Van Gogh Connects Pilots
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Amsterdam Fashion College
Amsterdam Fashion College (AFC) targets young bicultural adults in Amsterdam who want to professionalize their interest in fashion and entrepreneurship. This encouraged Van Gogh Connects to collaborate with the AFC too.
Eight intensive weekly master classes were organized at which guest lecturers active in the profession prepared the students for an ideas contest. After the classes, they were given a practical assignment relating to the life and work of Vincent van Gogh. The participants pitched their ideas to a jury of business professionals and the Van Gogh Museum’s Director of Commercial Affairs.
Research
Before beginning the course, all the participants were given a guided tour of the museum. Impact Centre Erasmus drew up a questionnaire that the participants were asked to fill in twice: before the event (baseline) and after it. In this way, it could be determined whether the pilot at the museum contributed to their entrepreneurial intentions, interpersonal skills and entrepreneurial skills.
Outcomes
A positive impact was detected in terms of developing specific personal skills (being able to work with a group of people), entrepreneurial skills (being able to connect easily with others) and entrepreneurial intentions. These effects were significant: while appreciation of the Van Gogh Museum was already high, it was higher still after participation. The inviting nature of the museum also heightened students’ appreciation and they felt more at home at the VGM after taking part in the programme than they initially expected. Although the students found the museum a little more relevant on competing the course, there is still room for improvement.
Students of the Amsterdam Fashion College during the masterclass.
Daily Paper
One of the recommendations that emerged from the focus groups was to work more with people and companies who serve as role models for young adults with a bicultural background. This prompted the idea of making a documentary in which the founders of the Daily Paper talk about how Van Gogh inspires them. Collaboration continued after the launch of the pilot, resulting in a collection of wearable art.
On 14 February 2020, more than 600 young adults visited the museum for the launch of the documentary, the first apparel line, guided tours by Beeldbrekers and music performances.
Research
To measure the impact, visitors to the launch filled in a questionnaire before and after the event. This showed that respondents were more positive after the Daily Paper event about the relevance of the museum to them. They were also more positive about the impression the museum made on them: they found the museum to be more welcoming and open. And they felt a greater sense of freedom in the museum than before.
One noteworthy finding, however, was that the young adults felt less at ease after the evening event than they initially expected.
Guided tour by the Beeldbrekers ('ReFramers') in the museum.
Painting workshops at Amsterdam University College
One of the main pillars of Van Gogh Connects is working with the target group to think of ways to make the museum more attractive to young people with a bicultural background. This led to the idea of painting workshops and the Van Gogh Museum took part in the ‘Communication Battle’ organized by Inholland University of Applied Sciences.
Communication students Loretta Arthus, Marlotte Vissink, Michelle Berkenbosch and Maud Vermeulen came up with the idea of offering painting workshops at school. Artists Irée Zamblé, Dion Rosina and Dina Abadir acted as workshop instructors and got down to painting with students in the auditorium of Inholland Diemen. They guided the students as they painted self-portraits inspired by Van Gogh. On completion, the students filled in a questionnaire.
Research
The painting workshops show that art has a relaxing effect on students. Being active creatively is also enriching and inspiring. Painting likewise enhances the ability to observe. The workshop participants included young people both with and without a bicultural background. The impact of the workshop was significantly different for the two groups.
Outcomes
Students without a bicultural background appreciated the museum and the painting workshops more than the students with such a background. They also found the museum significantly more relevant and that the workshop contributed to relaxation to a greater extent than students from bicultural backgrounds did. Students without a bicultural background were more positive, lastly, about the inviting appearance of the museum. The results show that the pursuit of relevance for young people from bicultural backgrounds is not over yet and that we need to think about how to close this gap.
Painting workshop organized by students of Inholland University of Applied Sciences.
Secondary education programme: Your story, his story
21% of young adults in Amsterdam with a bicultural background are in secondary vocational education (MBO). Developing an MBO programme was an obvious way to reach the target group and increase its cultural participation.
The ‘Your Story, His Story’ programme resulted from an impact measurement in which points of connection were sought between Van Gogh’s eventful life and that of the young adults. They recognize themselves in Vincent’s quest for personal development. Trial and error, dealing with setbacks and talent development are themes they identify with strongly.
Research
There were two parts to the study. In the first part, the MBO students were given a standard tour of the museum, while in the second, another group of MBO students received a personalized tour by intermediaries with a bicultural background. This was followed by a spoken word presentation and the students had the opportunity to take part in painting workshops. The programme, with ‘identity’ as its theme, ties in with the ‘Career and Citizenship’ subject (Years 1 and 2) and contributes to personal formation and knowledge creation.
Outcomes
Several visiting programmes were organized for this research. Each participant completed a questionnaire before and after the visit. By recording the responses at two different moments, it was possible to track the change over time.
- Young people with a bicultural background take part less in receptive cultural participation (visiting a museum or going to a concert) than young people without a bicultural background
- Young people with a bicultural background are more likely to participate in active cultural activities (such as making music or dancing).
- Young people find the life of Vincent van Gogh more interesting than his work. The museum would be able to connect more strongly with young people from bicultural backgrounds if we consistently made the link between the life of Vincent van Gogh and that of the young people themselves.
Students participating in the programme: Your story, his story.
Wrong Connection
The 2018 exhibition Gauguin & Laval in Martinique prompted us not only to look at works of art from an art-historical perspective, but also to discuss the colonial context in which they were made. This occurred in cooperation with the Beeldbrekers ('ReFramers'), who worked with the Van Gogh Connects core team to develop a programme called ‘Verkeerd Verbonden’ (Wrong Connection).
This consisted of three afternoon drinks sessions, during which themes like colonialism, language, colour and image were discussed. Different perspectives were explored at workshops.
Outcomes
The impact of the Wrong Connection programme was mapped by qualitative ‘Gauguin Talks’ evenings and a quantitative questionnaire. This showed that the target group did not feel represented in the museum and did not really feel part of the museum either. The programme did, however, make the participants feel heard and valued.
The majority of the participants indicated that they now view the Van Gogh Museum differently. The programme also contributed to an awareness that there are different ways of looking at art and the world. Participants were overwhelmingly positive about their intention to visit the museum more often because of the Wrong Connection evenings. Respondents without a bicultural background were more likely to view the museum differently because of the Gauguin Talks evenings. People with a bicultural background were slightly less positive.
Wrong Connection prompted the museum to continue and further develop its search for relevance for young people from bicultural backgrounds. The museum does not work for the target group in this instance, but with it.
Research publication
The results of this project were published in 'New ways of looking: Adapting practices for a culturally diverse population.'
Participants during one of the 'Gauguin Talks' evenings