In this category we are looking for creative catering outlets – including cafés, bars, restaurants and pop-ups – that have a clear connection to your venue and offer great customer service as well as supporting local suppliers. Businesses should have sustainability at their heart, with a responsible approach to food sourcing and waste.

Judges
Paul Cottrell, Director, Turpin Smale
Lucy Hutchings, Commercial Operations Director, Leeds Castle
David Middlemiss, Deputy Chief Executive, Black Country Living Museum

We are looking for ecommerce initiatives that are creative, original and commercially successful, with a clear connection to your venue as well as your audience. Your initiative might be an online shop or other means of generating income online eg via social media, as long as it has been specifically designed to generate online income.

Judges
Emily Cross, Head of Retail, National Theatre
Hannah Oxley, Head of Retail & eCommerce, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Laura Pryke, Retail Manager & Buyer, Kettle’s Yard

We are looking for new ticketed events that are creative, original and commercially successful, delivering a unique and excellent experience with a clear connection to your venue. Any type of ticketed event is applicable, whether a one-off or series, online or on site however it must be outside your venue’s core business.

Judges
Alice Adams, Events Manager, Hepworth Wakefield
Teresa Maguire, Commercial Director, National Space Centre
Lauren Rhodes, Commercial Development & Programming Manager, Glasgow Life

In this category we are looking for organisations that have had particular success with location filming. You might choose to focus on one particular filming experience that has generated significant success, or a series of initiatives that have delivered consistent success.

Judges
Kate Miners, Director of Public Engagement & Commercial, Old Royal Naval College
Christina Pascoe, Interim Commercial Development Lead, English Heritage
Anna Rathband, Filming Manager, National Trust for Scotland

In this category we are looking for licensed products or ranges that are creative, original and commercially successful, with a clear connection to your venue as well as your audience.

Judges
Claire Lane, Director of Commercial, Ashmolean
Simon Prager, Chief Operating Officer, Tank Museum
Becky Stanford, Head of Brand Licensing, National Trust

In this category we are looking for creative new products and product ranges that are unique and innovative, with an engaging story that relates to your venue or collection, as well as strong sustainable credentials.

Judges
Hannah Oxley, Head of Retail & eCommerce, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Catherine Pinkerton, Group Retail Manager, Amgueddfa Cymru
Ewa Socha, Head of Commercial Development, Museum of the Home

Whether you publish in-house or work with a publisher to create original books, we are looking for any type of publication – including gift books, guidebooks, exhibition catalogues and children’s books – that is creative, original and commercially successful, with a clear connection to your venue as well as your audience.

Judges
Emily Cross, Head of Retail, National Theatre
Laura Pryke, Retail Manager & Buyer, Kettle’s Yard
Kieran Whitworth, Author & Senior Book Buying Manager, Imperial War Museums

This category is for on site retail spaces, including pop-ups and exhibition shops, that are creative and commercially successful. The judges will be looking for evidence of a compelling shopping experience that tells the story of your venue, connects with your audience and drives sales.

Judges
James Dwyer, Creative Director, Lumsden
Catherine Pinkerton, Group Retail Manager, Amgueddfa Cymru
Ewa Socha, Head of Commercial Development, Museum of the Home

In this category we are looking for innovative approaches to ticketing that have successfully engaged new audiences and maximised commercial opportunity.

Judges
Amy Akino-Wittering, Head of Operations & Commercial, Young V&A
Rosie Baker, Director of Commercial & Operations, Foundling Museum
Carly Straughan, Tourism, Ticketing & Technology Consultant

In this category we are looking for successful venue hire offerings – including corporate hire as well as weddings and events – that deliver an excellent experience for your customers, whilst raising awareness of your venue and generating income.

Judges
Alice Adams, Events Manager, Hepworth Wakefield
Teresa Maguire, Commercial Director, National Space Centre
Lauren Rhodes, Commercial Development & Programming Manager, Glasgow Life

This category celebrates the attractions which provide a quality, authentic and memorable visitor experience, engaging audiences in a positive way and maximising commercial opportunity. We want to hear about the measures that you have introduced to deliver a consistently outstanding visitor experience and improve your bottom line.

Judges
Amy Akino-Wittering, Head of Operations & Commercial, Young V&A
Lucy Hutchings, Commercial Operations Director, Leeds Castle
David Middlemiss, Deputy Chief Executive, Black Country Living Museum

In this category we are looking for creative and original marketing campaigns that have achieved strong engagement rates, successfully engaged new audiences and maximised commercial opportunity.

Judges
Simon Jones, Managing Director, Navigate
David Middlemiss, Deputy Chief Executive, Black Country Living Museum
Simon Prager, Chief Operating Officer, Tank Museum

We’re looking for new talent within our sector to inspire the next generation. Our Rising Star will be someone with a real flair for innovative thinking and maximising commercial opportunity. Please nominate someone from any area of your organisation, showing how they have met commercial objectives and benefited the organisation with supporting examples, results and colleague or customer feedback.

Judges
Rosie Baker, Director of Commercial & Operations, Foundling Museum
David Hingley, Head of Arts, Heritage & Culture, Peridot Partners
Rebecca Hossain, Director of Commercial & Operations, Sir John Soane’s Museum

This category is for suppliers and organisations that have worked with cultural organisations on a commercially successful initiative. The service you offer might be consultancy, design, systems, retail or some other type of product or service that has directly supported a cultural organisation to generate income and improve its offer.

Judges
Claire Lane, Director of Commercial, Ashmolean
Simon Prager, Chief Operating Officer, Tank Museum
Kieran Whitworth, Senior Book Buying, Merchandising & Systems Manager, Imperial War Museums

We’re looking for a team that has demonstrated innovative thinking and delivered outstanding commercial success, either on one particular project or consistently across a series of initiatives. Please nominate a team from your organisation which fulfils the above criteria. It could be a team that you lead or work alongside.

Judges
Rosie Baker, Director of Commercial & Operations, Foundling Museum
David Hingley, Head of Arts, Heritage & Culture, Peridot Partners
Rebecca Hossain, Director of Commercial & Operations, Sir John Soane’s Museum