GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE

Arts vs Accountancy

larly strongly in the UK, where Brexit the Chaplin family with a plan to pur- is likely to have a significant adverse chase the Manoir de Ban and create a impact on arts funding. “nice museum”. The family agreed on The opportunity to explore this condition that it honour the memory question presented itself a couple of of their father. Meylan and Durand en- years ago in the shape of a museum visaged a museum that would “docu- under construction near Lausanne that ment the artist’s ideas and ideals”. It was supposed to become Chaplin’s would provide an authentic Chaplin World, an entertainment experience experience and feature items person- in Charlie Chaplin’s old home. I was ally associated with him. struck by the artistic heritage inher- When Chaplin’s World opened ent in the project, but even more by 16 years later in 2016 it had clearly the volume of financial and business evolved far beyond its original vision. jargon that filled the pages of its web- Yet, the various stakeholders that had Can commerce influence site. One day, over coffee, I showed the become involved during its develop- website to my colleague and professor ment were still confident that Chap- the culture projects it of marketing, Felicitas Morhart. For lin’s artistic and cultural legacy was sponsors? Professor both of us, it was the obvious tension being celebrated in a suitably authen- between commerce and cultural integ- tic way. Anette Mikes of the rity that caught our interest. We followed the project for two University of Lausanne So out of curiosity we started years, carrying out 15 interviews, found an object lesson to look into Chaplin’s World more making multiple visits to Vevey and num to a later range estimate self became more persua- deeply, to explore whether this finan- reviewing over 1,000 pages of internal of 250,000–320,000. How to at- sive to potential stakeholders in plans to turn Charlie cial focus would ultimately erode the documents. What we discovered was tract those visitors - the type of expe- as he steadily accumulated consid- Chaplin’s Swiss home into project’s authenticity. Conventional that an unlikely ingredient – account- rience Chaplin’s World would deliver erable knowledge of accounting and wisdom suggested it would. But we ing – played a key role in reshaping the – also evolved from an initial concept Manoir de Ban, the property on the other financial practices. a museum found otherwise. creative vision in a way that allowed of a niche high-culture museum to one bank of Lake Geneva, where Charlie Chaplin’s World has received posi- Exiled from the Unites States in stakeholders to resolve differing per- of a popular culture leisure park. By Chaplin spent the last 25 years of his tive reviews since opening and ap- ost arts and culture or- 1952 amid a wave of anti-communist spectives on how to authentically re- the time Grévin agreed to invest in life, now part of the Chaplin’s World pears to have successfully captured ganisations and entrepre- hysteria, Charlie Chaplin settled in flect Chaplin’s persona. the project, the budget, initially set at museum. Photo credit: lulu and Chaplin’s own mix of populist appeal neurs are pragmatic, rec- Switzerland at the Manoir de Ban at Accounting acted as a catalyst be- 20 million Swiss francs had grown to isabelle/Shutterstock.com and high culture, doing justice to his ognising the need to reach Corsier-sur-Vevey, where he lived un- cause stakeholders used it as a tool around 55 million, reflecting the am- memory as intended. outM to business in order to boost fund- til his death in 1977. to persuade others. It was also used bitious scope of a world-class leisure practices to become an effective means Our study is instructive to anyone ing. Yet despite the long tradition of Philippe Meylan, an architect, and to bring in new stakeholders at key and cultural entertainment concept. of creating synergy between very dif- at work on an arts and culture project. patronage, there is still a degree of un- Yves Durand, a designer, are huge moments, notably Grévin (part of the This evolution followed a bench- fering stakeholders and that can be It demonstrates how accounting prac- ease and suspicion about the influence Chaplin fans. In 2000, they approached Compagnie des Alpes leisure group) marking study that included compari- applied more widely. tices, when used wisely, can help rec- of commerce on art. The art world’s and investment firm Genii, in order sons with Graceland, Elvis Presley’s First, expert partners should be oncile perceived conflicts between art approach has long been that of Wilhel- to deliver the vision as it evolved. former home, which suggested the chosen with complementary, rather and business, bringing stakeholders menia Fernandez’s character in Jean- “So out of curiosity Accounting also helped shape views need to diversify the experience, add than competing skills. Second, once together without compromising au- Jacques Beineix’s film, Diva: “Non, we started to look into about the type of consumer experience revenue streams and create a “mu- an expert makes a decision and it thenticity. In the right circumstances, non, c’est au commerce de s’adapter and authenticity that was appropriate. seum-plus-park”. KPMG’s business has been discussed, other stakehold- bean counting and artistic integrity à l’art. Et non pas à l’art de s’adapter Chaplin’s World more Used as a common language, ac- plan drew on accounting techniques ers should commit to it, agreeing to can be compatible. au commerce.” (“It’s up to commerce counting practices provided a shared such as net present values, accounting differ if necessary. Third, elements of Anette Mikes is a professor of Ac- to adapt itself to art and not up to art deeply, to explore “context of interaction” through amortisati and expenses capitalisa- accounting practice should be consid- counting, Control and Risk Management to adapt itself to commerce.”) whether this financial which differing perspectives could be tion. The firm’s detailed projections ered and used as an objective, quanti- at HEC Lausanne, the business school at But is the view that artistic and discussed and reconciled, leading to also suggested adding corporate en- tative language to develop a common the University of Lausanne. She is co- cultural integrity are compromised by focus would ultimately new strategies. Visitor numbers, for tertainment as an additional revenue narrative about the project. author, with Felicitas Morhart, of Bring- association with profit and popular erode the project’s example, became a mutually-agreed stream. Accounting practices also in- ing Back Charlie Chaplin: Accounting as entertainment really justified? That’s measure of success, increasing from an We identified several important creased the project’s credibility, which Catalyst in the Creation of an Authentic a question that will resonate particu- authenticity” initial point estimate of 200,000 per an- principles that enable accounting helped in raising funds. Durand him- Product of Popular Culture. 14 Arts Industry April 2017 Arts Industry April 2017 15