Hot 50: CULTURE LABEL

Culture Label, the large online museum shop, is not a new concept – the US www.museumnetwork.com was forced to close when the dotcom bubble burst. However, www.culturelabel.com, launched last July, aims to do something different by expanding digital strategy beyond e-commerce.

As museums and galleries seek other revenue streams, the online retail market seems relatively undeveloped. Founded by former managing director of Curry’s David Gilbert, national account director of Art & Business Peter Tullin and his colleague Simon Cronshaw, and Soho House magazine House creative director Florian Wupperfield, Culture Label plans to showcase the best design art and limited-edition products from more than 60 leading galleries and museums. A further section allows individual artists to sell their work.

The ability to buy online may deter museum visits, but the site intends to optimise revenue by being the only place you can buy membership to museums. Culture Label aims to become more commercially savvy by expanding its offer – for example, the iPhone app Artful brings images from collections direct to handsets.