A Year of Growth for Muziekgebouw Eindhoven
After the COVID-19 period, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven finally operated throughout 2023 without restrictions. How do you reflect on this?
Edo: For the first time since 2019, we were back in full swing. It was incredibly inspiring and a great opportunity to fully showcase our programs and activities. We are proud that, with a focus on (inter)national top offers and new talents, we were able to present over 400 cultural activities. This attracted 166,710 paying visitors, with an increasingly diverse profile, to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. In total, we welcomed around 200,000 visitors to our halls and festivals in 2023.
What is the current financial position of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven?
Edo: This is the first time in 12 years that we no longer have negative equity. This marks the end of a period of rising debts with the municipality, which grew to approximately €3 million between 2012 and 2020. In 2023, we managed to turn this negative equity into a positive equity of €315,753. The total result for 2023 is €1,571,194.
What do you believe are the main factors that contributed to this success?
Edo: Cultural entrepreneurship and the Brainport region go hand in hand. Through an entrepreneurial approach to our operations and a focus on digital transformation (from big data to dashboarding and from segmentation to one-to-one online engagement), we have achieved remarkable results over the past three years. A renewed focus on top quality and innovation, deliberately stepping off the beaten path, has grown Muziekgebouw Eindhoven into a true cultural temple in the South of the Netherlands. Over the past three years, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven has not only attracted more than 15% more visitors than before COVID-19, but also saw profitability rise from an average of -5% pre-COVID to 13% in 2023. This achievement underscores the power of innovation and adaptability. These financial results are due to a diversification and strengthening of revenue sources: increased ticket sales (36% growth compared to the pre-COVID period), food and beverage revenue up 35% compared to the pre-COVID period, doubling of sponsors through close cooperation with nearly 30 companies in the region, and efficiency improvements (profitability of cultural activities increased by 166% compared to 2019).
Thanks to new series, refined programming, and professionalization in the marketing department, the average occupancy rate for classical music has increased by about 10%. In 2023, we reached 60% more classical music audiences than in the pre-COVID period. Pop and related music also saw a significant increase in occupancy rates: in the first quarter of 2024, we even achieved 90.8%. This is a 20% increase compared to the pre-COVID period. This exceptional result is attributable to the new direction of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. All departments make decisions with a focus on quality.
We are all very proud of the current results. My colleagues give 100%, and that is fantastic to see. We put a lot of energy into creating a work culture where creativity, craftsmanship, and care for each other go hand in hand. This mentality is essential for our success. The good cooperation with the municipality of Eindhoven and Stichting Cultuur also plays an important role in these remarkable results.
How have investments from Brainport funds contributed to these positive results?
Edo: Thanks to these investments, we have been able to make significant strides in professionalizing our teams and upgrading our digital channels over the past 3 years. Additionally, we have reached a large number of new visitors through the D&I (Sustainability & Inclusion) program. Our offerings have become more accessible, and our audience profile has broadened. The latter is something I am extremely proud of.
What are some areas of focus to ensure the continued success of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven in the future, in your opinion?
Edo: Certainly.
Economic developments, such as rising energy costs, have a significant impact on our operations as these costs have doubled. Additionally, the topic of Fair Pay is becoming increasingly important within the cultural sector, which will also affect us. Moreover, the increase in VAT is a crucial area of concern. These changes necessitate continuous revision and adjustment of our strategy to ensure financial stability and fulfill our mission.
We also need to continue investing in the maintenance and modernization of our facilities to provide the best experience for our visitors. Maintaining and expanding our diverse audience remains a priority, meaning we must continually renew our offerings to align with the desires and interests of our visitors.
Sustainability is also a crucial theme for the future. We aim to reduce our ecological footprint by integrating sustainable practices into our daily operations and events. This includes energy management, waste reduction, and promoting environmentally friendly choices among our visitors and partners.
Despite these challenges and opportunities, we remain determined to strengthen our position as a leading cultural center in Eindhoven and beyond.
What else are you proud of?
Edo: That we are able to reach a larger and more diverse audience. We have become more accessible in many ways and have won the hearts of many residents in the region—people who didn't even know where Muziekgebouw Eindhoven was. This is a huge step forward in our mission to make culture accessible to everyone.
Against the backdrop of the unrestrained growth of the Brainport region, we have seen the urgency in recent years to strengthen our connection with local communities through our activities. Here in this city and region, where people from around the world bring together a wealth of stories, cultures, and musical preferences, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven aims to be meaningful to as many target groups as possible. That's why we've changed our programming and work in recent years. We have become more connected and, in many ways, broader and more efficient. And precisely because we are more connected to our environment, we are receiving more visitors than ever before.
We are also proud that our audience is becoming increasingly diverse: more colorful and with a broader spectrum of musical preferences. Our focuses on youth, communities, and financial accessibility have resulted in an annual reach of 28,000 visitors in the aforementioned categories. Examples include successful festivals such as the Merhaba Festival and India Day, organized with local communities. These festivals celebrate the richness of different cultures by placing the beauty of art and craftsmanship at the heart of a true cultural melting pot where 2,500 visitors meet, dance, talk, and get inspired daily.
As I mentioned earlier, I am very proud of the organization and colleagues of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. They have undergone a tremendous transformation, which was not always easy. Seeing them full of energy now makes me immensely proud. Over the past three years, we have become more efficient and ambitious. This change in mentality and approach enables us to achieve even better results together and reach our goals.
Read the interview regarding the positive results in ED here.
