A brand new publication from the licensing stable of Max Publishing has officially launched today (16 January) – with the Licensing Museum & Heritage Book now available to read online.
According to the Department for Media, Culture and Sport, between July 2023 and September 2023, there were 12.5 million visits to DCMS sponsored museums and galleries (including Natural History Museum, Science Museum Group, National Gallery, V&A, Imperial War Museum and Tate Modern among others).
Since the pandemic, visits have been increasing each year and are 24.4% higher than the equivalent period last year.
From a licensing and consumer products point of view, the museum and heritage sector has been steadily growing in strength, stature and support – from licensees and at retail – for a number of years.
This has been underlined by the increase in their participation in the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. Last year, the category was represented in all 12 of the prestigious Product categories, with the sheer depth of product ranging from fragrance, stationery and apparel through to food and beverage, lighting, wallpaper and kitchenware, and much more besides.
It’s a healthy backdrop to launch a dedicated museum and heritage licensing publication, and the Max team has thoroughly enjoyed becoming absorbed in the art, architecture, flora, fauna, design and history.
For our inaugural issue, we have aimed to capture the vibrancy, innovation and energy of the sector. We have looked to cover all areas of museum and heritage licensing – including heritage institutions, museums, gardens, estates, charity and historic brands and institutions of 50+ years (including universities).
Fresh from its 50th anniversary celebrations, we have an exclusive interview with the licensing team at Van Gogh Museum, discussing new horizons and opportunities for the programme, plus we catch up with Dunelm and Natural History Museum to find out more on how the collaboration has boosted both brands.
We examine how the appeal of museums and heritage institutions reaches beyond borders and how the style guide is one of the most importance pieces in their armoury.
We also spotlight the greeting cards sector and take a closer look at some of the innovative and far reaching collaborations within the museums and heritage space.
The sector is dynamic, inventive and not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to collaborations.
We hope you enjoy the issue – please do share your thoughts with the team; we’d love to hear them.
The launch of the Licensing Museum & Heritage Book follows on from the successful debut of the Licensing Sports Book in September 2023. You can read the autumn 2023 edition by clicking here. For further details on being involved in Licensing Sports Book 2024, contact Ian Hyder by clicking here.
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