Portfolio 2004
| Organisation |
Portfolio |
| Project |
A research and development project to increase audiences and sales for Portfolio magazine |
| Artform |
Photography and literature |
| Location |
Edinburgh |
| Application type |
Full project |
| Date |
2002/04 |
| Status |
Completed |
| Grant |
£50,000 |
| Total project cost |
£71,753 |
Portfolio Gallery was established in 1988 to promote photography as an art form through exhibition, education and publishing. Since 2000, the organisation has reduced its commitment to exhibiting to further develop its publication Portfolio, a catalogue of contemporary photography in Britain. Produced bi-annually, the publication features the work of established and emerging photographic artists, with in-depth reviews from respected writers and curators from the UK and Europe. The magazine has an international subscription base and is distributed to a range of organisations.
The project is to undertake market research and development to extend Portfolio’s client base and to allow the magazine to continue on a more sustainable basis.
- To expand Portfolio’s subscription base within new and relatively untapped market segments
- To increase sales of advertising space in the magazine to newly targeted commercial and institutional sectors
- To develop the existing website to include on-line interviews with selected photographic artists featured in the publication
- To pilot a dedicated website for the promotion and sale of specially commissioned photographic prints by selected artists
As a condition of funding, Portfolio commissioned a team of three experienced consultants, Peter Davies, Nicholas Spice and Francis Hodgson, to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the marketing and sales elements of the project that would help the organisation to develop a clear action plan. This was completed in August 2002.
The key conclusions of the consultants’ review were that:
- The project can be seen to establish audience development, artists support schemes, new services and content and together these will create an innovative programme, testing and laying foundations for significant post-project developments.
- These initiatives provide the opportunity for a more proactive approach and new external alignment.
- Increased subscriptions, advertisements and online sales are all likely to create increased revenue, which is imperative for Portfolio.
- The development of the website and of institutional subscriptions, especially to the education sector and to libraries, are both initiatives which are likely to make the magazine more visible and extend its readership to new audiences.
- The targets set, the available operational budget and the creation of an 18 month marketing post, will lead to increased subscriptions and advertising sales, the pioneering print sales on line and the website initiative. These will offer multiple benefits which will include increasing and informing a new audience.
Portfolio
43 Candlemaker Row
Edinburgh EH1 2QB
Tel: 0131 220 1911
Fax: 0131 226 4287
E-mail: info@portfoliocatalogue.com
Web: www.portfoliocatalogue.com |