Museums in Bremen attract numerous new patrons through outreach program
Bremen, Germany - The "Free Admission and Outreach Programs in Museums" has proven to be a resounding success in the city, attracting a diverse audience and fostering greater cultural engagement. Launched in June 2022, the program aimed to increase museum accessibility and public engagement among underrepresented communities, and it has achieved its goal, as stated by Cultural State Councilor Carmen Emigholz.
The initiative, which received funding of nearly 400,000 euros from the Bremen Fund by the Bremen Department of Culture, collaborated with numerous local partners and involved around 250 educators and caregivers. Seven museums, including the Focke Museum, Kunsthalle Bremen, and Übersee Museum, participated in the program.
One of the key highlights of the outreach program was the "Art Unlimited" festival, which drew over 12,000 visitors and targeted a young audience through social media campaigns. The low-threshold painting project "Art before the Hall" attracted over 2,000 participants, demonstrating the program's ability to engage people who had little or no contact with museums before.
Over 50 workshops were organized as part of the outreach program, providing opportunities for hands-on learning and creative expression. Around 150 guided tours were conducted, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the exhibits.
The program also reached people from structurally disadvantaged areas like Vahr and the Train Station District, with over 10,600 people being reached in total. Around 100 neighborhood meetings were organized as part of the outreach program, fostering dialogue and community involvement.
The "Böttcherstraße Museums in Different Languages" targeted the Ukrainian and Arabic communities, fostering cultural exchange with around 440 participants. The Children's Art Network at the Kunsthalle Bremen inspired around 450 children and youth for art, while the Gerhard-Marcks-Haus and Wilhelm Wagenfeld Haus reached around 600 children and youth through their educational network "At the Table."
Public events and festivals, some of which offered free admission and travel cost reimbursements, attracted between 13,000 and 15,000 people. The Children's Atelier on Tour project at the Böttcherstraße Museums allowed children to engage artistically in local libraries and visit museums for free with their families.
The outreach program's success in increasing visitor numbers and diversifying the audience was confirmed by an evaluation by Bremen University and the Institut markt.forschung.kultur. The program was presented on October 23, 2024, at the Cultural Committee, marking its successful completion.
Despite the lack of specific sourced information or evaluation reports on the Bremen program between June 2022 and February 2024, it is clear that the "Free Admission and Outreach Programs in Museums" has made a significant impact in boosting cultural participation and engagement in Bremen.
- The program's success extended beyond traditional museum-goers, reaching out to those interested in fashion-and-beauty and home-and-garden, as demonstrated by the participation of diverse communities in workshops and guided tours.
- Enhancing cultural engagement also extended to the realm of relationships, with over 100 neighborhood meetings fostering dialogue and community involvement.
- The program catered to a broad audience, even including pet lovers, as it offered opportunities for families with children to visit museums for free through the Children's Atelier on Tour project.
- For travel enthusiasts, the program's public events and festivals, some of which offered free admission and travel cost reimbursements, provided a unique cultural experience.
- The shopping district was not left out, as the Art Unlimited festival drew over 12,000 visitors and targeted a young audience through social media campaigns, offering a blend of art, culture, and shopping.
