Record number of visitors in 2018

With 450,000 visitors, 2018 is a year the Kunsthal Rotterdam can look back on with great satisfaction. In this anniversary year, it attracted the highest number of visitors in its 25-year existence: 420,000 visitors to the Kunsthal and 30,000 people more to the Museumpark for free outdoor activities such as Kunsthal LIVE ON SUNDAY, All you can Art and the dream landscape Waterlicht by Daan Roosegaarde. Up to now, the Kunsthal record stood at 334,000 visitors in 1998.

This year, the Kunsthal was active in extending its reach beyond the walls to liven up the Museumpark and involve new audiences in its programme, for example in All you can Art, a unique multi-annual project in collaboration with Instituto Buena Bista Curaçao. And also Kunsthal LIVE, the special label under which all activities that are not directly related to the exhibitions are launched. The more than 25 different programme components, varying from Masterclasses and ThinkTanks to special weekends, like HYPER Weekend and Kunsthallucinations, could count on an enormous amount of attention from the public.The Kunsthal is proud that this year’s mission has led to such an amazing result. In recognition of our efforts and the ensuing successful results, the Kunsthal was awarded two prizes: the &Award, a new award for special projects that connect culture, creativity and diversity, and the Marketing Award Rotterdam 2018.

I would like to thank our partners for their trust in the Kunsthal that they continue to articulate time and again through their loyal support, and I’m equally grateful for our collaborations with artists, museums, partners, companies, sponsors, funds and supporters. Diversity and inclusivity were also high on the agenda this year, not only in our programming and choice of collaboration partners, for instance for All you can Art, but also in filling job vacancies.

This online annual report discusses the highlights of 2018 and elaborates on the organisation and management, the collaborations, our programme, talent development, educational goals and visitors – all substantiated by facts & figures. Also on behalf of the Kunsthal team, I hope you will enjoy reading this report and look forward to seeing you again often at the Kunsthal in the year to come.

Emily Ansenk, director