Simon

Mel, nice to see you here at the end of the first day of the Association of Cultural Enterprises conference in 2026.

Mel

Second as chair — it is my second year as chair.

Simon

And how many have you been to overall?

Mel

2011 was my first year. So something like 15 years. Yeah, 15 years.

Simon

Time flies in a great sector. I imagine that over that time we've seen quite a lot of changes in the industry — the culture sector and how things have evolved, and many of the topics that have come across within the conferences. Are there things that have really stuck out to you, and how does that lead into today?

Mel

Yeah, I would say that 15 years ago it was certainly a sector that was very retail-heavy. Very little was talked about in terms of the food and beverage experience. Very little was talked about experiential — utilising the space in your venue, either your museum, art gallery or theatre, for anything other than its traditional purpose.

And I would say that commercially, 15 years ago, the word “commercial” was probably a naughty word. We couldn't really use it in our sector. And that has changed drastically in 15 years, largely because of the ambition and passion of the people that work in the sector.

Simon

Yeah, I think I was saying earlier on that my background is commercial attractions. I grew up with Merlin Entertainments, and it was a fantastic experience. You were almost bred to maximise the commercial opportunities.

It’s certainly something the sector has taken a while to take on board in a lot of areas. But even in some of the things we’ve heard today, you can see really great examples of how people are bringing that thinking to the table.

Caroline from the National Trust for Scotland was saying earlier how commercial now has a real seat at the table — whereas that probably wasn't the case many years ago.

Mel

No, it wasn’t the case. But I do think it’s about being unapologetic about the commercial offer that you can provide.

I think it’s less about asking for a seat at the table and more about demanding a seat at the table — being confident that commercial can make a solid contribution.

Yes, we can drive income, but it’s also about adding value to the organisation we serve and to the greater purpose and mission. I see a big shift in that among senior leaders within arts and culture institutions across the country.

Simon

And maybe in the past it was thought of as very different things — but it isn’t, is it? I think one of the shifts we've seen in the sector over the last few years is that people are quite happy to pay for really great experiences.

Our venues and the people we work with have fantastic things they can offer, and like you say they shouldn't be quiet about putting a value on that. It's part of what they need to do to survive these days.

Mel

Absolutely. I think the word value is the most critical one.

If you're going to call your customer your visitor, and you put them at the heart of everything you do, they are seeking value — and they are prepared to pay for it.

That unique experience you can’t get anywhere else — something only a museum, art gallery, theatre, or a piece of art can provide. If you can provide that at a fair price, then you’ll find plenty of people interested in being part of it.

I also think a commercial transaction can build loyalty. When someone pays for something and receives value in return, they’ve actively bought into that experience. Then they begin to ask what more they can do with the institution, or whether it aligns with their values.

So yes, things have moved on enormously — and we’re all the better for it.

Simon

Yeah, and picking up on what you said there — one thing we've definitely seen is the role of data.

We're an organisation that uses a lot of data. The more data we can get from the partners we work with, the better.

If someone has bought into the organisation and had a great experience, having data about them means we can encourage them to return, experience something new, or even identify other people who might enjoy the same experience.

We’re seeing organisations getting much better at recognising the value of data.

Of course there are still challenges — costs going up again next year for example — but there are always opportunities too. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the cultural sector going forward, in 2026 and beyond?

Mel

There are lots of opportunities. Data is a critical one for me.

We need to understand what our data is telling us — and importantly, the quality of that data. It's no good just having data; it’s about the quality of it and the story it tells.

We also need people within our organisations — or partners we work with — who know how to interpret that data and help us make decisions.

That opens the door to new business models and new risks we might be willing to take.

Risks in business are only ever taken when good data supports them. Commercial professionals in the cultural sector need to be going to board tables and trustee meetings with credible data that supports the interventions they want to make.

That’s how we de-risk ideas and identify new opportunities — because human behaviour is constantly shifting.

If we don’t spot those trends, unfortunately we risk getting left behind.

Simon

Yeah, and there are so many ways organisations can capture data now.

From booking information and email addresses through to postcodes and digital behaviour — all of it feeds into a bigger picture.

And when organisations already have such powerful stories and emotional connections with their audiences, that data becomes incredibly valuable.

I know you speak passionately about how this sector offers some of the most powerful experiences people can have.

I know you’ve got a busy few days ahead, so thank you for taking a few minutes to speak with us. Let’s hope day two is just as successful.

Mel

I’m sure it will be. Thank you.