Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024 1 2 3 Vincent van Gogh, Landscape with Houses (detail), 1890. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) Foundation) van Gogh van Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent (Vincent Museum, Amsterdam 01. Foreword 6 Van Gogh Van 02. Museum profile 10 1887 - 1888. 1887 , (detail) 03. Stakeholders 14 04. Mission 18 Self-Portrait as a Painter as a Painter Self-Portrait , 05. Core values 22 van Gogh van Vincent Vincent 06. Vision 26 07. Strategic goals 30 08. Accountability and procedure 38 09. Colophon 42 Table of contents 4 5 01 6 Vincent van Gogh, Grapes (detail), 1887. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) 7 Foreword Foreword Recent developments relating our international visitors and partners. The VGM to the coronavirus crisis wants to remain a renowned international research Emilie Gordenker, Director institution and to continue to collaborate with the The global crisis resulting from Covid-19 and international top of the museum world. The VGM The Van Gogh Museum (VGM) is internationally its national and international ramifications have must be ready for the future. We want to be a known as one of the most prominent art museums serious consequences for the museum world and sustainable, caring and inclusive organisation: for in the world. Its reputation is due to its unique for the VGM. The VGM had to close to the public each other, but also for the collection, the building, collection as well as the in-house expertise about temporarily on 13 March 2020. The museum could our visitors and our stakeholders. Finally, we will Vincent van Gogh and the art of his time. not reopen until 1 June, but due to social distancing prepare for a milestone in the history of the VGM: The museum has developed substantially measures related to Covid-19, attendance dropped its fiftieth anniversary. We will treat everyone in in recent years - through ground-breaking to a maximum of 10% of the usual number of the Netherlands to a splendid party with special exhibitions, significant acquisitions, research of visitors. At time of writing this Strategic Plan, activities, on an international scale and in line with the highest international standard, innovative it is unclear for how long these social distancing our mission, vision and core values. educational programming, a solid commercial measures will continue and what the exact branch and a Development Department that can consequences will be for the VGM. This Strategic Plan sets the course for the years be benchmarked alongside the most successful We can assume that attendance will not reach the 2021-2024, in accordance with the period during cultural institutions in the US and UK. The past few 2019 level for a considerable time. Although work which we will be evaluated on our performance years have been characterised by unprecedented started on this plan well before the coronavirus by the Ministry for Education, Culture and Science attendance. As a result, the museum was regularly outbreak, it should ultimately not be seen in (OCW). The museum’s directors, the MT and ‘sold out’. The majority of the visitors (85%) came isolation from the new challenges that the museum staff developed this plan independently in order from abroad. The previous Strategic Plan (2018- faces in the coming years. to set out our goals the years ahead, but in the 2020) focused on the following topics: finding knowledge that it will underpin the activity plan a good balance between the preservation and that the VGM will submit to OCW by 1 December management of the art and the collection and the The coming years 2020. This Strategic Plan is intended to be an other activities undertaken by the museum, how overarching guideline for all departments as they to make a visit to the museum a pleasurable and Extensive internal discussions have led to the develop their activities, providing direction to the unique experience, even in the face of crowds and conclusion that the VGM must re-focus. The entire organisation for the coming four years. a huge demand, and how to satisfy the enormous mission has been tweaked, not necessarily (worldwide) attention for Van Gogh and his time. indicative of a major change of direction, but so that it better suits who we are now: an inclusive museum that wants to inspire people with the life of Vincent van Gogh, his work and his time. The new core values provide a compass that will guide our activities. The vision is our long-term view: a museum that is at the forefront of all activities undertaken. In the coming years, the museum will increase its focus on the Netherlands: the Dutch public, local communities – such as Amsterdam residents with a bicultural background – and young people. We want to be an open organisation that radiates warmth and is outward-looking. We want to enter into dialogue with our stakeholders, to be surprised by them and come up with new ideas and insights jointly. We want to make clear choices in collaboration with these stakeholders. We will formulate target groups, which will help the VGM to determine which activities it will undertake and for whom. While we will focus on our Dutch audience, also digitally, we will not lose sight of 8 9 02 10 Vincent van Gogh, Small Bottle with Peonies and Blue Delphiniums (detail), 1886. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) 11 Museum profile Museum profile Vincent van Gogh Exhibitions Income Up until his death in 1891, control of the collection An aspect that few other museums benefit from at Organising exhibitions both at the museum and The VGM is remarkable for the way it generates was in the hands of Vincent’s brother, Theo such a level is that Vincent van Gogh’s work and at locations is an important part of the VGM’s income. In 2019, the large numbers of visitors van Gogh. His widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, life story exude a special emotional dimension that activities. Several impressive shows are planned for provided 50% of the annual budget through entrance subsequently took over management of the never fails to touch and inspire a wide audience. the coming years. Despite reduced financial means, fees, making ticket sales the most important collection. Following her death in 1925, her son, In addition to the collection, Van Gogh himself also the VGM will continue its ambitious, internationally- source of income for the museum. Commercial Vincent Willem van Gogh (‘the Engineer’), assumed plays a crucial role in the museum’s activities and renowned programme, and will continue to activities, merchandise, donations, benefactions and responsibility for his uncle’s works. In 1962, he its image. The museum tells the story of Vincent organise at least three exhibitions every year. In sponsorship contribute approximately 35% of the reached an agreement with the Kingdom of van Gogh in his context, including his time, placing addition to loans, works from the museum’s own income and in broad terms, the remaining 15% comes the Netherlands to transfer control of the entire his constant inspiration in perspective. collection will be used in exhibitions, as well as from governmental subsidy. These percentages collection (the paintings, drawings and letters) to works that are currently not on display in the are based on the consolidated accounts. In 2020, the Vincent van Gogh Foundation. In return, the permanent collection. income will drop due to the temporary closure of the State arranged for the Van Gogh Museum to be The Mesdag Collection museum and the fact that the museum will be able built, helping to ensure that the collection always to receive fewer visitors once it reopens. In 2021 and remains accessible to everyone. The Van Gogh The Mesdag Collection in The Hague is an integral Visitors 2022, income is also not expected to return to the Museum opened its doors in 1973. The VGM also part of the VGM, and represents a significant level of previous years. manages a sub-collection, owned by the State, on complement to the VGM collection. In 2018 and Recent years were characterised by high behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 2019, the DMC received 13,848 and 13,339 visitors attendance. In 2018 and 2019, the VGM received respectively. In 2018 and 2019, two exhibitions were 2,161,160 and 2,134,778 visitors respectively. In the The VGM houses the largest collection of Van Gogh organised at the museum each year, as well as one last two years, the VGM attracted visitors from works in the world, with 205 paintings, 500 publication. more than 110 different countries. The largest group drawings, nearly all of his letters (in excess of 800) of visitors (16%) was Dutch. With 330.000 Dutch and archive material relating to Van Gogh. The visitors in 2019, the Van Gogh Museum received collection also features paintings, drawings and Presentation of the permanent the third highest number of Dutch visitors, after the several statues from between 1840 and 1920 by collection Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum. Van Gogh’s friends and contemporaries, by artists who inspired him and by those whom he inspired. The guiding principle of the permanent collection In addition, the museum is home to a unique, is to illuminate as many aspects of the life and Social media internationally-acclaimed collection of exquisite fin- work of Vincent van Gogh and his time, with a de-siècle printed art and a collection of Japanese particular focus on his working methods and the The Van Gogh Museum has millions of followers on ukiyo-e woodcuts. artistic context in which his work was created. social media, making it one of the most successful Approximately 30% of the VGM’s entire collection museums in the world in this regard.