It’s never been more crucial for museums to develop sustainable commercial models that complement their wider organisational values and objectives. Rising costs combined with fewer funding opportunities and changing audience visiting and spending behaviour means museums of all shapes and sizes are having to make difficult business decisions in order to keep the doors open.
At this one-day conference, through case studies and panel discussions discover:
- practical, creative and achievable ways that your museum can generate sustainable income
- ways to create income while staying true to your core mission
- how to overcome the challenges of recent years
- future trends across retail, e-commerce, events, corporate hire and more.
This event is for you if you:
- work in a commercial team or have responsibility for income generation
- manage a small museum that needs to raise income and become self-sustaining
- are interested in the future sustainability of the museum sector
- need new ideas for raising income
- lead a museum and want to better understand how commercial strategy can support your wider mission.
Programme highlights:
- The Association for Cultural Enterprises hosts a panel discussion exploring how organisations can integrate commercial thinking into strategic decision-making.
- The Cartoon Museum shares how smaller museums can take a proactive approach to commercial operations – from programming to bring in new and repeat audiences and running a sustainable online shop.
- The Amelia Scott civic museum and centre discusses expanding their commercial offer while maintaining free access and inclusion – including the development of its first “Yarnival” event designed to tap into new markets.
Programme
1100-1110
Welcome to Money Talks 2026
Our chair introduces the event with some reflections on what has changed for the sector – and audiences – since the last Money Talks in 2024.
1110-1210
Panel discussion: Giving commercial a seat at the table
Across the UK, museums of all sizes are reporting a perfect storm of rising costs, volatile visitor numbers and increasing pressure to generate income while maintaining access and inclusion. Decades of squeezed public spending means income generation is less about making a healthy profit and more about keeping the doors open.
This panel discussion, convened by the Association for Cultural Enterprises, looks at how commercial teams can work more effectively with senior leaders and colleagues in other departments to integrate commercial thinking into core decision-making.
Panellists look at the picture facing the sector and discuss the role of commercial going forward. You’ll hear their thoughts on where commercial teams might want to invest their energy and resources, and practical advice on how cultural sites might shift from not simply attracting visitors, but creating compelling reasons for them to visit, and spend once on site. There is also time for questions from delegates.
With:
Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive, Association for Cultural Enterprises
Samantha Prince, Deputy Director, Food Museum
Penny Jenkins, Commercial Director, Roman Baths
Jon Young, Audience Research Director, Decision House
1210-1240
Peer Learning Sets: Sharing ideas, connections and advice
We often do our best learning when we speak to colleagues from across the sector about the challenges or barriers we are facing – listening and learning from each other can increase our confidence and communication skills, and give us ideas to take back to our organisations.
For this part of the programme, delegates are placed into small breakout groups on Zoom for 15 minutes and given a number of prompts to discuss. At the end of the discussion, all delegates return to the main Zoom where there is the chance to share their discussions verbally or via the Chat function.
Delegates who do not wish to take part in group discussions are invited to consider the prompts independently and may still feed back if they wish to.
1240-1340
Lunch break
A one-hour screen break during which time the Zoom meeting will remain open.
1340-1345
Welcome back
1345-1410
Opening the lid on commercial strategy at The Box, winner of the Museum of the Year 2026
How can free museums develop commercial strategies that enable them to drive income growth in line with their organisational values? Charlotte Pascoe, commercial manager, The Box Plymouth, shares its approach – from its profitable in-house catering arm, to retail merch and commercially driven events.
1410-1435
Developing commercial offers to bring in new audiences
Helen Brown, marketing co-ordinator and Anya Persson-Davis, programme officer, Tunbridge Wells Council share how the Amelia Scott civic museum and centre is expanding its commercial offer while maintaining free access and inclusion – including the development of its first “Yarnival” event designed to tap into new markets.
1435-1500
Small museums can be commercial too
Holly Burrows, commercial manager, Cartoon Museum shares how smaller museums can take a proactive approach to commercial operations – from programming to bring in new and repeat audiences and running a sustainable online shop.
1500-1525
TBC
Speaker and session details to be confirmed soon.
1525-1555
Q&A panel discussion with all the afternoon speakers
An opportunity to put your questions to all the afternoon speakers.
1555-1600
Close
Please note that this event will be recorded and available exclusively to delegates after the event, so if you can’t attend on the day you can catch up in your own time.
Important booking information
Please sign in and check the email address on your profile before booking. Your confirmation and joining instruction emails will go to the email address you use to log in to the website.
If you create a new record with a different email address your membership will not be recognised and you will be charged the incorrect fee. You can check and change your email address before booking.
If you are interested in speaking at one of our events, or have a project you’d like to see explored, please tell us more by emailing the events team.
Competency Framework
Our events programme supports the Museums Association’s Competency Framework, which is designed to inform professional development, improve professional practice and support museums in making a positive difference to people’s lives. This event supports the following competencies: Managing People, Money and Organisations.
