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, BOZAR CINEMA, and

BOZAR STUDIOS) (Gysen, 2).

We can identify two main reasons that justify the appearance of BOZAR as a brand

name. First of all, being an organisation that offers a wide variety of artistic

disciplines, BOZAR is in need of a central name that captivates all of those different

activities. Just as with any large company, the audience and target audience of a

cultural institution needs to be able to associate the products (here the exhibitions

and performances) with the organisation. Secondly, a brand name is indispensable

in order to be able to position a company or organisation in the international market.

If the Centre for Fine Arts wants to attract tourists, international business people

and art critics, it is in need of a clear, univocal name that helps them distinguish it

from other cultural institutions around Europe. By presenting the name BOZAR as

a label for high quality art exhibitions and performances, the Centre for Fine Arts

wants its audience to “mov[e] from passive brand recognition to active brand

awareness” (Gysen, 2).

In short, the name “Centre for Fine Arts” is the name chosen by Horta for his

artistic institution and has therefore a prestigious connotation. It refers more

specifically to the organiser of the exhibitions and performances. The name

“BOZAR” on the other hand is a brand name. It is a label that indicates the higher

quality of the artistic activities that sets them apart from other cultural events

organised by other institutions.

2 Gysen, Leen. The BOZAR Experience: BOZAR, creating a cultural brand. Brussels, 2005.

2.2. Mission

2.2.1. Artistic diversity

As mentioned previously, the Centre for Fine Arts wants to be a meeting point for

many different art styles. It wants to combine artistic disciplines into one “total

experience” (Dujardin, (2009)). We can illustrate this by looking at the “Visionary

Africa” festival which is a true melting plot of different art forms. The festival is

centred upon the exposition GEO-graphics but also includes musical performances

(Rokia Traoré, Angelique Kidjo, etc.), dance (Germaine Acogny), literature (Tree of

tales) and cinema (Soul Boy).

2.2.2. Art free from elitism

When Victor Horta started the construction of the Centre for Fine Arts, his intention

was not to create yet another cultural gathering place strictly preserved for the

intellectual elite. He wanted “to make art accessible to as many people as possible,

free of elitism but without lowering standards” (www.bozar.be (2010))3. And still

today, the Centre for Fine Arts strives to be a house of culture open to everyone.

Director-general Paul Dujardin asserts:

[F]or art not to be something abstract and distant, for it to be truly part

of the “culture” of a society – and particularly in a city as variegated

and international as Brussels – the public must be able to experience it

in a way that is both natural and lively. Art and people must find and

recognise each other, must interact with and enrich each other. For the

greater happiness of all. (Dujardin (2009))4

The “Visionary Africa” festival is again a perfect example that illustrates the open

and welcoming atmosphere at the Centre for Fine Arts. It is typically a popular

festival that offers both ethnographic works and more modern pieces and

performances.

3 BOZAR. “The Centre for Fine Arts”. 2010. 18 July 2010.

<http://www.bozar.be/webpage.php?pageid=57&> 4 Dujardin, Paul. “The BOZAR Experience.” BOZAR.18 July 2010

<http://www.bozar.be/webpage.php?pageid=28&>.

2.2.3. Attracting a very wide audience

Both the location and the artistic programme make it possible for the Centre for

Fine Arts to attract a very large and diverse audience. Paul Dujardin affirms that

“[t]he consolidation of the artistic aspects, at international level with major

prestigious projects and at national level, with a programme that focuses on artists

from Belgium‟s communities and regions, continues to be one of our priorities”

(Annual Report (2008), 3).The “Visionary Africa” festival hosted people from

many different backgrounds and nationalities, ranging from tourists visiting

Brussels and international journalists, to people living in the Brussels‟ Matonge

quarter. But also the regular visitors of the Centre for Fine Arts are well represented

at the exhibition and performances.

2.2.4. International reach

The Centre for Fine Arts wants to be known as a cultural centre where high quality

art can be enjoyed by the Belgian public. But its central position in Brussels, a city

with a large concentration of international journalists, diplomats and businessmen,

makes it possible for BOZAR to aim at an international audience as well. The

Centre for Fine Arts aims to be a “cultural crossroads”, not only for different artistic

disciplines, but also for people coming from different backgrounds (Annual Report

(2008), 4). Moreover, its central position in Brussels makes BOZAR an appealing

institution for other persons, organisations or countries that are looking for a

partnership with a dynamic arts centre.

[T]he Centre‟s infrastructure and location in the capital of Europe […]

contribute to making the [it] the partner of choice for countries and

regions wishing to present themselves to Brussels‟ and international

audiences. […] Several countries choose Brussels as a centre to

promote themselves to the world. BOZAR wishes to capitalize on this

potential and further develop it (Annual Report (2008), 4).

2.3. The organisation

2.3.1. The artistic departments

2.3.1.1. BOZAR EXPO

The Centre‟s exhibition programme is highly focused on current

events. The exhibitions are diversified, often blending

ethnographic pieces with historical and modern art. Also, they

are not limited to one single medium but combine paintings and

sculptures with video and other digital media. Nevertheless, the

exhibitions still form one coherent unit since they all highlight a central, topical

theme. There are more or less 5 exhibitions per season and because of the size of the

building, and the possibility to adapt the rooms to the requirements of the particular

event, various expositions can be held at the same time.

The exhibitions are the outcome of the collaboration of the Centre for Fine Arts

with a large number of cultural or non-cultural partners. This years‟ “GEO-

Graphics” exposition, for instance, was a collaboration between BOZAR and the

Africa museum of Ter Vuren. For the exhibition “A Passage to Asia” on the other

hand, the partnerships go beyond Belgian borders. The exhibition is organised to

mark the 8th

ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) summit, and displays artefacts

originated in 16 different Asian countries. This exhibition would not have been

possible without the collaboration of the Asia-Europe Museum Network that is

made up of over 70 Asian and European museums and the support of the diplomatic

representations of the participating countries.

2.3.1.2. BOZAR MUSIC

The most prominent musical genre that can be enjoyed at the

Centre of Fine Art‟s Henry Le Boeuf Hall is still classical music.

International top artists play alongside national orchestras and

upcoming young talents, making BOZAR‟s agenda one of the

most extensive and prestigious concert programmes in Europe.

Alongside of the many guest performances in classical music, BOZAR also presents

a number of artists in residence.

Although the main emphasis is still on classical music, we can also observe an

upcoming trend of non-classical music at the Centre of Fine Arts. Jazz, world music

and electronic music have all found their way to the stage of the Henry Le Boeuf

Hall. It is interesting to note that very often, these non-classical performances are

centred upon the same theme as the major exhibitions. In this manner, the African

GEO-Graphics exhibition was accompanied by concerts of African artists such as

Rokia Troaré and Papa Wemba. This integration of plastic arts and music

(completed with dance and theatre) into the central theme Africa forms the basis of

the festival “Visionary Africa”. The new attention for world music and jazz is a

means for BOZAR to create the “total experience” mentioned in their mission

statement.

2.3.1.3. BOZAR THEATRE & BOZAR DANCE

Both the theatre and dance performances at the Centre of Fine Arts are

closely aligned to the theme of the festivals or the main exposition. The

multicultural origin and themes of the performances appeal to a very

wide audience. The dance and theatre departments also participate in

the centre‟s preference for multidisciplinary performances and often

blend dance and theatre with literature.

2.3.1.4. BOZAR LITERATURE

Also the literature department is generally aligned with the

festival. Prominent writers and critics express their opinion

about topical subjects through literary readings and reviews. For

the “Mexico festival” for instance, the famous Latin-American

author Jorge Volpi explained his visions on the development of

the modern Mexican novel. Furthermore, many of the literary productions at the

Centre for Fine Arts are also aimed at children. During the Africa festival, a “Tree

of tales” was erected at the Horta hall where children could listen to African stories.

2.3.1.5. BOZAR CINEMA

BOZAR CINEMA is a relatively new artistic department at

BOZAR (established in 2004 in collaboration with the royal

Belgian film archive). With this programme, the Centre for

Fine Arts experiments with modern cinema and innovative

cinematic techniques. Once again, the boundaries between

cinema and other art forms are blurred. BOZAR presents documentaries, non-

mainstream films but also avant-premières of celebrated Hollywood films (such as

Scorsese‟s Shutter Island) and, as a result, targets a very wide audience.

2.3.1.6. BOZAR ARCHITECTURE

BOZAR ARCHITECTURE is another recent artistic

department at the Centre for Fine Arts. It involves

exhibitions, lectures and debates on modern architecture. It

is BOZAR‟s aim to make contemporary architecture

accessible to a broad, general public. The architecture

department is a collaboration between the Centre for Fine Arts and the architecture

magazine “A+” which implies that every exhibition or lecture will always be fully

documented in the magazine.

2.3.1.7. BOZAR STUDIOS

BOZAR STUDIOS is the educational department at the

Centre for Fine Arts. With their multifunctional workshops,

BOZAR STUDIOS targets children and families but also

seniors and tourists. The artistic programme is made

accessible for every visitor. BOZAR SUNDAYS for

instance, offers families the opportunity to have breakfast

together at the Centre for Fine Arts. After breakfast the parents can enjoy an

exhibition or a concert while the children are entertained by professional trainers at

an artistic workshop.

2.3.2. The marketing and communication department

The marketing and communication department is responsible for the

communication and promotion of the artistic programme at the Centre for Fine Arts

(Annual Report (2009), 48). First of all, they are in charge of promoting all products

to the general public. This includes designing the posters and flyers and making

sure that all the promotional publications reach the right audience. Secondly, they

should also make sure that the Centre for Fine Arts gets enough media coverage.

Finally, they are also in charge of the Centre‟s corporate communication. They are

responsible for the positioning of the Centre for Fine Arts as a top class arts centre

and for the promotion of the brand BOZAR.

This department consists of three different units that cooperate in the

communication and marketing of the artistic products: “Audience Development”,

“Press” and “Publications” (Annual Report (2009), 48-50).

2.3.2.1 Audience Development

One of the tasks of the unit audience development is to perform research on the

different target groups that the Centre for Fine Arts wants to reach. For them to be

able to decide on the different promotional strategies, it is essential that they first

narrow down their target audience.

The department audience development frequently sends out surveys to the people

who have visited or plan to visit the Centre for Fine Arts. By analysing the

demographic data retrieved from these surveys, they can determine, amongst others,

the geographical spread of their audience, the balance between male and female

visitors and the level of education of these visitors. Secondly, they will also

investigate the satisfaction amongst visitors of the Centre for Fine Arts. They will

ask them specifically what they liked or disliked, and what could be improved.

Finally, they will also question the visitors about their promotional campaigns.

Questions will rank from “How did you know that this exhibition or performance

was programmed at the Centre for Fine Arts?” to “Have you seen this poster or

folder? If yes, what did you like or dislike about it”. Next to posters, brochures and

flyers, also the website can be evaluated. The audience development department

will check if people found it easy to access the necessary information on the website

and whether they believed that it contained enough information.

After having designed their different target groups, the audience development

department starts the promotion of all the cultural products offered by the Centre for

Fine Arts. For this purpose, they make use of a lot of different media and promotion

tools: direct mailings, letters, catalogues, brochures and folders, posters and flyers,

promotional videos, an electronic newsletter and a social media campaign. In

addition to these marketing channels, the Centre for Fine Arts frequently organises

an event that helps to promote an exhibition or a recital. For example, in the context

of the exhibition “A Passage to Asia”, a free tai chi demonstration was organised in

the Horta Hall. Every visitor got the chance to participate in this demonstration and

received a free ticket to see “A Passage to Asia”.

It is essential that the medium used for a campaign is adapted to the target

audience. For instance, the classical music programme at the Centre for Fine Arts is

announced by a more traditional catalogue that contains all the basic information for

every concert. The reason for the choice to use a more traditional medium lies in the

fact that these classical concerts generally attract an older audience. For the modern

dance performances on the other hand, the traditional media are combined with a

social media campaign and a promotional video that can be watched online.

At the end of every festival, exhibition or recital, this department will analyse the

results of their campaign. To do this they can use surveys sent to people who have

visited the exhibition and they will analyse the ticket sales.

2.3.2.2. Press

An important task of the communication and marketing department of an institution

is ensuring that this institution receives a lot of media coverage. Next to the national

media, the press department at the Centre for Fine Arts also targets international

journalists. Its main tasks are writing press releases, organising press conferences

and setting up interviews with artists or directors.

More than just keeping journalists informed about the programme at the Centre for

Fine Arts, it is necessary for the press officers to create a long-term relationship

with them. If they really get to know the journalist, they also find out his or her

specific interest and they know exactly which information to send him or her. As a

result, there is a much higher possibility that the Centre for Fine Arts is positively

presented in a newspaper article.

The departments “Press” and “Audience development” go hand in hand. They are

not two separate units, but they interact constantly and their results strongly depend

on each other‟s. For example, when the Centre for Fine Arts receives a lot of media

coverage, both nationally and internationally, this boosts the corporate image of the

institution and of the brand BOZAR. In 2009 we could clearly note that the Centre

for Fine Arts and its general director Paul Dujardin were becoming more and more

influential in the Belgian cultural market (Annual Report (2009), 50).

Consequently, more and more visitors, journalists and art critics will be drawn to

the Centre for Fine Arts.

2.3.2.3. Publications

One of the key responsibilities of the department “Publications” at the Centre for

Fine Arts is composing and editing BOZAR MAGAZINE. BOZAR MAGAZINE is

a monthly magazine that reports about the most important events at the Centre for

Fine Arts. The magazine is sent to customers, journalists and stakeholders and is

available in the central hall of the Centre for Fine Arts.

Moreover they are also responsible for the annual catalogue that brings together all

exhibitions, concerts and recitals and presents them in a convenient overview. Aside

from the general catalogue, they also publish a catalogue specifically for

expositions and one for classical music.

Finally, the webmasters at this unit are responsible for the content of the website

www.bozar.be. At this website, all the information about the upcoming events is

available in three languages. Moreover, there is also information for journalists, for

people who are looking to advertise and for people who are looking to rent a venue

at the Centre for Fine Arts.

2.3.3. Cultural partners

The Centre for Fine Arts has a large number of cultural partners and the different

collaborations are very diverse. First of all, they may involve occasional

collaborations, such as the partnership with the Asia-Europe museum network, or

structural partnerships, such as the one with the magazine A+.

Secondly, next to the many collaborations with national partners, over the years, the

Centre has also had a number of international partners. A very significant cultural

partner has without doubt been ECHO, the European Concert Hall Organisation.

This organisation is an advocate for more cultural exchange between the different

members and gives young artists the chance to perform in various concert halls.

Important fellow members of the Centre for Fine Arts are the concert hall of

Amsterdam, the Barbican Centre in London and the Wiener

Konzerthausgesellschaft.

Finally, the exact content of the partnership may also be very diverse. In the case of

the exhibition “GEO-Graphics” (the main exhibition of the “Visionary Africa”

festival), the partnership with the museum of Ter Vuren consisted in the loan of

various ethnographic African works to the Centre for Fine Arts. The exhibition

“Ensor Revealed” on the other hand (programmed for next fall) is a co-production

between the Centre for Fine Arts, the Museum for Fine Arts Antwerp and ING

Art‟s Centre. In this case, the main exposition at the ING centre is supported by a

minor exposition at the Centre for Fine Arts. Not only the organisation, but also the

communication and promotion of the exhibition are shared by the three arts centres.

Next to the most obvious ones, such as a temporary extension of the collection and

better visibility and promotion, there are several other advantages tied to these

cultural partnerships. First of all, coordinated exhibitions complete the exhibitions

at the Centre for Fine Arts and establish a balanced cultural programme in Belgium.

Secondly, the partnerships allow the Centre for Fine Arts to reach a broader and

more diverse audience. People who regularly attend a cultural centre, but who are

not familiar with the Centre for Fine Arts, will be more inclined to visit it once it is

associated with their regular museum of concert hall.

2.3.4. Corporate partners

Being a cultural institution, the largest part of the Centre for Fine Arts‟ income

consists of government subsidies and ticket sales. Nevertheless, BOZAR also offers

many publicity and sponsoring options for companies and organisations looking to

link their name to an esteemed cultural centre. These sponsorships are essential for

the funding of the Centre for Arts‟ artistic programme and the renovation of the

building. The policy for these corporate partnerships is based on three principles: “a

social and cultural-social commitment, return and a long-term vision” (Annual

Report (2008), 50).

2.3.4.1. Sponsorships

More or less half of the BOZAR FUNDING budget originates from these different

sponsorships. Rosanne Martorella5 explains the attraction of the cultural sector in

matters of corporate sponsorship:

The business community came to realize that cultural organizations

influence the economy: by employing artists and ancillary personnel,

by providing indirect income and employment benefits that, in turn,

produce direct expenditures which reverberate throughout the

economy. They serve as a catalyst for economic development,

enhance the aesthetics of a community, attract a well-educated public,

and increase property values. The need to introduce products to new

and foreign, sometimes reluctant, communities motivated executives

5 Martorella, Rosanne. Art and Business: An International Perspective on Sponsorship. N.p.: Greenwood

Publishing Group, 1996.

to help local community programs, including cultural events.

(Martorella (1996), 1)

Connecting their name to a cultural institution such as the Centre for Fine Arts is a

strategy used by many companies to brighten their image with the general public.

Bhattacharya, Rao and Glynn (1995) explain that “[b]y aligning themselves with

worthy causes or implementing policies that are radically different from industry

practice, organisations enable consumers to identify with what the organisation

represents” (46). By attaching their name to leisure activities, they place the

company outside of the purely commercial context and give it a more accessible

image. Moreover, since museums and art galleries generally attract a well-educated

audience, corporations can use this opportunity to recruit new employees.

Companies can choose to become structural partners of the Centre for Fine Arts and

support the institution as whole. In 2010 these partners were BMW, GDF SUEZ,

Belgacom and the National Lottery. But corporations can also decide to support a

particular exhibition or performance. This way, they can choose to sponsor a

production of which the theme is in line with their central occupation. The

exhibition “A Passage to Asia” for instance, is sponsored by Lufthansa and the

Asia-Europe Foundation.

In exchange for the sponsoring of an exhibition or a concert, companies can post

advertisements in the annual brochures and programmes published by the Centre for

Fine Arts. On top of these advertisements they also receive privileged access to the

concert or exhibition.

2.3.4.2. Advertisements

Companies with a more limited budget can also choose to place advertisements in

one of BOZAR‟s publications without becoming a real sponsor of an exhibition.

They get the chance to publish their advertisement in one of the brochures (Music

of Expo) or in the monthly BOZAR MAGAZINE. With its circulation of 81.000

copies per month, an advertisement in BOZAR MAGAZINE proofs to be a solid

investment for companies who wish to link their name to the brand “BOZAR”.

These advertisements make up for 1.6% of BOZAR FUNDING‟s total revenue

(Annual Report (2009), 50).

2.3.4.3. Corporate Events

There is a growing demand of companies wanting to rent one or more spaces at the

Centre for Fine Arts. The infrastructure is perfectly fitted to host private events such

as staff meetings, conferences, receptions, private concerts and galas. In 2009 for

instance, the stakeholders meeting of the Belgian National Railway Company was

organised at the Centre for Fine Arts (Annual Report (2009), 51). The Centre is an

esteemed and perfectly equipped location to organise corporate events, and it offers

the opportunity to combine a conference or a meeting with a lighter activity such as

visiting an exhibition or a concert. These private events are always organised in

harmony with the artistic programming. In 2009 the corporate events organised at

BOZAR made up for 11% of the total revenue of BOZAR FUNDING.

2.3.4.4. BOZAR PATRONS

In exchange for financial support, individuals and companies can become members

of the Centre for Fine Arts. The support of these members is of vital importance for

the artistic programming and, accordingly, they also receive the highest benefits.

There is a crucial difference between being a member of the Centre for Fine Arts

and being a sponsor. While sponsors want their names to be associated with the

cultural institution in order to improve their corporate image and to attract more

customers, members want, above all, to make use of the services provided by the

institution. BOZAR PATRONS are allowed to attend all concerts, performances

and exhibitions free of charge. Moreover, they have the possibility to participate in

exclusive cultural trips (Annual Report (2009), 51).

Next to the 250 regular BOZAR PATRONS, there are also 15 corporate patrons.

This is a formula designed for companies that wish to transform their cultural

influence into economic capital. They share the privileges of all BOZAR

PATRONS and can also bring customers to the exhibitions and concerts.

Finally, BOZAR YOUNG PATRONS is a module created for young

businesspeople. They use the programme and the prestigious reputation of the

Centre for Fine Arts as a tool for networking with future potential customers. They

receive 40 tickets at the beginning of each season which they can use to visit

exhibitions with customers and employees.

2.4. SWOT-Analysis

2.4.1. Strengths

The most prominent strength of the Centre for Fine Arts is its multidisciplinary

nature. By combining many different artistic disciplines, the Centre for Fine Arts is

able to arouse the interest of a very wide audience. Both regular visitors of cultural

centres that already have a broad view on the contemporary cultural landscape, and

new guests that want to get acquainted with different artistic disciplines, can find

what they are looking for. Moreover, by combining different artistic disciplines, and

by allowing modern performances to alternate with classical recitals and

exhibitions, the Centre for Fine Arts gives both established artists and new artists a

chance to show the public their work.

One might argue, however, that this multidisciplinary nature of the Centre‟s

programme makes it rather difficult for the institution to clearly position itself in the

cultural market. In his article, François Colbert warns that “[i]n a large market, such

as a big city, the arts marketing manager must be particularly aware of the

competition and the need for careful positioning” (Colbert (2003), 37)6. It is true

that the Centre for Fine Arts cannot be pinned down to one label, such as “museum”

or “concert hall”. Nevertheless, this obstacle has been beaten with the creation of

the brand “BOZAR”. The Centre for Fine Arts is indeed not a concert hall or a

museum; it is a cultural centre where artistic productions of the brand BOZAR are

held.

A second strength that reinforces the Centre for Fine Arts as a European art‟s

institution lies in its originator: Victor Horta. Since Horta was a well-known and

widely respected architect, his magnum opus must definitely be worth a visit. Still

today, the Centre for Fine Arts is strongly indebted to Horta for its reputation as a

top class arts centre in Europe.

6 Colbert, François. “Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Marketing the Arts.” International Journal of Arts

Management 6 (2003): 30-9.

Thirdly, also the Centre‟s location in Brussels can be noted as a strong advantage.

The Centre is located next to Brussels‟ Central Station and within close reach of bus

stops and metro stations. Moreover, its location in Brussels makes it appealing for

business people and tourists looking for high quality leisure activities.

Finally, the many strong partnerships, both corporate and cultural, constitute

another strength of the Centre for Fine Arts. Collaborations with other museums

and artistic institutes heighten the Centre‟s visibility in the cultural landscape.

Moreover, as partners, the Centre for Fine Arts and other cultural institutions can

arrange agreements to make sure that they do not interfere with each other‟s

programme. Every institution can adapt its agenda in order to create a balanced

artistic programme.

2.4.2. Weaknesses

Although I strongly believe that the creation of the brand BOZAR is a powerful

advantage for the Centre for Fine Arts, it has to be taken into account that this could

also turn into a weakness. Some people cannot make a clear-cut distinction between

the brand name “BOZAR” and the institution “The Centre for Fine Arts”. Therefore

I believe it would be advisable that the Centre for Fine Arts communicated more on

that subject (e.g. nothi ng

can be found on the website) in order to eliminate further confusion. “For regular

patrons the image may be precise, while for people who know the product only

through the media the perception may be completely inaccurate. It is the marketing

manager‟s job to make sure that potential consumers get the right message”

(Colbert (2003), 37).

A second weakness lies in the fact that the Centre for Fine Arts, as it is a non-profit

institution, can only rely on a very limited budget. Consequently, also the budget for

promotion and publicity is much lower than with other, more commercial

institutions, such as a cinema or a music festival.

2.4.3. Opportunities

A great challenge for the Centre for Fine Arts would be to set up even more

partnerships with cultural and non-cultural institutions. Aside from the financial

benefits, these partnerships help to enrich the Centre‟s corporate image.

More specifically, the Centre for Fine Arts can expand its ties, even more than it

already does today, beyond the national borders. As a prominent cultural centre in

Europe, it can benefit from “international political opportunities and historical

events” to create new international connections that can boost its status even more

(Annual Report (2009)).

2.4.4. Threats

The most important threat that the Centre for Fine Arts faces is the competition of

other institutions and other leisure activities. Colbert (2003) notes that “[n]o

individual can evaluate all of the thousands of products available on the market

before making a purchase decision” (37). Since the Centre for Fine Arts has a very

limited budget for publicity, it will have to find other ways to “[tap] into the

consumer‟s mind and having their products become part of the consumer‟s evoked

set [of leisure activities]” (Colbert, 37).

Another threat that should be taken into account is the poor state of some parts of

the building. Since it concerns a very old building, some parts are in desperate need

of renovation. Only recently, a Gospel concert had to be interrupted because the

backstage was completely flooded. The old drainage system in the basement of the

building could no longer sustain the large amount of water caused by the outbreak

of rain outside. An incident like this can cause a lot of damage to the institution‟s

reputation and might harm partnerships with other institutions.

3. Marketing and Communicating an Arts

Institution

3.1. Marketing in the Arts?

Although it might sound contradictory, marketing management in the Arts has

gained significant importance over the last few years. The times that arts institutions

were sponsored exclusively by patrons are definitely over, and a new time has come

when arts are no longer reserved for the intellectual elite. Just like any other

institution or company, an arts centre such as the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels

wants, though not for purely commercial reasons, its products to reach a very wide

audience. And just as any other company, arts centres, museums, theatre houses and

concert halls will resort to the principles of marketing to bring their products to the

public.

However, not only the artistic institutions have altered, also the nature of art has

changed. According to Yves Evrard and François Colbert (2000)7, “there appears to

be a crisis in the definition of art” (4). In their article, they refer to three historical

definitions of art. In the classical tradition, the primary criterion for a work of art is

that it should be beautiful. The artist is seen as a creator of beauty and his artistic

ambitions culminate in a recreation of nature (Evrard & Colbert, 5). In the next

phase, starting in the late Renaissance, the artist is freed from the chains of

imitation. From now on “the value of art came to be based on the artist‟s subjective

interpretation, or representation, of the world” (5). Finally, in the third definition,

the artist is no longer the extraordinary creator he used to be. Now, everyone can be

an artist and every object or image can be art. “According to this perspective,

beauty no longer resides in the object itself, but in the eye of the [spectator]; art is

now defined by a specific kind of relationship or interaction […] between the object

and the „consumer‟” (5).

7 Evrard, Yves and François Colbert. « Arts Management: A New Discipline Entering the Millennium ? »

International Journal of Arts Management 2 (2000): 4-13.

These three different definitions of art have very important consequences for

marketing in the arts. With the first two definitions, there is a strong emphasis on

“the autonomy of art” (Evrard & Colbert). Any artistic creation is a work of beauty,

and should be appreciated in passive contemplation. The third definition on the

other hand in different.

In the third definition, consumer behaviour and marketing become

part of the process of creation itself; active reception (versus passive

absorption or recognition of beauty) becomes the main focus of

attention (as may be the case, for instance, in hi-tech management or

marketing). (Evrard & Colbert, 5).

In the third definition, the question shifts from “What is a work of art?” to “Why is

this a work of art?”. In other words, the spectator is no longer a passive observer but

becomes an active participant in the artistic creation. Much more attention is

devoted to why people like a particular work or why they dislike it. And this is

exactly where marketing comes into play. Marketing can be a very useful tool for an

arts centre since it helps to locate target audiences, determine the communication

strategy towards these audiences and look for the best price strategy.

In recent years, more and more studies have been devoted to the application of

marketing techniques in the cultural world. The founding of AIMAC, the

International Association for Arts and Cultural Management, and the emergence of

journals such as “The International Journal of Arts management”, “The Journal of

Cultural Economics” and the “Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society”, are

only a few examples of this tendency. Nevertheless, the use of marketing in the

cultural sector can still hit a few problems. These will be discussed in the next

headings.

3.2. Problems with Marketing in the Arts

3.2.1. A product-oriented marketing approach

In order to further elaborate on this matter, it is necessary to look at the difference

between high art and popular art. This distinction has nothing to do with a

difference in quality. Both art forms can be enjoyed by people with different

educational and social backgrounds and both are equals when it comes to artistic

value. The difference lies in the fact that high art has a product focus, whereas

popular art has a market focus (Colbert, 2003). Popular art performances are

therefore commercial performances, for example a Hollywood film or a concert at a

large festival. Popular artists, and arts centres that focus on popular art, will look for

what the public expects, what the public would be willing to pay money for. Just as

any other commercial company, arts centres offering popular art will try to meet the

demand of the audience and attempt to fill a niche in the market. Organisations

focussing on high art on the other hand do not obey to the law of supply and

demand. “The fundamental concept in traditional marketing – meeting the needs of

the consumer – does not apply in high art. This is what distinguishes cultural

marketing from traditional marketing” (Colbert, 31).

The point of departure for the marketing manager of a cultural organisation is the

product, in this case, a work of art. In contrast to a traditional marketing approach,

the offer here precedes the demand. In order to have people visit the arts centre, the

marketing manager will have to promote the work of art to the right audience.

Exactly here lies the difference with traditional marketing. “Instead of seeking to

meet consumers‟ needs by offering them a product they desire, the arts manager

seeks consumers who are attracted to the product” (Colbert, 31). The cultural

marketing manager will not adapt the product in order to reach a wider audience; he

will have to look for the audience that will appreciate the product as it is.

The primary contribution that marketing can offer is in ensuring that

the artistic potential of the product is suitably managed or, in other

words, in establishing (1) how it can be diffused towards the target

market and (2) what are the attributes of the offer that will enhance the

interaction between the members of the target market and the art work

in order for the artistic potential to be recognized. (Botti (2000), 37-8)8

3.2.2. Strong Competition

The main competitor for a commercial company is normally another company that

produces similar goods and targets the same audience. Consequently, for an arts

centre this would be another cultural institution with a similar programme.

However, in the first chapter I have argued that this is not necessarily true.

Although there might be some competition between different non-profit cultural

institutions, a large number of them form partnerships. Every individual institution

gains benefits from this partnership ranging from free publicity to a temporary

extension of its permanent collection.

Therefore, the main competitors for non-commercial arts organisations are, on a

primary level, commercial cultural organisations. But on secondary level we can see

that these cultural organisations actually have to compete with all leisure activities

and products in the market (Colbert, 37).

In a cultural environment that becomes more and more competitive

and that is characterised by an abundance of offers and a growing

number of cultural institutions, both public and private, such as

museums, the cultural centres and the art galleries try to find their

place in the market. (Transl. from: Courvoisier & Courvoisier (2005),

133)9

People have more and more free time and the leisure industry is booming. It is a

great challenge for a cultural institution to come up with an innovative programme,

and to compete with other companies specialised in the leisure industry that have

much more resources for market research and publicity.

8 Botti, Simona. « What Role for Marketing in the Arts ? An analysis of Art Consumption and Artistic

Value. » International Journal of Arts Management 2 (2000): 28-47. 9 Courvoisier, François H. and Fabienne A. Courvoisier. « Communication et marketing d‟institutions

culturelles en suisse francophone. » Revue management et avenir 3 (2005) : 133-50.

3.2.3. The artist and the marketing manager: 2 fundamental opposites

It is hard for marketing managers to legitimize their activities in the field of the arts

because many of the basic marketing principles are contrary to the ideals of the

artist. While artists focus primarily on the senses for their artistic creation,

marketing managers resort to rational, empirical theories10

. The creation of a unique

work of art requires a lot of creativity and imagination. According to artists, this

clashes with the work of a marketing manager who relies on standardised

procedures where every aspect of the process is strictly structured and where there

is no room for originality. “[T]he marketing approach […] is often seen as

contradictory to art, since it would only aspire commercial benefits without any

concern for the artistic mission of the artist. (Transl. from Courvoisier &

Courvoisier (2005), 134). Although there are inherent differences between the

principles of marketing and the philosophy of the artist, it is important for marketers

and artists to work together. If an arts centre wants to reach a wide public, it simply

has to resort to the structured laws of marketing.

3.2.4. The Marketing Mix

Finally when we look at the traditional marketing mix11

, we see some more

problems arise.

10

Chiapello, Eve. Artistes versus managers: le management culturel face à la critique artiste. Paris : Éditions

Metailié, 1998. 11

Kotler, Philip. Marketing Management. De essentie. Amsterdam : Pearson Education Benelux, 2007.

Marketing Mix

Place

Price

Promotion

Product

3.2.4.1. Product

We have already discussed that the cultural sector is characterised by a product-

oriented marketing approach (cf. 3.2.1.). However, it is not always easy to promote

these cultural products to their audience in a very straightforward way.

First of all, it is important for marketing managers to keep in mind that a visit to a

museum, a concert or a theatre performance is a very short experience. They are not

trying to sell goods that will last for a certain time; they are promoting a transitory

service. This intangible nature of the cultural offer “frequently causes a feeling of

incertitude with the cultural consumer” (transl. from Courvoisier & Courvoisier

(2005), 134). A way to overcome this problem is by letting the public participate

actively in the cultural performance. This way, the audience no longer performs the

role of the passive observer. Instead they become actively involved and the cultural

performance becomes more of an activity to them, rather than a demonstration

(Courvoisier & Courvoisier). Moreover, the institution can provide some additional

goods, such as catalogues, souvenirs and postcards that can accompany the cultural

product and make it more substantial.

A second remark is that cultural products cannot be stocked. If there are, for

instance, a number of empty seats at a concert, these tickets cannot be stored and

Fig. 1: The Marketing Mix : Price, Product, Place, Promotion.

sold later. This is not the case with non-perishable consumer goods. If collection of

clothes is not entirely sold out, these goods can be stocked and sold later at a lower

price. In the case of a low demand, a good promotional campaign is not always

sufficient. A solution would be to add extra services (such as a reception) to draw

more visitors to the performance.

3.2.4.2. Price

Another very important factor that determines whether somebody buys a cultural

product or not, is its price. Although it might seem logical that lowering the

entrance fees for an exhibition or a concert would attract more people, this is not

necessarily the case. More important than the cost of a cultural activity is the

consumer‟s motivation to attend this activity (Colbert, 36). If we look at museums

that offer free entrance, we can see that their audience remains restricted to the

people that are really interested in art. “If visiting a museum is not part of a person‟s

preferred set of leisure activities, it makes no difference whether admission is free

or not. The same person may be well prepared to spend money on other leisure

activities or products” (Colbert, 36).

But how can a marketing manager determine which is the adequate price for a

cultural product? After all, not everyone would feel that €10 entrance fee for an

exhibition on African ethnic art is too much. Moreover, as no two cultural products

are perfectly similar, it is impossible for consumers to compare the price of the

same cultural product at another institution. According to Colbert, it all depends on

“the effort necessary for an interested person to buy and consume the product”

(Colbert, 36). He mentions four types of risks that can prevent a consumer from

buying a cultural product. The first one is the “functional risk”, where a person fears

wasting his or her money on a product that he or she will not be able to enjoy or

wasting time. The “social risk” is the risk of doing something that is incompatible

with the impression we believe others have of us. The “psychological risk” is

described as the risk of being in a place does not correspond to our self-image. And

finally, the “economic risk” is the risk of buying something at a price that is too

high. According to Colbert, “the greater the number of perceived risks, the more the

price is perceived as high”(36).

However, not all members of the audience experience the same risks when buying a

cultural product. A high earner will not quickly think that the price of a performance

is too high, but he or she might be worried about wasting time. On the other hand, a

student has a lot of spare time but only a small budget to spend on cultural products.

Therefore, differentiated pricing in the ideal solution (Colbert, 36). A cultural

institution should offer different ticket packages in order to accommodate a diverse

audience. For example, they can offer starting packages at a lower price and very

flexible packages at a higher price.

3.2.4.3. Place

Also the third P, place, brings arts centres in a rather difficult position. Unlike

consumer goods that can be found in many different shops all over the country, an

artistic product can only be found at the arts centre. Therefore it depends again on

the motivation of the consumers whether they will buy the product or not. If

someone is not really interested in an exhibition, he or she will not make the effort

of going to a different city or country to visit it.

3.2.4.4. Promotion

We have already discussed the difficulties involved in promoting cultural

institutions. This quote12

conveniently summarises what has been explained earlier

in this paper.

A museum is neither a large conglomerate, nor a McDonald‟s

hamburger restaurant, nor a hospital or educational institution. A

museum is different things to different people; it is not one entity, but

enshrines a multiplicity of values, images and attitudes. It does not

have a designed „product‟, a consistent „customer‟ profile […] (Kotler

and Levy 1969). It is not necessarily communicating with a „customer‟

12

McLean, Fiona. Marketing the Museum. London : Routledge, 1997.

in order to make a „profit‟ or the „best financial outcome‟ (Diggle

1984).

In order to overcome all these difficulties mentioned, it is of vital importance that

marketers can turn to a good communication plan. Every arts centre should have a

clear description of its main communication goals and its target audience. In the

follow chapter I will investigate the basic procedures for editing a communication

plan for a cultural institution.

4. Communications Strategy

In this digital age where mass communication surrounds us all, as a company, you

would better be well-prepared. In only a few hours time, an event in your company

can be taken up by all national media, whether you like it or not. A good

communications strategy is therefore a must for every company or institution.

One of the first scientists to investigate the mechanisms of mass communication

was the American sociologist Harold Lasswell13

. He said that every string of

communication could be brought down to five questions:

Fig 2: Lasswell‟s model of mass communication

Lasswell‟s model conveniently points out the three central focus points of a

communications strategy: the message, the audience and the medium. First of all

you have to make sure that your message is to the point and interesting but still

concise. Secondly, you need to make sure that your message reaches the right

audience. Finally, it is important to use the right medium to reach this target

audience.

13

Weyts, Kathleen. Communicatieplanning van theorie naar praktijk. N.p.: Uitgeverij Lannoo, 2003.

Lasswell's Model

WHOsaid

WHAT

to

WHOM

through what CHANNEL

with what EFFECT

Although Lasswell‟s model represents communication more or less as a static

procedure it is better to think of it “in terms of an ongoing and iterative process14

(2). Every communication fragment from a company to its clients or to the media

will be repeatedly quoted and will be interpreted by many different persons in

different ways. If your company can fall back on a good communications strategy, it

is sure that its message will reach the right persons and that it will be interpreted as

it was originally intended. “A communications strategy is not the glue between

different communications products: it is a means of elaborating how we network,

participate, and interact with the world” (Campbell, 2).

With the theoretical basis of the works of Campbell (2008) and Weyts (2003), I will

now further elaborate on the necessary components of a good communications

strategy, and I will apply it to a cultural institution.

4.1. Audit

An audit, a structured evaluation of the communication in the past, answers the

question “Where do we stand now?”15

. Through an audit, the organisation wants to

know how communications have occurred in the past, both internally and

externally, and what can be improved. We also want to investigate if the

organisation is well-know with the general audience, and how people perceive it.

The most frequent method of evaluation is handing out questionnaires to the

internal staff and to members of the audience. The internal staff can be asked if they

feel that they receive enough information about, for example, wages, sickness leave

or holidays. Moreover, you can also measure to what extent employees are aware of

the current events in the organisation. Through the questionnaires sent to the

members of the audience you can check if people know what the organisation

stands for, and if they feel like they receive enough information. Moreover, you can

14

Campbell, Sally. The RM Knowledge Translation Toolkit: A Resource for Researchers. 2008.

ResearchMatters.net. <http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/12266886561Research_Matters_-

_Knowledge_Translation_Toolkit_.pdf>. 15

Beyaert, Paul. “Developing an External Communications Strategy.” 2005. Presentation at Communicating

European Research, November 14-15, 2005.

<http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2005/cer2005/presentations14_en.html>

check if they have had any problems in accessing this information and if they feel

that the brochures, catalogues or website are in need of improvement.

4.2. Objectives

According to Paul Beyaert from Weber Shandwick, “[t]he single biggest reason that

communications campaigns fail is that they don‟t begin with a clearly stated

definition of the desired end result. Each successful communications campaign

starts by focusing on outcomes”. Already in an early stage of the design of your

communications campaign, it is important to have a clear view of the goals you

want to reach. It is essential, however, that these objectives stay limited to the

responsibilities of the communications department. Making changes in the

programme for instance cannot be an objective in the communications plan.

The best way to handle this is by formulating a general, over-arching objective and

then creating a number of sub-objectives that are more detailed. All these objectives

should pass the SMART-test (Campbell, 6). This means that they should be

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-orientated and Time-limited.

A general objective for an arts organisation such as the Centre for Fine Arts could

be:

“Increase visibility with a wide national and international audience, generate

higher visitor rates and increase brand awareness for the existing audience.”

This general objective should of course be narrowed down to various sub-

objectives. An example for a good sub-objective for an arts organisation would be:

“Increase the number of subscriptions for theatre performances with 5% by

the end of next year.”

This objective is specific, as we clearly state that we are talking about theatre

performances and that we want the subscriptions to increase with a certain amount.

It is also measurable (5%) and it is attainable, since there are various ways to

achieve this goal: by attracting new visitors, by persuading current visitors, by

giving promotions, etc. The objective is results-orientated as we know what we

want to achieve, and is time-limited (one year).

4.3. Target Audience

Once a company or institution has determined the primary objectives of its

communications strategy, it has to think about the target audience it wants to reach

in order to achieve those goals. For a company to create an effective

communications strategy, it has to know its audience. The target audience has to be

determined in advance because the message and the medium will have to be adapted

to the audience (Weyts, 41). No need to create an online video, for example, if your

target audience consists of seniors who are not familiar with internet.

4.3.1. Participants in the communication process

First of all, it is important to indicate the many participants that come into play with

the promotion of a cultural product. Simona Botti (2000) has created a model that

accurately shows the diffusion process of art in society.

Fig 3: A model for analyzing the different roles of marketing in

the arts. (Simona Botti, « What Role for Marketing in the Arts ? An

analysis of Art Consumption and Artistic Value » (2000). 39)

In the centre of the model we can find the artist. He has created the work of art

purely for his own pleasure, not with the intention of creating a commercial product

that will appeal to the masses. In the second stage of the model you can find the

champions. These are usually a patron or an arts centre that intends to display the

work. It is the champion‟s job to spread the cultural product and present it to the

experts, usually journalists and art critics. Both the champions and the experts are

authorities in the field of art. They act as opinion leaders in their efforts to bring the

work to the public, which can be found in the last stage of the model. It is the

general public that will eventually be responsible for the consumption of the

cultural product.

In every stage of this diffusion model, the product gains more value. With the artist,

the work only possesses artistic value. In the second and third stage, when it passes

to the champions and experts, it gains social value. It is now recognized as a

valuable work of art and it is supported by people who possess a certain authority in

the artistic world. “Champions and experts, through the artistic services they offer,

assume the social role of nurturing the arts and updating esthetical conventions –

allowing the art world to develop – and, at the same time, reassert their status”

(Botti, 40). Finally, in the fourth stage, the product gains economic value. Since it is

now socially accepted as a high-quality work of art, it becomes commercially

valuable.

From this model, we can derive that, before an artistic product reaches the public

with its final economical value, it has to be accepted by a large number of other

participants. This means that the institution will have to communicate, not only to

members of the audience, but also to members of the press who are frequently

experts in the artistic field. It is crucial that the communication to the press goes

fluently, as they play a large role in the promotion of the cultural product. As a

result, different messages will have to be developed in order to be able to reach and

convince both the press (experts) and the audience (mostly non-experts). This is the

reason why the communication department at the Centre for Fine Arts is split up

into a team of press officers and a marketing team.

4.3.2. The target audience

Although Botti‟s model has explained the different participants and their role in the

communications process, the fourth stage, the audience, is still too wide to able to

select an adequate communications approach. In order to break up the general

audience into different categories, we can use one (or several) of the following

criteria: demographic factors, consumption profile, psychographic factors and

motivation (Weyts, 38-9).

Demographic factors (such as age, sex, profession, nationality, level of education,

etc.) can serve as a good indicator to assign a person to a particular target group.

People can also be divided into groups according to their consumption profile. By

analyzing a person‟s visit frequency and the nature of his or her visits, you can

derive a lot of information about someone‟s interests. Also psychographic factors

such as lifestyle, norms and values, can help to shape your target audience.

But what is possibly one of the most influential criteria to determine your target

audience is a person‟s motivation to visit an exhibition or to attend a concert or a

play. Botti (2000) and Colbert (2003) distinguish four different types of motivation,

and four different segments of consumers, that will cause people to attend an arts

event. The first segment consists of those who Colbert calls the “cultural needs

seekers” (35). For them, arts centres fulfil a functional need: they are driven by “a

thirst for knowledge” and visit arts centres because of their educational value.

(Botti, 33). For another segment of the audience, a visit to an arts centre fulfils

symbolic needs. These people try to assert their own personality through the

consumption of goods. They believe that a visit to an arts centre suggests something

about a person‟s personality and labels him or her as belonging to a particular

subgroup. For a third group, a visit to an arts centre is a way to fulfil certain social

needs. The institution is a gathering place for like-minded people and a cultural

event is a perfect opportunity to meet up with friends. Finally, the last group is

motivated by emotional needs. They are looking for “an experience that is

compelling, stimulating and fun [...] [and that helps them to] get away from

problems or daily routines” (Colbert, 35).

But how exactly do we know which group will be the target group for a particular

cultural product? As has already been indicated earlier in this paper (cf. 3.2.3.), the

artistic sector is characterised by a product-oriented marketing principle. Therefore,

also for determining the target audience, we will use the product as the starting

point. In other words, the target group will depend on the nature of the cultural

product. Take the example of the concert “50 years of Congolese music” in the

Centre for Fine Arts. This was an event that suggested togetherness and collegiality

between different cultures. It was an intimate concert where people were allowed to

sing along with the choir on stage. As a result, the target group for this event was

the audience segment that was motivated by emotional needs. The lecture on

Argentinean political history and literature on the other hand attracted people that

were motivated by educational needs.

In the process of crafting a communications strategy it is important to grasp the

different reasons why people by tickets for arts event. Because the better you know

your audience, the better you can influence them (Campbell, 7).

4.4. The message

Only once the target audience has been established, an organisation can start

formulating the message. The goal is to translate your objectives into a clear and

consistent message. In order to create an effective message, it is advisable to stick to

the AIDA principle: Attention, Interest, Desire and Action (Weyts, 48).

A message should, first of all, be able to capture the audience‟s attention. You can

do this, for example, by opening with a question or by adding a visual. This stage is

crucial, because if your message does not immediately appeal to the reader, there is

a good chance that he or she will not go on reading.

Secondly, your message should arouse interest with the reader. It should be

compelling, but at the same time realistic. Although you are communicating about

an abstract subject, art, it is important that your communication is concrete and to

the point. Your message should at all times be directed towards an audience that is

not yet familiar with your subject and that needs detailed information. People tend

to fill in the missing information themselves, and this may lead to

misinterpretations.

When you have caught their interest, the next step is to stir desire with your

audience. People might be interested in your cultural programme, but are they yet

convinced that they should visit the exhibition or event? Your message should be

formulated in a way that will persuade the audience to visit the arts centre. Good

knowledge of the target audience in essential in this face. If you know what your

target audience is looking for, you can adjust your message in order to meet their

core needs (Colbert, 35).

Finally, your message has to persuade people to take action. In order to fulfil the

desire aroused in phase 3, they will be motivated to buy and consume the cultural

product offered in your arts centre. You can do this by including ticket prices, sale

venues and possible discounts in your message. This way the process of buying

your cultural product is made easier and more people will be persuaded to take

action.

4.5. Channels

Also the decision of the medium and the channel through which the message will be

distributed strongly depends on the chosen target audience. We can categorise the

different media that can be used by a cultural institution into 5 groups (Weyts, 53).

The first group consists of everything that can be labelled “print media”: folders,

flyers, brochures, posters, direct mail, etc. Print media convey static information, in

that the information is up-to-date when the brochure or folder is published, but it

cannot be updated. It is also a durable message because it contains a lot of

information. Since there is a relatively large message that has to be read, there is a

higher chance that it will stick in the minds of the readers. Finally, it is a

promotional medium in that it not only wants to give information about the event,

but it wants to persuade people to attend. For this type of medium, the distribution

location and the layout are very important. If a folder does not immediately catch

the recipient‟s attention, it will easily be thrown out

The second group is labelled “mass media”. These are the media that are available

for everyone and that target a mass audience, such as newspapers, magazines, radio

and television. They also provide static information, but they do not bring a durable

message. Mass media are perfect tools to bring information very rapidly to a large

audience. But because of the large amount of information that has to be spread daily

by these mass media, the message is relatively short and not very detailed. These

mass media are not promotional media. The journalists that spread the information

are external to the arts centre and only provide objective information. This medium

is the ideal way to improve a company‟s brand image, since it is seen as a reliable

medium through which a very large audience can be reached.

The third group comprises all oral media such as info lines and helpdesks. These

media provide dynamic information and they are highly promotional. When well-

operated, these helpdesks are perfect tools for convincing people to attend an arts

event. However, they cannot reach out to visitors themselves, but they have to wait

until visitors seek contact themselves.

The fourth group assembles all audiovisual media, such as documentaries or small

videos posted on YouTube. They provide static information and are highly

promotional. They are well-suited to give extra information, on top of the data

already provided by other media such as the website, the brochures and the articles

in a newspaper. Simplicity and clarity are required conditions for this type of

medium. For example, at the end of a video fragment, it is best to refer to the

website where people can retrieve the information that may have passed too quickly

in the video fragment.

The final group consists of all digital media, such as websites, blogs, social media

and e-mail. These media provide dynamic information, in that they can always be

updated when something changes in the programme. They provide durable

information since they remain available at all times, and they are highly

promotional. These media are great tools for spreading information, since they are

always available. However, the communications department needs to keep in mind

that not everyone has access to electronic sources, and that therefore, it is best to

combine these digital media with more traditional media.

4.6. Planning

The communication of a large arts organisation should be carefully and

systematically planned. The timing of the communications strategy primarily

depends on when you want your audience to receive the information. Therefore the

communications department should design a detailed planning sheet where it shows

when a particular message should be sent through which medium. It is good to

“plan for a regular flow of information, rather than one-shot announcements”

(Beyaert (2005)).

It is important not to play all your cards at once (Beyaert (2005)). You should

“[p]hase your activities [and] map out who you will approach first”. Beyaert

accurately suggests that it is advisable to communicate first towards a group of

influencers. These can be art critics, journalists or public figures that are all

considered opinion leaders.

Finally, it is also relevant to keep in mind external events where information about

events at the arts centre could be spread. A political meeting or an international

conference of which the theme is in line with the theme of the arts event, could be a

good occasion to send out information.

4.7. Resources.

Finally, while planning its communications strategy, the arts centre should at all

times keep in mind the resources available. It has already been pointed out that most

arts centres have a limited budget for promotional purposes. Therefore, all expenses

should be registered so that a realistic cost overview can be prepared for future

communication purposes. These costs range from print costs to advertising,

discounts and other production costs (Weyts (2003), Campbell (2008)).

5. The Internship

At the Centre for Fine Arts, the press department is made up out of four press

officers that each have their own responsibilities. There is one press officer

responsible for classical music and corporate affairs, one for world music and

architecture, one for the expositions and the shop and another for literature, theatre,

dance and studios. My job was to assist all four press officers with a wide range of

assignments that were both administrative and operational. My main tasks were

writing press releases, preparing press conferences, making translations, contacting

journalists and updating the contacts database.

In order to communicate and promote a cultural product to the press, several

important issues have to be kept in mind. First of all, a press release has to be sent

to the right journalists. Journalists receive numerous press releases every day and

they will never be able to read everything. In order to make sure that there is a high

chance that journalists will read your press release, it should be sent to those who

are interested in the topic, and who have written about that particular topic before.

In the case of the Centre for Fine Arts, these are cultural critics, journalists and

editors responsible for the cultural section of a newspaper and lifestyle journalists.

Secondly, the press release should be well-written and to the point. If you do not

want to lose the journalist‟s interest, you have to create a compelling story right

from the start. Moreover, you have to make sure that your press release is available

in Dutch and French, and preferably also in English. Finally, you will have to invite

journalists to a press conference where they will receive more information about the

product, and where they will have the chance to ask questions.

What follows are some of the most important responsibilities of the press

department at the Centre for Fine Arts. During my internship, I have had the

opportunity to collaborate closely with the press officers and to work on all these

projects.

5.1. Keeping the database up to date

When promoting a large arts organization such as the Centre for Fine Arts, it is not

possible to maintain interpersonal relationships with all your customers. The

organization has become too large to provide personal contact between its visitors

and its staff members. Therefore, phone calls are directed to a general service

number and emails should all be sent to one e-mail address (info@bozar.be).

However, at the press department, this interpersonal contact between press officers

and journalists is of great importance. Each press officer tries to create a network of

journalists to whom he or she can send the BOZAR press releases. They know most

journalists personally, since most of the times they have met at press conferences or

interviews, and they try to maintain a good relationship with them.

Every new journalist that registers to receive press information about events at the

Centre for Fine Arts is contacted personally. It was part of my responsibilities to

welcome them and to ask them what information they were looking for. The

reactions on those e-mails showed that this personal contact from the Centre for

Fine Arts was much appreciated with most journalists.

My next task was then to order the journalists in the contacts database. First of all,

they were categorized by language: Dutch, French of English. Next, they were

ordered into categories such as theatre, dance, expositions, lifestyle, etc. This way,

it is easier for the press officers to send out their press releases. Instead of looking

up every contact individually, they can select a complete list of contacts to whom

they want to send their press releases.

The people working at the press department at the Centre for Fine Arts have insisted

that it is very important to keep these lists updated. At every newspaper, journalists

come and go, and it is not always easy to know who is responsible for the cultural

articles. Moreover, it is also good to know the policy towards culture at every paper

or magazine. Not every publication devotes the same amount of attention to culture,

and therefore not every paper or magazine should receive the same amount of press

releases.

5.2. Writing press releases

One of the most important things that I have learned during my internship at the

Centre for Fine Arts is that consistency, both in form and contents, is one of the

most important features of a good press release. Although this might not leave much

room for creativity, most companies opt for a fixed style because this makes it

easier for journalists to recognize the press releases and to associate the products

with the institution.

At the Centre for Fine Arts, the same template is used for every press release, so

that they are all similar when it comes to font, format and layout. At the top,

journalists will find the logo of the specific department and the press officer

responsible for the press release. There is also a photograph that is representative

for the whole cultural product (usually a picture of the artist or of one of his or her

works). At the end there is room for some practical information about the cultural

product such as opening hours, ticket cost and location.

The press release itself is made up of a title, a lead and the body of the text. Again,

it is more important for the title to be clear and consistent than to be original, since

journalists prefer to invent their own titles16

. The title should transmit as much

information as possible and should already convey the core message of what the

press release is about. For example17

: “Three exhibitions on African Photography at

BOZAR”. This title mentions “Africa” and “Photography” in order to attract people

that are interested in either of these topics, and it also points out that there will be

three exhibitions in order to attract journalists who are not familiar with BOZAR

products or with African photography.

The lead generally contains a summary of the entire press release. This is because of

the fact that most journalists do not read much further than this paragraph. It

includes the name of the artist, the type of cultural product, the date and the

location. The body of the text elaborates further on the subject of the cultural event.

16

Weyns, Reinhilde. Communiceren met pers en media. N.p.: Uitgeverij Lannoo, 2003. 17

See attachment 2.

This text is normally made up of two to three paragraphs and is often copied

literally by journalists in their articles (Weyns, 2003).

Also the moment to send out a press release should be taken into careful

consideration. Information that is newsworthy should always be sent in the

morning, otherwise it can only be taken up in next day‟s issue. Information that is

not very urgent can be laid aside by journalists for a while. It is therefore important

to announce upcoming events in advance and to send reminders repeatedly.

5.3. Preparing a press conference

For every large cultural event of the brand BOZAR, the Centre for Fine Arts invites

journalists for a press conference. At the conference, the journalists are given more

detailed information about the event, and they can ask questions to the curator and

the artists. Moreover, in the case of an exhibition, they can also attend the opening.

In this way, they can report about the items on display before the audience has seen

them.

The date of the press conference should be carefully chosen. It is important that

there is no other large cultural event or press conference at the Centre for Fine Arts,

or at another cultural centre, on the same date. Also, press officers may choose to

meet the schedule of the journalists when choosing a date for the press conference.

If they really want a particular journalist to attend, they will make sure that he or

she is available.

An invitation18

for a press conference should be sent to the journalists up to three

weeks in advance. It is advisable to ask for a confirmation. In this way, the press

officer responsible for the press conference can always send a reminder when

people have not replied. After the invitations had been sent, I was responsible for

making a list of attendees. At the press conference, I had to note down the names of

all the people present at the conference. In this way, we could afterwards ask for

feedback and ask the journalists to send us a copy of their articles.

18

An example of an invitation to a press conference can be found in the attachments.

For a press conference to go well, many arrangements have to be taken in advance.

First of all, a good venue has to be reserved. At the Centre for Fine Arts, there are

many rooms available and they all have their specific advantages. For the press

conference for the exhibition “A Passage to Asia”, we had chosen the studio. This

was a very formal press conference that contained a lecture given by the

exhibition‟s curator. For this reason, a formal venue (an auditorium) was chosen.

The press conference for “50 years of Congolese music” on the other hand, was

held at the Horta Hall. This venue was chosen because there were artists present and

they would be interviewed during the press conference. A more informal room was

chosen in order to create a more relaxed atmosphere.

Also the press documents have to be prepared in advance. At the beginning of every

press conference, the journalists receive a folder that contains a copy of the press

release and other complementary information, such as a biography of the artist, a

description of the most important works on display, the political and/or historical

relevance of the exhibition or performance, etc.

The catering is another issue that has to be taken care of in advance. The casual

atmosphere after a press conference provides the perfect opportunity for press

officers to improve their relationships with the journalists present and to broaden

their network.

Finally, after the press conference, it is time for the evaluation. In the weeks that

follow a press conference, the press officers carefully scan all newspapers and

magazines. They also contact the journalists that attended the conference to ask

them about their articles. It can also be useful to ask them for feedback in order to

improve conferences in the future.

At the end of every season, a large press review is assembled. This review contains

all articles that have been written about every exhibition, performance or recital. It

is sent to the artists who performed at the Centre for Fine Arts and to all important

stakeholders. This review forms a good evaluation for the press department. The

number of articles written about an event, and the assessment of the event in those

articles is a good way of measuring the success of the campaigns at the Centre for

Fine Arts.

6. Conclusion

This year at MTB was a very intensive year for me. For the first time, I came into

contact with terms such as unique selling proposition, above the line and below the

line, brand image, market segmentation, etc. It has been a true whirlwind of new

information and new experiences, but my internship at the Centre for Fine Arts has

been a perfect conclusion to a tumultuous, but remarkably fascinating year. And

although the courses and guest lectures this year were very interesting, I still believe

that “on-the-job experience” is the best asset for a future career.

It was very interesting to see how the press office of a large cultural institution

works from the inside. I have been given the opportunity to attend press

conferences, to contact artists and journalists, to write press releases and to attend

meetings where former press activities are evaluated and future press actions are

discussed. It was interesting to learn into great detail, how a press campaign is

organised and to be able to participate in this organisation. It was however also

remarkable to notice that chaos is also part of the job, and that unforeseen

circumstances are daily routine at a press office.

Since one of the press officers was on sick leave during my internship at the Centre

for Fine Arts, I was given more responsibilities than interns normally get. I am very

grateful for this opportunity and for the confidence that the people at BOZAR had

in me. It was a great opportunity for me, since I could now fully experience the

responsibilities of a member of the press department at a large national institution.

The theoretical background that I have assembled during this year has been very

useful for my internship at the Centre for Fine Arts. The many guest lectures and

the courses on business communication have given me a better idea of the

importance of a good communications plan and how this plan is built up. Also the

language courses have proven to be useful; in a bilingual environment you are better

well-prepared if you want your opinion to carry some weight.

However, the most important aspect that I have understood during this year in MTB

is the need to create a good network of contacts. This was an issue that had already

turned up during the final stage of our research project for the city of Ghent. We

noticed that it was much easier to get access to the information needed, if you were

able to refer to several people that supported your project. During my internship, I

was faced with the same challenge. For a press officer at the Centre for Fine Arts to

be able to convince the audience of the quality of the artistic programme, he or she

is in need of a large network of contacts that will vouch for the artistic products

presented at the arts centre.

It was a real challenge for me, as a beginner at the arts organisation, to convince

journalists of our artistic programme and to represent the institution. Although it

was not always easy, I believe I did a fine job in replacing my colleague. I was able

to help journalists that were looking for information and I have added new

journalists to her contact list. The feedback from the other press officers was very

helpful and it made me aware of the improvements I could still make to my work.

But most of all, this internship made me realise that a job in Public Relations is

definitely career option that I want to pursue.

Bibliography

Beyaert, Paul. “Developing an External Communications Strategy.” 2005.

Presentation at Communicating European Research, November 14-15, 2005.

<http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2005/cer2005/presentations14

_en.html>.

Bhattacharya, C.B., H. Rao and M.A. Glynn. “Understanding the Bond of

Identification: An Investigation of Its Correlates Among Art Museum

Members.” Journal of Marketing 59 (1995): 46-57.

Botti, Simona. “What Role for Marketing in the Arts ? An analysis of Art

Consumption and Artistic Value.” International Journal of Arts Management

2 (2000): 28-47.

BOZAR. Annual Report 2008.

BOZAR. Annual Report 2009.

BOZAR.be. “The Centre for Fine Arts”. 2010. 18 July 2010.

<http://www.bozar.be/webpage.php?pageid=57&>.

Campbell, Sally. The RM Knowledge Translation Toolkit: A Resource for

Researchers. 2008. ResearchMatters.net.

<http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/12266886561Research_Matters_-

_Knowledge_Translation_Toolkit_.pdf>.

Chiapello, Eve. Artistes versus managers: le management culturel face à la critique

artiste. Paris : Éditions Metailié, 1998.

Colbert, François. “Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Marketing the Arts.”

International Journal of Arts Management 6 (2003): 30-9.

Courvoisier, François H. and Fabienne A. Courvoisier. “Communication et

marketing d’institutions culturelles en suisse francophone.” Revue

management et avenir 3 (2005) : 133-50.

Dujardin, Paul. “The BOZAR Experience.” BOZAR.18 July 2010

<http://www.bozar.be/webpage. php?pageid=28&>.

Evrard, Yves and François Colbert. “ Arts Management: A New Discipline Entering

the Millennium ?” International Journal of Arts Management 2 (2000): 4-13.

Gysen, Leen. The BOZAR Experience: BOZAR, creating a cultural brand. Brussels,

2005.

Kotler, Philip. Marketing Management. De essentie. Amsterdam : Pearson

Education Benelux, 2007.

Martorella, Rosanne. Art and Business: An International Perspective on

Sponsorship. N.p.: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996.

McLean, Fiona. Marketing the Museum. London : Routledge, 1997.

Van der Wee, Barbara, Herman Van der Wee and Stephen Jacobs. BOZAR LXXX.

Brussels: Editions Lannoo, 2008.

Weyns, Reinhilde. Communiceren met pers en media. N.p.: Uitgeverij Lannoo,

2003.

Weyts, Kathleen. Communicatieplanning van theorie naar praktijk. N.p.: Uitgeverij

Lannoo, 2003.

Attachments

Attachments

1. Press release “Zomer van de Fotografie”

2. Press release “A Passage to Asia”

3. Invitation to the “Wim Delvoye Press Conference”

4. Article on “Summer of Photography”

5. Article on “50 years of Congolese Music”

Attachment 1: Press Release “Zomer van de Fotografie”

www.bozar.be

pers@bozar.be

PALEIS VOOR SCHONE KUNSTEN

Ravensteinstraat 23,

1000 Brussel

T. + 32 (0) 2 507 83 91

T. +32 (0) 2 507 84 27

F. + 32 (0)2 507 85 15

BOZAR NEWSLETTER

>> Wens je meer info over onze activiteiten?

Abonneer je hier op de nieuwsbrief.

BOZAR BROADCAST : 3 AFRIKA FOTO-TENTOONSTELLINGEN @ BOZAR BOZAR pakt uit met drie sterke tentoonstellingen in het

raam van de Zomer van de Fotografie. Een bruikbare

droom, een retrospectieve van Roger Ballen en het

sociaal-artistiek project Poze III. In dit filmpje geven de

protagonisten zelf tekst en uitleg.

26.06 > 26.09.2010

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussel

De derde editie van de biennale verenigt

fotografietentoonstellingen van een 30-tal partners rond 2

thema’s, Afrika en droom. BOZAR neemt deel met drie expos:

Een overzicht van de Afrikaanse fotografie wars van tijd of regio

in Een bruikbare droom, 200 foto’s uit het oeuvre van Roger

Ballen en de expo Pôze waar men opzoek gaat naar "Afrika in

Brussel".

Een bruikbare droom

De grote tentoonstelling in het Paleis voor Schone Kunsten isEen

bruikbare droom, een overzichtstentoonstelling van de

hedendaagse Afrikaanse fotografie. In de meeste Afrikaanse

landen betekende de onafhankelijkheid een bevrijding,

economisch, politiek en historisch. De Afrikaanse jongeren

hebben, van de jaren 60 tot heden, een heel eigen versie van de

Afrikaanse identiteit ingevoerd, steeds losser van de gevestigde

westerse modellen en steeds meer volgens eigen culturele en

esthetische codes. Een bruikbare droom beschrijft 50 jaar

geschiedenis van de blik van 39 Afrikaanse fotografen op hun

continent.

Curator: Simon Njami, auteur van o.m. de opmerkelijke

Anthologie de la photographie africaine.

Roger Ballen: Retrospectieve

De signatuur van Roger Ballen is herkenbaar in één oogopslag.

Zijn bijzondere universum, dat gaat van een documentaire stijl

uit zijn beginperiode tot meer picturale opstellingen, navigeert

tussen droom en werkelijkheid. Doorheen zijn carrière heeft hij

een mysterieus oeuvre opgebouwd, dat zowel grappig als

verwarrend is. 200 foto’s staan deze zomer tentoongesteld in

BOZAR.

Pôze III / Africa Town

BOZAR STUDIOS lanceert in samenwerking met fotograaf Vincen

Beeckman de derde editie van het interactieve project Pôze.

Deze nieuwe editie, getiteld Africa Town, focust op het

Afrikaanse leven in Brussel. Alle Afrikanen of Brusselaars met

een hart voor Afrika hebben hun dagelijkse omgeving

gefotografeerd. De beste foto’s, geselecteerd door een

professionele jury worden tentoongesteld in het Paleis voor

Schone Kunsten.

Praktische informatie tentoonstellingen

Adres

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten

Ravensteinstraat 23

1000 Brussel

Data

26.06 > 26.09.2010

Openingsuren

Van dinsdag tot zondag, 10:00 > 18:00

Donderdag, 10:00 > 21:00

Gesloten op maandag

Tickets

Een bruikbare droom: €5,00

Roger Ballen: Gratis

Pôze III/ Africa Town: Gratis

>> Meer info

Attachment 2: Press Release “A Passage to Asia”

A PASSAGE TO ASIA Met meer dan 300 objecten uit zestien Aziatische landen biedt de tentoonstelling A

Passage to Asia een fantastisch overzicht van 25 eeuwen kunstgeschiedenis uit die

regio. Curatoren Jan Van Alphen en Kenson Kwok lichten een tipje van de sluier.

Tentoonstelling: 25.06 > 10.10.2010

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussel

Al millennia lang onderhouden Azië en Europa intense relaties. Zowel op het land - via de

zijderoute - als op zee ontwikkelden zich commerciële en politieke banden tussen het Oosten en

het Westen. Veroveraars als Alexander de Grote, Attila en Dzjengis Khan reisden op zoek naar

glorie, rijkdom en macht. Ook Marco Polo, Zheng He en Magelhaen waren gefascineerd door de

rijkdommen, de zijde, de kruiden, het porselein… De handel opende de weg voor de

verspreiding van de grote religieuze en filosofische stromingen, onuitputtelijke inspiratiebronnen

voor kunst en cultuur. A Passage to Asia belicht 2500 jaar uitwisseling tussen Azië en Europa,

maar ook tussen diverse Aziatische volkeren. De tentoonstelling omvat een uitzonderlijke

selectie van meer dan 300 kunstwerken die nooit eerder te zien waren in Europa: lijkbussen,

rituele bronzen tamboerijnen, gouden juwelen, ivoor, oude kaarten en unieke stoffen, naast

opmerkelijke vondsten uit onlangs opgegraven scheepswrakken. Een tentoonstelling en festival

naar aanleiding van de ASEM-top (Asia-Europe Meeting) 2010.

Curatoren: Jan Van Alphen & Kenson Kwok

Praktische informatie tentoonstelling

A Passage to Asia

25 Centuries of Exchange between Asia and Europe

Adres

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten

Ravensteinstraat 23

1000 Brussel

Data

25.06 > 10.10.2010

Openingsuren

Van dinsdag tot zondag, 10:00 > 18:00

Donderdag, 10:00 > 21:00

Gesloten op maandag

Tickets

€ 8,00 (kortingen op www.bozar.be)

BOZAR Info & tickets

+32 2 507 82 00 – www.bozar.be

>> Meer info

Attachment 3: Invitation to the “Wim Delvoye Press Conference”

WIM DELVOYE Knockin' on heaven's door

In his first solo exhibition at the Centre for Fine Arts Delvoye presents works

that have been inspired by the Gothic. His starting point is a thorough study

of (neo-)Gothic structures, which he then transforms, using today's state-of-

the-art technology, to create his own version of the style.

Press conference: date Exhibition: Wednesday 20.10 > Sunday 23.01.2011

You are kindly invited to the

press conference of the exhibition

Wim Delvoye

Knockin' on heaven's door

Date at 11am

In the presence of Wim Delvoye.

Centre for Fine Arts

Entrance Rue Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussels

We would like to welcome you for a drink after the press conference.

Thank you for confirming your presence by mail to

leen.daems@bozar.be before date.