The dangers of a knee-jerk reaction to membership schemes
‘What do I get?’ may motivate a person to become a member of an arts organisation, but motivations can change over time. Martin Barden says it's time for a more strategic approach to membership schemes.
As a consultant I’ve spent eight highly enjoyable years specialising in developing, implementing and transforming membership schemes in the cultural sector, and a decade prior to that heading up Tate’s ground-breaking membership programme.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic came close to overwhelming us all in March 2020 most institutions’ doors have had to be firmly shut.
There have been various decisions made by the UK’s museums, galleries, theatres and other cultural organisations as to how their membership programmes should respond: to extend, or not to extend? How prepared were we for such a challenging scenario?
Did our risk registers include a plan for a global pandemic?
Did we ever imagine we would not be able to open our buildings for weeks and months on end?
Did we rehearse how to balance the organisation’s needs against the interests of its members?
What value is a membership if the benefits it unlocks suddenly evaporate? To what degree are our members driven by the benefits they receive, or by philanthropy? How will our members be impacted by potential reductions in their own income and challenges in balancing household budgets?... Keep reading on Cultural Enterprise
As a consultant I’ve spent eight highly enjoyable years specialising in developing, implementing and transforming membership schemes in the cultural sector, and a decade prior to that heading up Tate’s ground-breaking membership programme.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic came close to overwhelming us all in March 2020 most institutions’ doors have had to be firmly shut.
There have been various decisions made by the UK’s museums, galleries, theatres and other cultural organisations as to how their membership programmes should respond: to extend, or not to extend? How prepared were we for such a challenging scenario?
Did our risk registers include a plan for a global pandemic?
Did we ever imagine we would not be able to open our buildings for weeks and months on end?
Did we rehearse how to balance the organisation’s needs against the interests of its members?
What value is a membership if the benefits it unlocks suddenly evaporate? To what degree are our members driven by the benefits they receive, or by philanthropy? How will our members be impacted by potential reductions in their own income and challenges in balancing household budgets?... Keep reading on Cultural Enterprise